Praise for The Undeserving Poor, Revised Edition

“Michael Katz has done a magnificent job of revising his classic text. It draws on a remarkable range of new material while retaining the clarity, historical perspective, and ethical sensibilities of the original. Everybody, from beginning student to seasoned expert, has something to learn from this important book.”—Alice O’Connor, University of California, Santa Barbara

“This is social history at its best. Katz excavates the political and ideological battles over what we should do to lift people out of poverty and into the middle class. Like a good drama, it is filled with fascinating people: politicians, writers, policy wonks, activists, academics, philanthropists, and journalists. Their personalities, interests, ideas, and conflicts have shaped how we view the poor and what we do about poverty. Katz makes it all come alive in this absorbing and well-written book.” —Peter Dreier, Chair, Urban & Environmental Policy Department, Occidental College

“The original edition of The Undeserving Poor profoundly influenced two generations of poverty scholars and policy-makers. Full of fresh research and thoroughly re-written to incorporate the insights of feminist scholars, critical race theorists, economists, geographers, political philosophers and poverty historians, this new edition is as indispensable as the first. At a time when poverty rates are skyrocketing, Katz’s insight and vast knowledge are more critical than ever.”—Annelise Orleck, author of Storming Caesars Palace: How Black Mothers Fought Their Own War on Poverty