Worlds apart
Subtitle: why poverty persists in rural America
By: Cynthia M. Duncan ; with a foreward by Robert Coles.
Contributors: Coles, Robert.
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: 1999
Place of publication: New Haven
Language: eng
Number of pages: 235
Subjects: Poverty -- United States; Rural poor -- United States -- Interviews; United States -- Rural conditions; United States -- Social conditions -- 1980-
Description: This book takes us to three remote rural areas in the United States to hear the colorful stories of their residentsthe poor and struggling, the rich and powerful, and those in between - as they talk about their families and work, the hard times they've known, and their hopes and dreams. Cynthia M. Duncan examines the nature of poverty in Blackwell in Appalachia and in the Mississippi Delta town of Dahlia.

She finds in these towns a persistent inequality that erodes the fabric of the community, feeds corrupt politics, and undermines institutions crucial for helping poor families achieve the American Dream. In contrast, New England's Gray Mountain enjoys a rich civic culture that enables the poor to escape poverty. Focusing on the implications of the differences among these communities, the author provides powerful new insights into the dynamics of poverty, politics, and community change.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 223-228) and index.