Welfare Transformed: Universalizing Family Policies That Work - Hardcover

Cherry, Robert

9780195183122: Welfare Transformed: Universalizing Family Policies That Work

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0195183126 ISBN 13: 9780195183122

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2007

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In the ten years after President Clinton made good on his promise to "end welfare as we know it" by signing the reform act of 1996, the number of families on welfare dropped by over three million. This hotly contested legislation has fueled countless hyperbolic arguments from both sides of the political spectrum rather than a clearheaded examination of the actual results of the reform. Robert Cherry steps into the fray with a story that differs sharply from both conservative and liberal critiques. He portrays the women who left welfare as success stories rather than victims, and stresses the many positive lessons of the policy initiatives that accompanied the reform without downplaying the problems it created. The result is an eye-opening look at the ground-level repercussions of welfare policy changes, developments that have been overshadowed by partisan politics for too long.

Anchored by solid economic research and policy background, Welfare Transformed comes alive with revealing interviews of key members of the Clinton Administration, directors and staff at welfare-to-work programs and community colleges, and - most importantly - welfare leavers themselves. Cherry carefully explains the factors (racial, social, economic, generational) that spurred and shaped the reform, and moves past partisan rhetoric in his review of its effects. Instead, he pays attention to concrete data and real people's experiences that combine to provide a full account of the legislation's aftermath. Armed with this new view, Cherry offers a range of strong suggestions for transforming successful welfare policies into universal family policies, from strengthening federal economic supports for working families to improving our community colleges. A refreshing take on a lightning-rod subject, this book is certain to foment heated discussions among all who read it.

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About the Author

Robert Cherry is a Koppelman Professor of Economics at Brooklyn College and a research associate at the Economic Policy Institute. He has written widely on the economic aspects of discrimination and related policy issues, including affirmative action, immigration, and federal tax subsidies for workers. His most recent books are Who Gets the Good Jobs?, Combating Race and Gender Disparities and Prosperity for All, African Americans and the Economic Boom.

Review

"Different analysts might use different threads or patterns in weaving different tapestries to describe the welfare reform story. Cherrys integration of research findings, political perspectives, and workers personal accounts is presented in a way that gradually and surely leads the reader to the best part of his policy tapestry: his recommendations for the future."--Social Service Review

"This is a welcome addition to the literature on welfare reform...Cherry is refreshing...Highly recommended."--Choice

"...[A]rguable, engaging, and thought provoking."--Journal of Family Social Work

"The book is intended for a general audience interested in welfare reform. Cherry incorporates social and political history leading up to welfare reform as well as the academic arguments and empirical data that have been garnered to analyze its effects...It is particularly suited for the classroom."--Feminist Economics

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