Inequality in America : race, poverty, and fulfilling democracy's promise Cover Image

Inequality in America : race, poverty, and fulfilling democracy's promise / Stephen M. Caliendo.

Caliendo, Stephen M., 1971- (Author).

Summary:

"Why does inequality have such a hold on American society and public policy? And what can we, as citizens, do about it? Inequality in America takes an in-depth look at individual-level and systemic inequality, focusing in particular on race, poverty, and gender, across a wide range of issues from housing and education to crime, employment and health. Caliendo shows how individual-level prejudice and systemic inequality are interrelated, how individual beliefs and attitudes can affect public opinion and lawmakers' policy solutions and how systemic barriers to advancement as a result of these policies then contribute to individual perceptions, creating a cycle of disadvantage and advantage that can be difficult to break, though not impossible. Feature boxes throughout the book offer insight into key public figures who have worked to combat inequality and suggestions for individual action. Concise and written in an accessible manner, Inequality in America paves the way for students to think critically about the effects of the attitudes, behaviors and structures of inequality"--Provided by publisher.

Record details

ISBN: 0813344980
ISBN: 9780813344980
Physical Description: xviii, 270 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm.
Publisher: Boulder, CO : Westview Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group, [2015]

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 197-256) and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

Poverty and the Myth of Meritocracy 2 -- Racial and Economic Inequality Through the Lens of Political Science 5 -- Defining Inequality 8 -- Hegemony and Intersectionality 11 -- Politics of Inequality 12 -- Structure of the Book 13 -- 1 Representation and the Roots of Inequality 15 -- Defining (In) Equality 15 -- Democracy's Promise: America's Founding Principles 17 -- Representation: Elected Officials 19 -- American Anomaly 31 -- Alternatives to Our Current System 33 -- American Pluralism 35 -- Summary 36 -- 2 Income and Wealth 39 -- Income 40 -- Wealth 51 -- Representing the Poor 59 -- Summary 62 -- 3 Housing 65 -- Roots of Disadvantage 65 -- Opportunities for Homeownership 66 -- Racial Inequality and Housing 71 -- Poverty in Rural America and Housing 75 -- Summary 78 l 4 Education 83 -- Roots of Inequality in Education 84 -- Inequality in Funding 88 -- Inequality in Outcomes 90 -- Summary 99 -- 5 Crime and Employment 103 -- Discrimination in Hiring 104 -- Education and Training Opportunities for Minorities 108 -- Criminal Justice and Employment 110 -- Immingrants and Employment 117 -- Summary 120 -- 6 Health 123 -- Access to Health Care 124 -- Disparities in Health Care Access 126 -- Disparities in Nutrition and Access to Healthy Foods 131 -- Summary 134 -- 7 Gender 139 -- We Just Don't Get It 139 -- Getting Our Language Straight 142 -- Gender Inequality and Poverty 146 -- Gender and Housing Access 155 -- Gender Inequality and Education 155 -- Gender and Crime 156 -- Gender, Reproductive Rights, and Health 158 -- Women in Office 160 -- Summary 161 -- 8 Affirmative Action 165 -- History of Affirmative Action in Arnerica 166 -- From Davis to Ann Arbor to Austin 169 -- Affirmative Action Beyond the Classroom 174 -- Affrmative Action Ballot Initiatives and Referendums 177 -- Summary 181.