Overthrowing the queen : telling stories of welfare in America / Tom Mould.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mould, Tom, 1969- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Welfare recipients--United States.

Welfare recipients.

Poor women--United States.

Poor women.

Public welfare--United States.

Public welfare.

Physical Description:

1 online resource.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Bloomington, Indiana : Indiana University Press, [2020]

Summary:

"In 1976, Ronald Reagan hit the campaign trail with an extraordinary account of a woman committing massive welfare fraud. The story caught fire and a devastating symbol of the misuse government programs was born: the Welfare Queen. Overthrowing the Queen examines these legends of fraud and abuse while bringing to light personal stories of hardship and hope told by cashiers, bus drivers, and business owners; politicians and aid providers; and, most important, aid recipients themselves. Together these stories reveal how the seemingly innocent act of storytelling can create not only powerful stereotypes that shape public policy, but also redemptive counter-narratives that offer hope of a more accurate, fair, and empathetic view of poverty in America today. Overthrowing the Queen tackles perceptions of welfare recipients while proposing new approaches to the study of oral narrative that extend far beyond the study of welfare, poverty, and social justice"--Publisher's website.

Contents:

Acknowledgments

SECTION 1. Welfare Legends: An American Tradition

1. Introduction

2. The Welfare System and Narrative Scholarship

3. Birth in a Nation

SECTION 2. Insider Views: Aid Recipients' Stories

4. Origin Stories

5. Challenge Stories

6. Making-Ends-Meet and Achieving-Success Stories

SECTION 3. Public Debates: Clash of Cultures

7. Symbols and Stereotypes

8. Hard Workers and the Worthy Poor

9. Welfare Lore in Social Media

SECTION 4. Reenvisioning Legends

10. Context as Creator of Tradition

11. Truth and Doubt in Contemporary Legend

12. Overthrowing the Queen

Epilogue

Appendixes.

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780253048066

0253048060

9780253048059

0253048052

OCLC:

1179045847