Description
Book SynopsisThe American welfare state is supposed to be a pale imitation of 'true' welfare states in Europe and Canada. This book argues that the American welfare state is in fact larger, more popular, and more dynamic than commonly believed.
Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2007 "The Welfare State Nobody Knows goes a long way to fill in the gap left by previous research intended to quantify and categorize the American welfare state. Howard's combination of quantitative and qualitative tools is refreshing."--Carrie A. Ross, Journal of Children and Poverty "The Welfare State Nobody Knows is without doubt an insightful, provocative, and wide-ranging book that should reach a broad scholarly audience. In the classroom and in scholarly publications, the book will undoubtedly stimulate lively debates about the nature, history, and politics of American social policy. All students of American social policy would benefit from reading it."--Daniel Beland, American Journal of Sociology
Table of ContentsList of Boxes, Figures, and Tables vii Acknowledgments ix Acronyms xiii INTRODUCTION 1 PART I: Basic Tour 11 CHAPTER 1: She's So Unusual 13 CHAPTER 2: Tracks of My Tiers 27 CHAPTER 3: Twice in a Lifetime 53 PART II: New Horizons 71 CHAPTER 4: Ogres, Onions, and Layers (or, How Republicans Built the American Welfare State) 73 CHAPTER 5: Programs for the Poor Are Not Always Poor Programs 92 CHAPTER 6: Shaq Is Still Pretty Tall: Public Support for the American Welfare State 109 CHAPTER 7: The World According to AARP 125 PART III: Checkpoints and Roadblocks 151 CHAPTER 8: The American States: Laboratories of Democracy or Cryogenic Chambers? 153 CHAPTER 9: Race Still Matters 178 CHAPTER 10: Change versus Progress 192 Notes 211 Index 255
