Experiencing Poverty Voices from the Bottom

by Eitzen, D. Stanley; Smith, Kelly Eitzen

• ISBN13: 9780534529581
• ISBN10: 0534529585
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-07-24
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

EXPERIENCING POVERTY is unique in its comprehensive understanding of poverty. The readings incorporate the experiences of the impoverished in many situations, including people who are homeless, housed, working, non-working, single, married, urban, rural, born in the United States, first generation Americans, young and old. Most significantly, the crucial dimensions of inequality - race and gender - are interwoven throughout the selected readings.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
PART I Poverty in the United States and the Sociological Imagination	1	(12)
The Extent and Distribution of Poverty in the United States	1	(7)
The Poverty Threshold	2	(1)
Racial Minorities	3	(1)
Nativity	4	(1)
Age	4	(1)
Gender	5	(1)
Place	5	(1)
The Working Poor	6	(1)
The Near Poor	7	(1)
The Severely Poor	7	(1)
The Dynamics of Poverty: The Likelihood of Moving Out of Poverty	7	(1)
The Sociological Imagination	8	(1)
The Economic Downturn and Increasing Homelessness: A Brief Examination of How Social Forces Affect People's Lives	9	(1)
Notes and Suggestions for Further Reading	10	(3)
PART II Theories of Poverty: Why Are the Poor Poor?	13	(26)
Individual/Cultural and Structural Explanations	15	(24)
Individual and Cultural Explanations	15	(2)
Structural Explanations for Poverty	17	(2)
Notes and Suggestions for Further Reading	19	(20)
Poverty or At Home in a Car	20	(5)
Jackie Spinks
The Armstrongs: An Oral History of a Homeless American Family	25	(3)
Steven VanderStaay
Worlds Apart	28	(2)
Cynthia M. Duncan
I Dream a Lot	30	(2)
Ah-Bead-Soot
Feeling Trapped	32	(1)
Nikkie Thompson
No 40 Acres and a Mule: An Interview with a Displaced Black Farmer	33	(4)
Robert D. Bullard
Reflection Questions for Part II	37	(2)
PART III Living on the Economic Margins	39	(64)
Survival and Finances	41	(19)
Notes and Suggestions for Further Reading	43	(17)
Ain't No Middle Class	43	(14)
Susan Sheehan
Unafraid of the Dark	57	(3)
Rosemary L. Bray
Discrimination/Racism/Stigma	60	(25)
The Stigmatizing of the Impoverished	61	(1)
The Consequences of Stigmatizing the Impoverished	62	(1)
Notes and Suggestions for Further Reading	63	(22)
My Name Is Not ``Those People''	64	(1)
Julia Dinsmore
The Dynamics of Welfare Stigma	65	(7)
Robin Rogers-Dillon
Sunset Trailer Park	72	(6)
Allan Berube
Florence Berube
Migrants and the Community	78	(2)
Toby F. Sonneman
Notes of a Racial Caste Baby	80	(5)
Bryan K. Fair
Parenting in Poverty	85	(18)
Notes and Suggestions for Further Reading	86	(17)
The Empty Christmas	87	(1)
Tamicia Rush
Karla	88	(1)
Steven VanderStaay
Single Parenting in Poverty	89	(9)
Virginia Schein
The Tomalsons and the Riveras: Families on the Fault Line	98	(4)
Lillian Rubin
Reflection Questions for Part III	102	(1)
PART IV The Impact of Societal Institutions on Individual Lives	103	(76)
Housing/Homeless Shelters/Neighborhoods	105	(11)
The Lack of Affordable Housing	105	(1)
Living in Poor Neighborhoods	106	(1)
Notes and Suggestions for Further Reading	107	(9)
Shelter	108	(2)
Bobby Burns
The Roofless Women's Action Research Mobilization and Marie Kennedy: Bureaucracy and Rules as Punishment	110	(3)
The Residents of Rockwell Gardens	113	(3)
Susan J. Popkin
Victoria E. Gwiasda
Lynn M. Olson
Dennis P. Rosenbaum
Larry Buron
The Welfare System	116	(18)
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996	116	(2)
Notes and Suggestions for Further Reading	118	(16)
Working Your Fingers to the Bone	119	(2)
Marion Graham
Plaintiffs in Capers v. Guiliani: Welfare As They Know It	121	(3)
Welfare	124	(6)
Rita Henley Jensen
Real Welfare Reform	130	(4)
Janis Johnston
The Health Care System	134	(11)
Notes and Suggestions for Further Reading	135	(10)
Getting to Work	136	(3)
Kenny Fries
On the Margins: The Lack of Resources and the Lack of Health Care	139	(6)
Janis Johnston
Schools and Schooling	145	(10)
Notes and Suggestions for Further Reading	146	(9)
Seventh Grade Disaster	146	(2)
Delphia Boykin
Always Running	148	(4)
Luis Rodriguez
Creating a School to Meet the Needs of Poor Children	152	(3)
Loretta J. Brunious
Work and Working	155	(24)
Wages	155	(1)
Alienation	156	(1)
Risk	156	(1)
Sweatshops	156	(1)
Notes and Suggestions for Further Reading	157	(22)
Looking for Work, Waiting for Work	158	(4)
Toby F. Sonneman
An Interview with Linda Lord: Chicken Run	162	(3)
At a Slaughterhouse	165	(10)
Charlie LeDuff
The Story of a Garment Worker	175	(2)
Lisa Liu
Reflection Questions for Part IV	177	(2)
PART V Individual and Collective Agency and Empowerment	179	(15)
Changes from the Bottom Up	181	(13)
Notes and Suggestions for Further Reading	182	(12)
Wardell: Resident of Rockwell Gardens	183	(2)
Susan J. Popkin
Victoria E. Gwiasda
Lynn M. Olson
Dennis P Rosenbaum
Larry Buron
Surviving Chicago's Toxic Doughnut	185	(2)
Hazel Johnson
Welfare Rights Organizing Saved My Life	187	(3)
Dottie Stevens
Josefina Flores: A Veteran of the War in the Fields	190	(2)
David Bacon
Milwaukee Welfare Warriors: Apologies Don't Help	192	(1)
Reflection Questions for Part V	193	(1)
AFTERWORD	194	(5)
The Forgotten Children of Affluent America	194	(5)
David E. Bumbaugh
Reflection Questions for the Book	199	(1)
Glossary	200	(2)
Web Sites	202	(3)
Index	205