The paradox of poverty amidst plenty has plagued the United States throughout the 21st century--why should the wealthiest country in the world also have the highest rates of poverty among the industrialized nations? Based on his decades-long research and scholarship, one of the nation's leading authorities provides the answer. In The Poverty Paradox, Mark Robert Rank develops his unique perspective for understanding this puzzle. The approach is what he has defined over the years a...

What if the idealized image of American society—a land of opportunity that will reward hard work with economic success—is completely wrong? Few topics have as many myths, stereotypes, and misperceptions surrounding them as that of poverty in America. The poor have been badly misunderstood since the beginnings of the country, with the rhetoric only ratcheting up in recent times. Our current era of fake news, alternative facts, and media partisanship has led to a breeding gr...

Rugged Individualism and the Misunderstanding of American Inequalityexplores and critiques the widespread perception in the United States that one’s success or failure in life is largely the result of personal choices and individual characteristics. As the authors show, the distinctively individualist ideology of American politics and culture shapes attitudes toward poverty and economic inequality in profound ways, fostering social policies that de-emphasize structural remedies. D...

**"Much of the power of the book comes from the discussion of ‘chance and luck’ operating at a far more mundane level in the lives of ordinary people. . . . Whether a person winds up in poverty is largely the result of factors outside their control."—**JacobinA poverty expert reveals how truly random the world is—including how economic inequality is experienced—and how we can learn to acknowledge chance and appreciate it.It’s comfo...

Confronting Poverty is a text that introduces students to the dynamics of poverty and economic hardship in the U.S. It address four fundamental question: 1) What is the nature, prevalence, and characteristics of poverty; 2) Why does poverty exist; 3) What are the effects and consequences of poverty upon individuals and the wider society; and 4) How can poverty be reduced and alleviated?In clear and engaging writing, Confronting Poverty provides stu...

Historically, social workers have confronted and alleviated many of society's most far-reaching and seemingly intractable challenges. As we move further into the 21st century, however, the field faces a renewed call to action as critical problems become more deeply and widely engrained in the world's social fabric. Enlisting the insights of leading social work scholars, Toward a Livable Life grapples with 13 key areas in an effort to identify innovative solutions toward achieving a "livabl...

The United States has been epitomized as a land of opportunity, where hard work and skill can bring personal success and economic well-being. The American Dream has captured the imagination of people from all walks of life, and to many, it represents the heart and soul of the country. But there is another, darker side to the bargain that America strikes with its people -- it is the price we pay for our individual pursuit of the American Dream. That price can be found in the economic hardsh...

The United States has been epitomized as a land of opportunity, where hard work and skill can bring personal success and economic well-being. The American Dream has captured the imagination of people from all walks of life, and to many, it represents the heart and soul of the country. But there is another, darker side to the bargain that America strikes with its people -- it is the price we pay for our individual pursuit of the American Dream. That price can be found in the economic hardsh...

Despite its enormous wealth, the United States leads the industrialized world in poverty. One Nation, Underprivileged unravels this disturbing paradox by offering a unique and radically different understanding of American poverty. It debunks many of our most common myths about the poor, while at the same time provides a powerful new framework for addressing this enormous social and economic problem. Mark Robert Rank vividly shows that the fundamental causes of poverty are to be fo...

UNCOVERS HOW TRULY RANDOM THE WORLD IS BY CHALLENGING NOTIONS OF PREDICTABILITY AND RUGGED INDIVIDUALISMIt’s comforting to think that we can be successful because we work hard, climb ladders, and get what we deserve, but each of us has been profoundly touched by randomness. Chance is shown to play a crucial role in shaping outcomes across history, throughout the natural world, and in our everyday lives. In The Random Factor, Mark Robert Rank draws from a wealth of evidence, includi...

The paradox of poverty amidst plenty has plagued the United States throughout the twenty-first century—why should the wealthiest country in the world also have the highest rates of poverty among the industrialized nations? Based on his decades-long research and scholarship, one of the nation's leading authorities provides the answer. In The Poverty Paradox, Mark Robert Rank develops his unique perspective for understanding this puzzle.The approach is what he has defined ov...

Few topics have as many myths, stereotypes, and misperceptions surrounding them as that of poverty in America. The poor have been badly misunderstood since the beginnings of the country, with the rhetoric only ratcheting up in recent times. Our current era of fake news, alternative facts, and media partisanship has led to a breeding ground for all types of myths and misinformation to gain traction and legitimacy.Poorly Understood is the first book to systematically address...