Cutting through the stereotypes that enable many people to dismiss
the needs of the impoverished, Surviving in a Material World
provides an eye-opening look at the material lives of the poor in
America. Hill's vivid, detailed narratives allow readers to
envision themselves in the real world of the poor, to imagine what
it would be like to be faced with their particular circumstances
and limited options.
Social scientists have devoted considerable time and effort to
unearthing the rationale behind why people buy; yet, very little
attention has been paid to the consumption habits of the poor. Over
the course of the last decade, Hill has dedicated his research
efforts to answering the question: How do various sub-populations
among the poor survive in our material world? Hill identifies six
of these subgroups, including the "hidden homeless, " homeless
families living in shelters, poor children, and the rural poor.
Surviving in a Material World challenges readers to cast aside
their biases and to make evaluations about the poor based on a
complete picture of their lives. Americans often assume that the
poor have access to family structures, teachers, and civic and
community organizations that mirror their own. This insightful new
book makes clear that such naive approaches fail to reflect the
lived world and restrictions the poor endure in the face of the
American dream.
Approximately 13 percent of Americans (35 million people) live
in poverty. That rate soars for children: it is estimated that
nearly one in five young people lives in a home without adequate
income, shelter, food, and health care. Bearing in mind the
specific needs of each community, Hill proposes solutions that
attackthe roots of poverty through an understanding of impoverished
groups' strengths and weaknesses.
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