UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE
HELEN BADER SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WELFARE
SOC WRK-630-001
WOMEN, POVERTY, AND WELFARE REFORMS
Spring, 2011
Instructor: Tanya Atkinson, MSSW
E-Mail: atkinso6@uwm.edu
Phone: (414) 477-0381
COURSE PREQUISITES:
Office: End 1067
Office Hours: By Appt.
Junior standing; one prior course in social work recommended.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This 2-3 credit, undergraduate/graduate course is designed as a seminar to examine and analyze
social issues and policy responses to poverty. Particular attention will be given to welfare policy, past and
present, and corresponding reforms. Welfare reform and its impact on women and children, as well as
the assumptions and social values underlying social welfare policies, will be studied. Welfare policy will
be analyzed on the federal and state levels.
COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
Women, particularly single women raising children, disproportionately represent the number of
adults living in poverty. In order for social work and other professionals to work effectively with lowincome families, they must understand the nature and scope of issues facing families who are affected by
welfare policy. It is essential for such professionals to recognize how societal values are manifested in
social policy and how policies are implemented. This course is designed to provide familiarity with these
issues and experience analyzing policy responses by helping students:
1.
To become familiar with the nature and scope of welfare policies;
2.
To understand the values that underlie welfare policies and the
implementation of those policies;
3.
To critically analyze federal and state welfare policies;
4.
To understand how policy responses to poverty, particularly welfare policy, relate to
diverse ethnic, racial, disability, gender, and cultural groups.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT:
Students may utilize the student computer laboratory while registered for this or any other social
work course. Information regarding participation by student with disabilities, accommodations for
religious observances, military duty , academic conduct, complaint procedures, grade appeals
procedures, sexual harassment policy, safety policies, and other standing policies/procedures is available
in the Social Work Student Handbook and at the Secretary of the University website
http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SecU/SyllabusLinks.pdf.
The course will consist of discussion, lecture, and experiential project and presentation.
Additionally, there may be times when we will use audio-visual materials and have out-of-class
assignments.
Students are expected to read assignments as assigned for the date listed and to come to class
prepared to discuss topics in class. Participation in class discussions contributes to your developing and
applying critical thinking and value clarification skills. Students’ assumptions about social issues will be
challenged. You are responsible for your learning; what you put in to learning the course material will
largely determine what you get out of this course. I expect that you will take responsibility for getting any
information you might have missed.
As your instructor, I will facilitate discussions that recognize and respect divergent points of view.
I will answer questions honestly and clearly and acknowledge when I make a mistake. I want to
encourage students to challenge my views or the views of others students on social issues in a respectful
and assertive way.
REQUIRED TEXT:
1
DeParle, J. 2004. American Dream: Three Women, Ten Kids, and a Nation’s Drive to End Welfare.
New York, NY: Viking Press.
RECOMMENDED TEXT:
Ehrenreich, B. 2001. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. New York, NY: Henry Holt and
Company.
Hays, S. 2003. Flat Broke with Children: Women in the Age of Welfare Reform. New York, NY: Oxford
University Press.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
In this seminar, participants are expected to complete all required reading, contribute to group
discussions and activities, and complete the assignments noted below.*
1.
READINGS: All students are expected to read the text book materials and additional
materials listed in the syllabus. Assigned readings that are not in the textbooks are to be found in the
electronic reserve (E RES) system in the UWM library, under SOC WRK 630 course.
2.
ASSIGNMENTS:
This is a 2 or 3 credit course. Following are basic requirements for both graduate and undergraduate
students. The assignment expectations for graduate students and undergraduate students are different.
Assignment details are outlined in handouts.
All Students
a.
Students will be responsible for preparing a summary analysis of Wisconsin’s TANF or
BadgerCare Plus programs, (details in handout); (25% of grade)
b.
Students will be responsible for preparing an analysis paper and presenting a
corresponding application experience to the class (details in handout); (40% of grade)
c.
Participation -- includes attendance and classroom engagement; (15% of grade)
2 Credits:
a.
Complete a minimum of 2 Reading Responses (details in handout) with a grade of + or ok
(2+ or ok grades =A; 1+ or ok grades = C; 0 + or ok grades = non-passing). Non-passing reading
responses may either be redone and resubmitted or replaced with another assignment; (20% of grade)
3 Credits:
a.
Complete a minimum of 4 Reading Responses (see handout) with a grade of + or ok (4 +
or ok grades = A; 3 + or ok grades = B; 2 + or ok grades = C; 1 or fewer + or ok grades = non-passing).
Non-passing reading responses may either be redone and resubmitted or replaced with another
assignment; (20% of grade)
Because students have flexibility in determining which written assignments will be completed, the ability
to submit assignments after the due date, or to make-up assignments, will be limited to emergency
situations. Exceptions must be arranged with the professor in advance of the due date.
B = 80 - 84
B- = 75 - 79
C = 70 - 74
D = 65 - 69
Grading Scale
A = 96+
A- = 90 - 95
B+ = 85 - 89
3. Citation Style
Program analysis and final paper must be cited in APA format. For more information on citing your work,
please refer to the Online Reference page provided by the UWM library, located at
http://guides.library.uwm.edu/reference.
