The Politics of Disgust: The Public Identity of the Welfare Queen [Paperback]

Ange-Marie Hancock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2004 | ISBN-10: 081473670X | ISBN-13: 978-0814736708

Winner of the 2006 Race, Ethnicity, and Politics Organized Section Best First Book Award from the American Political Science Association

Winner of the 2006 W.E.B. DuBois Book Award from the National Conference of Black Political Scientists

Ange-Marie Hancock argues that longstanding beliefs about poor African American mothers were the foundation for the contentious 1996 welfare reform debate that effectively "ended welfare as we know it." By examining the public identity of the so-called welfare queen and its role in hindering democratic deliberation, The Politics of Disgust shows how stereotypes and politically motivated misperceptions about race, class and gender were effectively used to instigate a politics of disgust.

The ongoing role of the politics of disgust in welfare policy is revealed here by using content analyses of the news media, the 1996 congressional floor debates, historical evidence and interviews with welfare recipients themselves. Hancock's incisive analysis is both compelling and disturbing, suggesting the great limits of today's democracy in guaranteeing not just fair and equitable policy outcomes, but even a fair chance for marginalized citizens to participate in the process.

Editorial Reviews

Review

-,

"The Politics of Disgust is a very thoughtful, theoretically sophisticated, empirically rich analysis of the discourse of welfare reform."

-Political Science Quarterly,

"An important contribution to our understanding."

-Perspectives on Politics,

"For those concerned about inequality and democratic theory in America, Hancock's introduction alone, in which she frames the characteristics of politics of disgust, makes the book worthwhile."

-Perspectives on Politics,

"Brilliantly conceived and executed. . .[A] stunning work of public policy that, if embraced, could radically change 'welfare'—and America—as we know it."

-Robin D. G. Kelley,author of Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination

About the Author

Ange-Marie Hancock is assistant professor of political science and African American studies at Yale University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: NYU Press (December 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081473670X
• ISBN-13: 978-0814736708
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #934,766 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How 'not in my backyard' grew to 'not in our country', December 30, 2004

By 

Robin Orlowski "political activist" (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Politics of Disgust: The Public Identity of the Welfare Queen (Paperback)

When welfare was originally developed in the 1930's, the white women who were elgible for this government assistance (the rolls were racially segregated until the 1960's) were supposed to go on welfare and stay at home with their children to meet the 'ideal' WASP gender role of the homemaker.

Even if they lacked a male breadwinner (as was the social norm back then) these women were also supposed to remain at home with their children. The assumption was that the monthly welfare payment would provide another chance for these families to assimilate to 'proper' gender roles about women not working outside the home.

Yet, when those programs began intergrating in the 1960's, the nation subsequently began hearing about the alleged flaws of the 'welfare queen'. Now, women who wanted to stay at home with their children were reduced to parasites. Welfare reform attempts were not new (Nixon attempted them in the early 1970's) but the bipartisan support for 'ending welfare as we know it' was unprecedented.

The 'welfare reform' charge became so compelling that even 'new' Democrat Bill Clinton signed the 1996 overall, despite himself having grown up in poverty --- and thus being able to personally understand the reasons why women would need to use public assistance.

Because the actual payment levels had not kept up with minimum cost of living state estimates by the 1990's, it was actually impossible to become rich off of the monthly welfare check. Despite these compelling statistics, the government recognized that keeping other people in a frenzy about 'waste' in this most conservative of industrialized nations offered more political rewards.