Why global inequality demands new thinking

Global inequality has become one of the defining challenges of our time. It shapes economic opportunity, political stability, and social  cohesion across countries and communities. Today’s divides are driven by  structural forces — including technological disruption, climate change,  global supply chains, demographic shifts, and changes in governance  models — that interact in complex ways and often reinforce one another.

Understanding and addressing these dynamics requires more than traditional redistribution. It calls for a systemic approach that links policy, markets, and institutions to expand opportunity,  strengthen participation, and support more inclusive and sustainable  forms of growth. 

The Built for All framework provides a structured lens for understanding how societies can design  economies that deliver broad-based well-being. It is centered on three  core pillars:

• Equity — ensuring people have fair access to opportunities, resources, and capabilities.
   
• Fairness — creating rules, markets, and institutions that reward participation and provide a level playing field.
   
• Resilience — supporting communities, systems, and future generations through sustainable and adaptive economic practices.

Taught at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy,  this graduate-level course challenges students to engage deeply with  the drivers of global inequality — from supply chains and technology  disruption to climate change and global governance.

Through  lectures, weekly seminars, and major applied assignments such as the  Global Inequality Challenge and country-case studies, students develop  analytical rigor and design thinking. Their outcome: solution proposals  grounded in evidence and built for real-world application.