Description
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWho Cares is a fresh, informative look at the nature of the American welfare state: why do we care about some needs more than others? What's the actual level of protection afforded, and for whom? What do key actors (the public, parties and politicians, unions, and business organizations) have to say? Will the gaps exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic spur a reset, or not? Chris Howard wields his stunningly clear prose to examine both the usual policy areas (income, healthcare, food) and the often-overlooked (housing, child- and elder-care). I can't wait for the conversations this thoughtful book will prompt. * Andrea Louise Campbell, author of Trapped in America's Safety Net *
The strengths of the book include its deep dive into public opinion and its information on the roles of government, charities, and volunteers in mitigating poverty...Who Cares is suitable for undergraduate courses on social welfare, public policy, and the sociology of poverty. * Choice *
...by surveying caring commitments and practices across the public-private spectrum throughout society, the book's detailed empirical analysis greatly helps to place our collective caring efforts to aid the disadvantaged in the United States into a robust context, actually making thorough assessment more possible. For this alone, the book is an important contribution to the scholarly literature and deserving of a wide audience among the broader public. * Sanford Schram, Hunter College-City University of New York *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction WHAT WE SAY 1. General Public 2. Business and Labor 3. Churches and Other Charities 4. Public Officials WHAT WE DO 5. Income 6. Food 7. Housing 8. Medical Care 9. Daily Care Conclusion Postscript: The Social Safety Net and the Pandemic Notes Bibliography Index
