Nickel and Dimed, On Not Getting by In America” by Barbara Ehrenreich, 2001
1) Barbara was responding to 1996 TANF (5 years) reform that modified AFDC (lifetime warranted)
SSI benefits for children or adults with disabilities
What jobs available to single mothers?
Could single parent live on single income and it was an experiment for Barbara to explore it.
Welfare queens by Ronald Reigan
Law wanted increase marriages,
Work force
2)
3) Critical conscientious
Symbolic interaction reacting to a symbol
http://www.gradesaver.com/nickel-and-dimed-on-not-getting-by-in-america/study-guide/section3/
1) The novel is based on the investigative journalism. The author Barbara Ehrenreic decided that the best way to acquire an accurate portrayal of the low working class is to experience it herself. The purpose of Ehrenreich’s book is simply to determine if she “could match income to expenses, as the truly poor attempt to do every day”.
Beyond issues of income Nickel and Dimed focuses our attention on the problems of everyday living that the working poor must overcome. Problems like personal health, safety, friendships, and personal dignity.
As the novel based on investigative journalism it is not in conflict with ethical issues from social work perspective.
2) The novel was first published in 2011 and according to the footnote the author was unable to find recent statistics on the number of employed people living in cars or vans.
My personal opinion is that Gaail’s, Annettes’s and Joan’s experiences can be relevant to the recent statistics of the foreclosed families. Needless to say that with booming foreclosure crisis many middle class families are forced to live in vans, shared rooms, motels or shelters. A new HBO documentary film “ American Winter” suggests that many seemingly prosperous parents are only a few misfortunes away from dark houses and empty refrigerators. The