Today, Margret Garb a Professor of History and Co-director of the Washington University Prison Education Program, came to Connections to talk with us about poverty and the history of social welfare in the U.S. Several themes emerged from her talk which are discussed below. We have also provided some additional resources at the end of the post. Role of Government in Social WelfareThroughout the lecture, the role of government in providing social welfare came up several times. The government has played a complex role in this area, with times of increased support, and times of minimal support. Often this was reflected in the general public’s view of the government’s role in society in general. Should the government be responsible for helping lift people out of poverty, or is this the responsibility of the individual person? Even so, legislation that provides money for the poor can subtly cut out whole swaths of the population by adding restrictions or insurmountable stipulations to the funds. $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America |
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"Skilled" vs. "Unskilled" Labor
Another topic was minimum wage, and the classification of some jobs as “skilled”, and some as “unskilled.” Whether a job is skilled or not has changed based on who is performing the job. For example, during WWI factory work was skilled labor. However, when the men went to fight in the war, women took over the factory positions. The jobs were then considered unskilled. How does this change the average salary for certain jobs? Should all people be able to earn a livable wage, or should salary depend on the perceived skill level of a job?
Jane Addams - Social and political Activist
- Source: Wikipedia
Pioneer in the field of social work, public philosopher, sociologist, author, and leader in women's suffrage and world peace
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Additional Resources
- Kathryn J. Edin and H. Luke Shaefer, $2 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2015).
- http://www.twodollarsaday.com/
- Alice Goffman, On the Run (University of Chicago Press, 2014)
Ralph Laurence, Renegade Dreams: Living through Injury in Gangland Chicago (University of Chicago Press, 2014) - Luke Bergmann, Getting Ghost: Two Young Lives and the Struggle for an American City (New Press, 2008)
- Daniel R. Kerr, Derelict Paradise: Homelessness and Urban Development in Cleveland, Ohio (University of Mass Press, 2011)
Presented to Connections by Marget Garb, Professor of History, Co-director of the Washington University Prison Education Program
Blog post written by Rebecca and Jessica
Blog post written by Rebecca and Jessica
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