The American Middle ClassThe American Middle Class
What is the "American Dream"? This book's author argues that contrary to what many believe, it is not achieving the wealth necessary to enter the top one percent but rather becoming members of the great middle class by dint of hard work and self-discipline.
Americans of all classes consider themselves to be "middle class." There are Americans who by any objective standard should be considered poor who would insist they are middle class, just as other Americans who should be considered wealthy also insist they are middle class. Thinking of yourself and being thought of by others as middle class is the "American Dream" for tens of millions of people. But an enduring problem of the American middle class is the worry that the "Dream" is coming apart—that forces are lurking in the shadows waiting to steal their progress and throw them back into "poverty."
This thought-provoking reference explores a disparate multitude of issues associated with being middle class in America. It addresses a range of questions and subtopics, including the meaning of the term "middle class"; how middle class status is expressed by both the majority and the various minorities that make up the American mosaic; what economic pressures are bearing down on the middle class; and how economists and others attempt to make sense of the economic issues of the day. Readers will also better understand how political institutions and public policies are shaping the way the middle class views the world; how labor, housing, education, and crime-related issues have influenced the development and growth of the middle class; the norms of the middle class versus those of other classes in society; and the role of culture and media in shaping how members of the middle class view themselves—and how they are viewed by others.
This two-volume set provides a comprehensive look at the American middle class that supports student research in economics, social studies, cultural studies, and political history. The content supports teachers in their development of lesson plans and assignments that directly align with the Common Core State Standards and the recommendations of the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies (NCSS) with respect to all ten NCSS themes.
- Includes content related to all the themes of the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies and the Common Core requirements for primary documents and critical thinking exercises
- Focuses on the intersections of middle class society to current issues of interest and policy debates, including diversity, gender, taxation, race, minimum wage, unions, student loan interest rates, school closings, and labor issues
- Documents the perspectives of the major economists of each era on the middle class
While this two-volume reference set is detailed enough for undergraduates, it is accessible to high school students and includes content related to the National Curriculum for Social Studies and the Common Core requirements. Entries offer information on concepts, terms, personalities, events, and institutions related to the American middle class. Each entry is about two pages long and includes a list of further reading. Volume 1 offers a prologue section with a portrait of the middle class, definitions, and insights on class identity and the role of race in defining middle class; this section also provides demographics on ethnic and LGBT sectors middle class. Part 1 examines economic uncertainty and the American middle class. Like all the sections in the reference, this section begins with an overview essay, followed by alphabetical entries on related factors such as banks and the US economy, the gender wage gap, and Social Security. Part 2, on politics and public policy, begins with an overview essay on President Obama and the middle class, followed by alphabetical entries on topics such as absentee voting, hate groups, and welfare policy. Volume 2 contains sections on education and housing, health, crime, middle class norms, culture, and media. Some topics include community college, residential segregation, autism, long-term care, gangs, mass incarceration, homophobia, school prayer, country music, tattoos, and Bruce Springsteen. Annotation ©2017 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
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- Santa Barbara, California : Greenwood, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC, [2017]
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