Surviving in a Material World provides an eye-opening look at the material lives of the poor in America. Hill s vivid, detailed short stories allow readers to envision themselves in the real world of the poor, to imagine what it would be like to be faced with their unique circumstances and limited options. Each chapter in this gripping volume begins with a brief description of his scholarly research conducted within a specific subpopulation, grounding the short stories that follow in empirical research.
Chapters conclude with a detailed bibliography of recommended reading on the topic.
Surviving in a Material World challenges readers to cast aside their biases and to make evaluations about the poor based on a complete picture of their lives. Americans often assume that the poor have access to family structures, teachers, and civic and community organizations that mirror their own. This insightful new book makes clear that such naive approaches fail to reflect the lived world and restrictions the poor endure in the face of the consumption-defined American dream. Bearing in mind the specific needs of each community, Hill proposes solutions that attack the roots of poverty through an understanding of impoverished groups strengths and weaknesses.