Description
Book SynopsisAnge-Marie Hancock argues that beliefs about poor African American mothers were the foundation for the contentious 1996 welfare reform debate that effectively "ended welfare as we know it." She shows how stereotypes and politically motivated misperceptions about race, class and gender were effectively used to instigate a politics of disgust.
Trade Review"Brilliantly conceived and executed. . .[A] stunning work of public policy that, if embraced, could radically change 'welfare'—and America—as we know it." -- Robin D. G. Kelley,author of Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination
"[A] challenging and disturbing account of the impact of stereotypes in politics. Anyone interested in the means by which the poor, the unpopular, and the alienated are kept from participating in politics to demand better treatment should read this book." -- Frank R. Baumgartner,coauthor of Agendas and Instability in American Politics
"[An] excellent and outstanding book; Ange-Marie Hancock has established herself without doubt as a rising star in political science." -- Gerald Horne,author of Race War! White Supremacy and the Japanese Attack on the British Empire
"The Politics of Disgust is a very thoughtful, theoretically sophisticated, empirically rich analysis of the discourse of welfare reform." * Political Science Quarterly *
"For those concerned about inequality and democratic theory in America, Hancock’s introduction alone, in which she frames the characteristics of politics of disgust, makes the book worthwhile." * Perspectives on Politics *
"An important contribution to our understanding." * Perspectives on Politics *
Table of ContentsContentsList of Tables Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations 1 Introduction: The Face of Welfare Reform2 Political Culture and the Public Identity of the "Welfare Queen" 3 The News Media: Constructing the Politics of Disgust? 4 Public Discourse in Congress: Haunted by Ghosts of "Welfare Queens" Past 5 Contending with the Politics of Disgust: Public Identity through Welfare Recipients' Eyes 6 The Dual Threat: The Impact of Public Identity and the Politics of Disgust on Democratic Deliberation 7 Epilogue: Public Identity and the Politics of Disgust in the New Millennium Appendix A: Citations for News Media Data SetAnalyzed in Chapter 3 Appendix B: Congressional Record DocumentsAnalyzed in Chapter 4 Appendix C: Data Analysis Procedures Notes Bibliography Index About the Author
