Poorly Understood

Few topics are surrounded by as many myths, stereotypes, and misperceptions as that of poverty in America. The poor have been badly misunderstood since the beginnings of the country, with the rhetoric intensifying 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 gaining traction and legitimacy. The time appears right to set the record straight. Poorly Understood is the first book to systematically address and confront many of the most widespread myths pertaining to poverty. It powerfully demonstrates that the realities of poverty are much different than the myths. In many ways, they are more disturbing. The book is divided into six sections. The first five sections examine a wide range of poverty myths, including who is at risk of poverty, why poverty exists, the costs of poverty, issues surrounding the welfare system, and the wider topic of economic inequality. Armed with the latest cutting edge research, Poorly Understood not only challenges the myths of poverty and inequality but also explains in the final section why these myths continue to exist, as well as providing an innovative blueprint for how the nation can move forward to effectively alleviate American poverty.