Description
Book SynopsisThis book is about poverty in Poland during the transition to capitalism and in the decade that followed as documented in the life courses of women living in the disadvantaged neighborhoods in the post-industrial city. The authors analyze the life histories of four generations of women. The oldest are former workers in state-owned factories in which they worked until retirement and who used to be the leaders of the female working class during the socialist period. Their daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters became redundant on the capitalist labor market and survived on social benefits. The book goes beyond the feminization of poverty as traditionally considered in monetary terms. It searches for the causes that drive and maintain poverty that are embedded in changes in industrial relations, welfare regimes, and family structures and relations. It also discusses women' efforts and capabilities to cope with disadvantages.
Trade ReviewIn this important book about poverty and social exclusion, the authors apply the biographical method to get to know the life history and experiences of the members of extended families. The dynamic approach as presented in the book is unique and covers a period of almost a century. Of great theoretical importance is their revealing factors contributing to pauperization of subsequent generations ("daughters" and "grandchildren") by tracking changes in the social structure due to shifts in the global economy and the emergence of a new social class specified as precariat, of which a significant segment are the children of former workers. The book can count on a broad range of interest in academia and beyond, including local authorities, social workers, and non-for-profit organizations. -- Danuta Duch-Krzystoszek, the Maria Grzegorzewska University in Warsaw