4. D2L Course Website
2
Course syllabus, supplemental readings and reserve materials will be available on the SW630 course
website at www.uwm.edu. Students are expected to submit all written materials via D2L. Paper or e-mail
submissions will not be accepted.
COURSE OUTLINE:
Jan 27
Introduction to course, students, and instructor
Introduction to poverty and welfare
Feb 3
Defining Welfare and History of Welfare in the U.S.
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS:
DeParle: Chapter 1 & 2
Blank, Rebecca M. (2008, September 15). Remeasuring Poverty. Los Angeles Times, p.
A-19. Retrieved January 28,2009 from http://articles.latimes.com/2008/sep/15/opinion/oeblank15.
Moffitt, R. (2008). “A Pr imer on U.S. Welfare Reform.” in Focus Vol. 26:1 pp. 15-26.
(E-RES)
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS:
Caiazza, A., et al (2004). The Economic Status of Women in the States: Wide Disparities
by Race, Ethnicity and Region. Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Retrieved January
20, 2008 from www.iwpr.org/pdf/R260.pdf
Feb 10
The politics of major welfare reform and TANF
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS:
DeParle: Chapter 3 & 4
Poverty Among Women and Families: 2000-2008: Recession Deepens Poverty.. National
Women’s Law Center (September 2009.) (D2L)
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS:
Heclo, H. (2001). The Politics of Welfare Reform. In R.M. Blank and R.
Haskins, (Eds.), The New World of Welfare (pp. 169-200). Washington,
DC: Brookings Institution Press. (E-RES)
Feb 17
Values assumptions in welfare reform
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS:
DeParle: Chapter 5
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS:
Mead, L.M. (2001). The Politics of Conservative Welfare Reform. In
R.M. Blank and R. Haskins, (Eds.), The New World of Welfare Reform
(pp. 201-220). Washington, DC: Brookings Institutions Press. (E-RES)
Feb 24
Contemporary Reform: Health Care
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS:
DeParle: Chapter 6
3
Forward Health Programs (2010). Found on State of Wisconsin Department of Health
Services website at http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/ForwardHealth/index.htm.
Peacock, Jon. (2008). Providing Health Coverage for All Kids in Wisconsin: The New
BadgerCare Plus Law. WI Council on Children and Families. Retrieved on January 21,
2010 from www.wccf.org/pdf/badgercareplus_law_111007.pdf.
Mar 03
The policy-making process, how the process is influenced, policy analysis
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS:
DeParle: Chapter 7
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS:
Rector, R. (2010). Marriage: America’s Greatest Weapon Against Child Poverty. The
Heritage Foundation. Retrieved on January 17, 2011 from
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2010/09/Marriage-America-s-GreatestWeapon-Against-Child-Poverty
Mar 10
Wisconsin’s TANF programs, Impact of TANF Policies on Children
READING ASSIGNMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS:
Stingle, K. (2002). Competing Responsibilities: Who Will Care for the
Children? In T.E.Lengyel and D. Campbell, (Eds.), in Faces of Change
Analysis: Welfare Policy Through the Lens of Personal Experience (pp. 43-62).
Milwaukee, WI: Alliance for Children and Families. (E RES)
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS:
Duncan, G., et.al. (2008). “Effects of welfare and antipoverty programs on participants’
children.” in Focus Vol. 25:2, pp. 3-12. (E-RES)
Mar 17
Project discussion and selection process
ANALYSIS PAPER DUE (See handout)
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS:
DeParle: Chapter 8
Mar 24
NO CLASS -- SPRING BREAK
Mar 31
Aging women, poverty and related policies
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS:
DeParle: Chapter 9
Schoenborn,, C.A., Heyman, K.M (2009). Health Characteristics of Adults Aged 55 Years
and Over: United States, 2004–2007. National Health Statistics Report. Centers for
Disease Control, no. 16, 2009. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr016.pdf.
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS:
-4-
Richardson, V.E. & Barusch, A.S. (2006). Improving the Quality of Life: Social Services
and Aging in Gerontological Practice for the Twenty-first Century: A Social Work
Perspective. (pp. 378-391). New York: Columbia University Press. (E-RES)
Apr 07
Nutrition Policies in the United States
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS:
DeParle: Chapter 12
U.S. Food Assistance Programs. 2010. United States Department of Agriculture.
http://www.nutrition.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=11&tax_level=1&tax_subject=3
94.
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS:
Lombe, M. et al. (2009) Assessing Effects of Food Stamp Program Participation on Food
Security in Female-Headed Households: Do Informal Supports Matter? In Journal of Policy
and Practice. Vol 8:4 (pp. 301-316). Taylor and Francis. Ltd. (E-RES)
Apr 14
Rural poverty
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS:
DeParle: Chapter 17 and 18
Place Matters: Addressing Rural Poverty: A summary of the RUPRI Rural Poverty
Research Center Conference: The Importance of Place in Poverty Research and Policy.
Rural Poverty Research Institute. 2004 (D2L)
Apr 21
Final project review and discussion
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS:
DeParle: Epilogue
Apr 28
WRITTEN PORTION OF FINAL PROJECT DUE (See hand-out) Presentations
May 05 Presentations
May 12 Presentations
*Note: Additional readings may be assigned depending on the course of class discussions and interest.
Also, it may be necessary to make modifications in the schedule to accommodate class discussions of
relevant topics.
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