"Cherry and Lerman have written a compelling book that challenges the orthodoxies of both the political 'left' and 'right', and that promotes a set of policies to improve the economic status of lower-to-middle income working families. All who care about the well-being of working families will learn a great deal from their analysis." -Harry Holzer, Professor of Public Policy, Georgetown University "Offers highly sophisticated proposals for helping working families advance in the wake of welfare reform. Cherry and Lerman are very expert, and they write very well." -Lawrence M. Mead, Professor of Politics and Public Policy, New York University Even as our political system remains deeply divided between right and left, there is a clear yearning for a more moderate third way that navigates an intermediate position to address the most pressing issues facing the United States today. Moving Working Families Forward points to a Third Way between liberals and conservatives, combining a commitment to government expenditures that enhance the incomes of working families while recognizing that concerns for program effectiveness, individual responsibility, and underutilization of market incentives are justified. Robert Cherry and Robert Lerman provide the context to understand the distinctive qualities of Third Way policies, focusing on seven areas that substantially affect working families: immigration, race and gender earnings disparities, education, housing, strengthening partnerships, and federal taxes. Balancing empirical studies with voices of working class people, they offer an important perspective on how public policies should be changed. A timely approach, Moving Working Families Forward makes policy recommendations that are both practical and transformative.

"Cherry and Lerman have written a compelling book that challenges the orthodoxies of both the political 'left' and 'right', and that promotes a set of policies to improve the economic status of lower-to-middle income working families. All who care about the well-being of working families will learn a great deal from their analysis." -Harry Holzer, Professor of Public Policy, Georgetown University "Offers highly sophisticated proposals for helping working families advance in the wake of welfare reform. Cherry and Lerman are very expert, and they write very well." -Lawrence M. Mead, Professor of Politics and Public Policy, New York University Even as our political system remains deeply divided between right and left, there is a clear yearning for a more moderate third way that navigates an intermediate position to address the most pressing issues facing the United States today. Moving Working Families Forward points to a Third Way between liberals and conservatives, combining a commitment to government expenditures that enhance the incomes of working families while recognizing that concerns for program effectiveness, individual responsibility, and underutilization of market incentives are justified. Robert Cherry and Robert Lerman provide the context to understand the distinctive qualities of Third Way policies, focusing on seven areas that substantially affect working families: immigration, race and gender earnings disparities, education, housing, strengthening partnerships, and federal taxes. Balancing empirical studies with voices of working class people, they offer an important perspective on how public policies should be changed. A timely approach, Moving Working Families Forward makes policy recommendations that are both practical and transformative.

One in five children in the United States is born to an unwed mother. Fifty-three percent of children supported by welfare have unmarried parents. While public attention has focused almost solely on unwed mothers, an emerging new interest in unwed fathers is being fueled largely by sensational anecdotes and stereotypes. This volume is the first to bring together a wide and balanced array of research perspectives on unwed fatherhood. Sixteen essays - all but one of which are original to this volume - describe unwed fathers' characteristics and behavior, examine policies to enforce child support, assess programs designed to help unwed fathers assume parental responsibility, and discuss the legal and ethical rights and obligations of unwed fathers. New research is presented that examines the patterns, causes, and consequences of unwed fatherhood. Two of the essays focus on young men in New York City and Philadelphia. The comprehensive studies presented here review male involvement in unwed parenting from pre-parenthood sexual behavior, through pregnancy/abortion/ adoption decisions, to the social and economic aspects of raising an out-of-wedlock child. Irresponsible "macho" stereotypes of unwed teenage fathers are both challenged and confirmed. The Family Support Act of 1988 and other emerging state and federal policies that involve welfare, employment, and child support are discussed in terms of the implications for unwed fathers. Some essays analyze programs that promote financial stability and thus parental responsibility for unwed fathers. Relying on research ranging from national surveys to rich ethnographies, the contributors provide new knowledge and insights to the public debateabout welfare reform, paternity and child support, and family values.