Welfare in the United States

1. Eileen Boris, History/Women’s Studies, UCSB: ""Terrific and needed. We just don’t have a book like this that presents welfare from multiple perspectives, including social movement and reform, but also social science and administrative, policy, and governmental. The authors are the people to do this, as their careful choice of documents suggests….I could have used this book for my Women’s Labors course in which I discuss "Welfare as Work" as the basis for an assignment."
3. Mark Harvey, History, UWI-Madison: "My general reaction is positive. I think the authors have identified a need and put together a piece of work worthy of publication….I find the integration of original texts with narrative summary particularly appealing….a promising basis for discussion and development of critical thinking."
5. Michael Reisch, Professor of Social Work, U Michigan: ""My overall reaction to the proposed project is favorable. I like the focus of the book and the use of documentary sources to illustrate its major themes. It also appears to be a format and size that would encourage its use by faculty, and facilitate students’ reading….I would consider using this book as a supplemental text in a master;s level course on U.S. social policy or in courses on policy development, social action, or policy development (all of which I teach)."

"With wide ranging perspectives, nearly century-long coverage, and choice documents, this short but powerful collection shows why welfare remains one of the most contentious issues in public policy. Three cheers for Nadasen, Mittelstadt, and Chappell for this stimulating- and provocative - introduction that highlights the significance of race and gender in women's lives."

—Eileen Boris, author or The New Women’s Labor History

"The story of contemporary welfare policy in the United States is complicated and deeply troubled by poisonous conflicts over race, class and gender. Here, however, we have a telling of the story that is admirably clear and concise, and enlivened by the inclusion of the documents that mark and illuminate the turning points in the story. This will be an excellent teaching resource."

—Frances Fox Piven, author of Challenging Authority: How Ordinary People Change America