Description
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.
Author: Tom Mould
Publisher: Indiana University Press
Published: 08/25/2020
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.35lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.10w x 1.10d
ISBN13: 9780253048035
ISBN10: 0253048036
BISAC Categories:
- Social Science | Folklore & Mythology
- Social Science | Social Classes & Economic Disparity
- Political Science | Public Policy | Social Services & Welfare
About the Author
Tom Mould is Professor of Anthropology and Folklore at Butler University. He is the author of Still, the Small Voice: Narrative, Personal Revelation, and the Mormon Folk Tradition, Choctaw Prophecy: A Legacy of the Future, and Choctaw Tales.