Why Americans Hate Welfare: Race, Media, and the Politics of Antipoverty Policy (Studies in Communication, Media, and Public Opinion) [Paperback]

Martin Gilens (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0226293653 | ISBN-13: 978-0226293653 | Publication Date: October 1, 2000 | Edition: 1

Tackling one of the most volatile issues in contemporary politics, Martin Gilens's work punctures myths and misconceptions about welfare policy, public opinion, and the role of the media in both. Why Americans Hate Welfare shows that the public's views on welfare are a complex mixture of cynicism and compassion; misinformed and racially charged, they nevertheless reflect both a distrust of welfare recipients and a desire to do more to help the "deserving" poor.

"With one out of five children currently living in poverty and more than 100,000 families with children now homeless, Gilens's book is must reading if you want to understand how the mainstream media have helped justify, and even produce, this state of affairs." —Susan Douglas, The Progressive
"Gilens's well-written and logically developed argument deserves to be taken seriously." —Choice

"A provocative analysis of American attitudes towards 'welfare.'. . . [Gilens] shows how racial stereotypes, not white self-interest or anti-statism, lie at the root of opposition to welfare programs." -Library Journal

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Gilens (political science, Yale Univ.) has written a provocative analysis of American attitudes toward welfare. Actually, he might have better titled his study Why Americans Hate Certain Kinds of Welfare, because he convincingly shows that most Americans actually support state assistance to the deserving poor, i.e., those who are not lazy and who actively seek employment. On the other hand, Americans overwhelmingly oppose welfare to those perceived as shiftless. This category has come to be associated with African Americans, partly through the medias long-term tendency to connect welfare with blacks. To prove this point, the book analyzes more than four decades of news reports on poverty. In the end, the author shows how racial stereotypes, not white self-interest or anti-statism, lie at the root of opposition to welfare programs. A well-written and thoughtful study on a timely subject.Anthony O. Edmonds, Ball State Univ., Muncie, IN
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Why do Americans who want to "help the poor" have such negative attitudes toward "welfare" ? Yale University political science professor Gilens suggests the media are a primary culprit. Individualism and economic self-interest don't adequately explain white Americans' opposition to welfare. Using detailed analysis of surveys and other sources, Gilens traces this antipathy to portrayals in the media that "racialize" welfare and activate the ancient racial stereotype of African Americans as "lazy." The old notion of "the undeserving poor" is central here; many of those who want "an end to welfare as we know it" think government should be spending more, not less, to help poor people trying to support themselves. Gilens' study of how TV and newsmagazines "visualize" poverty may be controversial; he describes how racial stereotypes lead even liberal photo editors and producers to misrepresent the composition of America's poor people. Recognizing the complexity of these public attitudes, Gilens argues that well-conceived means-tested programs can achieve and maintain strong public support. Mary Carroll --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 303 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press; 1 edition (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226293653
• ISBN-13: 978-0226293653
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,737 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #79 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Current Events > Poverty > Social Services & Welfare

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars state of the art public opinion analysis, December 9, 1999

By 

(d)avid (South Bend, IN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why Americans Hate Welfare: Race, Media, and the Politics of Antipoverty Policy (Studies in Communication, Media, and Public Opinion) (Hardcover)

The finding that welfare policies are not popular is not new, but Marty Gilens carefully analyzes the reasons people give for disliking welfare. By embedding experiments within surveys, he is able to gain insight into topics which would otherwise remain obscured. In effect, he is able to trick participants into revealing their true beliefs on race and welfare. The conclusions he reaches are new, convincing, and thought-provoking. In short, this is an excellent book for anyone interested in either public opinion research methodology or welfare politics.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very important book., July 15, 2005

By 

Jim J. Walker (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Why Americans Hate Welfare: Race, Media, and the Politics of Antipoverty Policy (Studies in Communication, Media, and Public Opinion) (Paperback)

This book should be required reading in every high school civic class. Gilens dispels the myths of the "deserving" and "undeserving" poor and the myths of the racial composition of welfare recipients. The text is extremely well researched and clearly written. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

20 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More evidence and research than insight, May 23, 2000

By 

"radioactive_lemming" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why Americans Hate Welfare: Race, Media, and the Politics of Antipoverty Policy (Studies in Communication, Media, and Public Opinion) (Hardcover)

This books holds little appeal beyond the realm of Political Scientist. As someone university educated in the field I respect the many years research placed into this book. The explainations are extremely thorough- too much so?- and coupled with extensive graphs and charts. This is a great reference source on the subject of Public Opinion about welfare.

However, the book is a bore. Once you read the preface, introduction and first chapter you've basically finished the book. The rest explains each point- point by point. Interjected between points is explanations of each method used to analyze the point. Is examining the methods used to examine something overkill? Not in itself. However, Gilens drowns casual readers in analysis; and analysis of analysis. He seems to repeat himself often, as if restatement helps drive the point home. After several pages on a topic I could understand by reading a 1 page chart, I just wanted him to move on. Get to the point!

The insights are nothing new to those of use who ignored the dogmatic ramblings of both the ideological left and right for years. Gilens raises questions of racism and classism in people's opinions. That isn't anything new- to some of us

The book gets 4 stars only because of the extensiveness with which it examines the topic. Those intrested in Public Opinion, Welfare or the details of political research should check it out. Everyone else avoid.