New Books In Public Policy

A number of recent events (the Great Recession, Occupy Wall Street, the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign) have brought inequality and poverty into national conversation. In an age of economic uncertainty and a declining social safety net, understanding the lives of people dealing with impoverished conditions has been a key task of social scientists. Focusing on people living below the poverty line and struggling to survive, Surviving Poverty: Creating Sustainable Ties among the Poor (NYU Press, 2017) is an excellent addition to this literature. Through in-depth interviews and fieldwork, Assistant Professor Joan Maya Mazelis examines the important role of what she calls “sustainable social ties” for alleviating poverty among the poor. Comparing members of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union, a grassroots organization operated by and for the poor, with non-members, she learns about the value of social networks for helping poor people’s daily survival. Along with advocating on their behalf, the organization