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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 7 page report discusses Polakow's 1993 book and the information it presents about American women and their children who live in poverty. The point Polakow makes is that it is an unrelenting struggle in which there are painfully few opportunities for escape. Until American society itself changes its beliefs and policies, women and children will continue to live a near-subsistence level of existence in the land of plenty, equality, and justice. Bibliography lists only the primary source.
Page Count:
7 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_BWsinmom.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
without the support of their father or her partner, she faces a vast amount of challenges that require she be parent, supporter, caretaker, counselor, teacher and more. Every aspect of
those challenges are magnified when she is also trying to do all of this in an atmosphere of poverty. The point that author Valerie Polakow makes in "Lives on the
Edge: Single Mothers and their Children in the Other America" is that it is an unrelenting struggle in which there are painfully few opportunities to escape. "Feminization" and "Infantilzation" of
Poverty Polakow presents the grim facts of life in America as an impoverished and single mother. One out of every five American children, and half of all single mothers,
lives in poverty in America today. The point she repeatedly illustrates is that because of this feminization and "infantilization" of poverty, the United States exists as one of the most
dangerous democracies to live in for poor mothers and their children. Most certainly, that is the "other" America that exists behind the facade of flag-waving consumerism and assertions that this
is the land of freedom and opportunity. And yet, the way that policy is created and services provided to such mothers and children, Polakow says makes it seem as the
nations elected officials and policy-makers think and act as if poverty seen is a private issue rather than a widespread concern for every American. She asks, time and time again,
how can public policy fail to take responsibility for the consequences of Americas politics of wealth distribution? How is it possible to not see the self-perpetuating cycle that is created
as a result of keeping mothers in poverty raising their children in poverty who then grow up to be mothers living in poverty? Once again, it demonstrates that there is
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