Worlds Apart: Poverty and Politics in Rural America

A very good book - written in an engaging style with interesting interviews throughout. This is a must-read book for anyone in the health professions. This would be an excellent book for students who are interested in working in rural areas, no matter whether they want to be health professionals (such as nurses, physicians, or local/state health department professionals) or have career interests in mental health or the social sciences. I thoroughly enjoyed this book after working in rural states for many years. Even after a career in public health, this book opened my eyes to the influence that politics has on culture, poverty, and ultimately, health outcomes. Those interested in working in a faith community would also benefit greatly from this book. The fact that this book was recently updated is a bonus. Highly recommended.

This book provided deep thought and detail into the lives of poor, middle class and upper class in rural areas. It gave personal stories from real people who experience poverty or who are advantaged. It shows how views about the poor are shaped through historical context that has persisted in rural communities. The author even offers an example of a middle class rural community and how that experience drastically changes the landscape for mobility and change for the poor. I have read this for my Graduate program but really enjoyed it for more than school.

This book was an easy going and informative read! As someone who doesn’t have much formalized education in sociological issues I found this book extremely eye-opening and informative. The quotes were well placed and the analysis of each location was both in-depth and understandable. I would likely recommend this for anyone wanting to broaden their understanding of sociological issues.

Absolves a lot of misconceptions about the poor in our country. Very compelling, real world view of poverty in America. Painful reality of our modern culture.

The whole idea of poverty is sad and just when you think you have an understanding this book awakens new interest albeit an unending tragedy in the U.S.

Beautifully written, flows effortlessly and the people come alive.

Great!

This top-notch, truly outstanding social science. It is well written, probing and essential reading for anyone interested in rural America, poverty and the roll of social capital and networks in responding to rural problems.

If, after the election of Trump, you are looking for a deep analysis of what is happening in rural America, this is a very good place to start. Prof. Duncan chose 3 distinct communities: 1) an Appalachian area with an entrenched elite that blocks reform; 2) a racially divided region in the Mississippi Delta; 3) a mill town in Maine that had a long tradition of seeking common, equitable solutions. They offer a strong contrast: the first two were severely dysfunctional at the time of her first investigation about 20 years ago. For the new edition, she revisited all 3 communities, talked to the many of the same people, and updated what is happening with some surprising results.Prof. Duncan's methods were highly personal for a sociologist. She interviewed hundreds of people, selecting a few to quote extensively as she examined the economies of each place, their politics, and institutional context. All interviews were recorded and transcribed, but only a few made the cut as characters. This provides a gritty feel to the book, presenting the stories of individuals in moving and illustrative detail. It is, in my opinion, a fascinating read that never becomes an academic slog to get through, a good cross-over between an academic study and almost a journalistic feel.In the Appalachian area, with a declining coal extraction industry, she found a series of entrenched families, isolated by their wealth and their will to maintain their power over the lower classes. These families looked down on all the others, whom the labelled in accordance with their personal histories: if one of the parents was "bad", their children could not start out with a clean slate. Given the shrinking opportunities, their power was determined by their ability to offer employment, creating a kind of corrupt political machine whereby even public offices were doled out as favors to relatives and compliant "good" families, regardless of their competencies; as such, the purpose of public services was often betrayed or lost, with bad teachers and feckless bureaucrats. Rather than seek to bring in new industries, the elite preferred to block them as a threat to their control. Welfare played a significant role in the area, helping some to get on their feet and perpetuating the dependence of many others on the elite.The situation in Mississippi was similar, but complicated by race. There were elite families with big plantations as well as a growing white middle class, i.e. they got the good jobs; blacks were forced to take whatever they could get, usually in seasonal farm work and manual labor or service jobs on an as-needed basis. While there were a few middle class blacks in such professions as undertaking, many viewed them as co-opted by the system, willingly compliant to maintain their positions. Educational opportunities were rare and poverty-stricken blacks only rarely could hope for, or even envision, moving up in society; anyone "uppity" who tried to change the system was permanently black-balled from jobs, a severe disincentive from striving to develop institutions that could help the underclass. As a result, authorities expected many to emigrate to cities in the North and scorned them as lazy and irresponsible, even irredeemable. In many ways, the victims accustomed themselves to their lot.Finally, Prof. Duncan visited a town in Maine that has a highly functional community. Though there were powerful families that owned a number of industries, particularly in lumber and paper mills, they considered themselves part of the community and worked to provide jobs, opportunities, and educations to just about everyone. Their children grew up side by side in the same schools and using the same recreational facilities. Institutions for purposes of public policy were strong, social supports were diverse and available, and initiatives by social entrepreneurs were welcomed rather than distrusted.20 years later, Prof. Duncan found that the Appalachian area remained politically stalled and in economic decline, with an aging population and fewer and fewer opportunities. However, the Mississippi region had been transformed by the rise of a gambling industry, offering better opportunities and, while increasing the possibility of political and social initiatives - a small portion of casino profits were reserved for black schools, which was a hard won political concession - the cultural deprivations of many poor blacks (unaccustomed to working full time,with poor education, unable even to dress properly, ) hindered them from getting better permanent jobs. Finally, with the loss of some of its customary businesses, the Maine town was facing a fundamental challenge to its way of doing things, aggravated by a wave of impoverished immigrants who were transferred there to take advantage of newly available housing; its future remained uncertain, but the will to continue in a progressive and inclusive direction remained strong.Prof. Duncan offers an interesting set of concluding observations. While conservatives argued that it was up to the individuals to pull themselves up from their boot straps, she notes, liberals tended to think that what was needed was aid and the removal of blockages in the political and economic systems. She argued in favor of a third way: to make investments in education and supporting institutions, with a view to improving the "tool kit" available to the poor, so that they can take advantage of the opportunities made available to them. A major theme of the book, this is an interesting perspective that is far more subtle than I can explain in a paragraph.If I have any criticisms, it is that the references were not sufficiently updated. I would have wanted to see more recent sources for the current project I am undertaking. This is only for those who like to read footnotes or need further references. Otherwise, this is an excellent introduction to the issues affecting rural America as well as the causes and nature of persistent poverty, a valuable conceptual framework from which to search for solutions. I learned an immense amount. Recommended warmly.