Introduction: social poverty in America -- Young, poor parents: lacking social support and social capital -- Becoming an adult: getting a car, a job, and paying the bills -- Committing to a relationship: "you have to have your trust in place" -- Becoming a parent: doing better and settling down -- Family expectations: looking for support -- Learning skills: building trust and communities -- Relationship and parenting changes: making it work -- Conclusion: escaping social poverty.
Summary:
Could a lack of close, meaningful social ties be a public-rather than just a private-problem? In 'Social Poverty', Sarah Halpern-Meekin provides a much-needed window into the nature of social ties among low-income, unmarried parents, highlighting their often-ignored forms of hardship. Drawing on in-depth interviews with thirty-one couples, collected during their participation in a government-sponsored relationship education program called 'Family Expectations', she brings unprecedented attention to the relational and emotional dimensions of socioeconomic disadvantage. Poverty scholars typically focus on the economic use value of social ties-for example, how relationships enable access to job leads, informal loans, or a spare bedroom. However, Halpern-Meekin introduces the important new concept of "social poverty," identifying it not just as a derivative of economic poverty, but as its own condition, which also perpetuates poverty. Through a careful and nuanced analysis of the strengths and limitations of relationship classes, she shines a light on the fundamental place of core socioemotional needs in our lives. Engaging and compassionate, 'Social Poverty' highlights a new direction for policy and poverty research that can enrich our understanding of disadvantaged families around the country.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.