"By focusing squarely on the cultural dimensions of social welfare
policy, Sanford Schram brilliantly illuminates recent turns in
policy and politics. Nor does he slight the material for the
symbolic. Ratherhe shows the close connections between the cultural
and material aspects of policy. Most welcome of all, Schram's work
is imbued with a rare empathetic concern for the people who are
both the beneficiaries and victims of social welfare."
--Frances Fox Piven, Graduate Center of the City University of New
York
"If you want a flesh-and-blood story of the real agendas that
lie behind policy-making in the age of tough love, After Welfare is
the best book on the topic. Schram's incisive expose makes for
spectacular common sense."
--Andrew Ross, New York University
"This engagingly written book lays bare the 'dirty little
secrets' of a new order of social policy, one that shores up
inequality by tapping into cultural reserves of race and gender
prejudice while publicly presenting a neutral face. Its power
derives from Schram's eloquence, his sharp wit, and his talent for
persuading the reader to scrutinize social policy through the lens
of social theory."
--Lisa Disch, University of Minnesota
"Sanford Schram's After Welfare is an exemplary combination of
political theory, cultural critique, applied policy analysis and
astute and comprehensive mapping of the contemporary politics of
welfare. It should engage a wide readership in both academia and
the policy community."
--Michael J. Shapiro, University of Hawai'i
Do contemporary welfare policies reflect the realities of the
economy and the needs of those in need of public assistance, or are
they based on outdatedand idealized notions of work and family
life? Are we are moving from a "war on poverty" to a "war against
the poor?" In this critique of American social welfare policy,
Sanford F. Schram explores the cultural anxieties over the
putatively deteriorating "American work ethic," and the class,
race, sexual and gender biases at the root of current policy and
debates.
Schram goes beyond analyzing the current state of affairs to
offer a progressive alternative he calls "radical incrementalism,"
whereby activists would recreate a social safety net tailored to
the specific life circumstances of those in need. His provocative
recommendations include a series of programs aimed at transcending
the prevailing pernicious distinction between "social insurance"
and "public assistance" so as to better address the needs of single
mothers with children. Such programs could include "divorce
insurance" or even some form of "pregnancy insurance" for women
with no means of economic support. By pushing for such programs,
Schram argues, activists could make great strides towards achieving
social justice, even in today's reactionary climate.
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