Poverty Law Prof Blog

End of the Semester Blues - a quick link

Academic Aside: If you are in the midst of either taking exams, or grading exams, it is worth checking out this old post from Daniel J. Solove on Concurring Opinions. 

-E.R. erosser@wcl.american.edu

New Paper: Welfare Reform in a Global Economy

Steven D. Schwinn has posted "Welfare Reform in a Global Economy" (J. of Gender, Race & Justice Vol. 11, No. 2, 2008) to SSRN.  Below is the abstract:

The federal government's welfare reform efforts have two defining characteristics: first, welfare reform requires welfare recipients to work for their checks (and to move toward permanent, self-sustainable employment); and second welfare reform devolves administrative responsibility to the states, punishing states if they fail to meet federal employment targets for their welfare populations.

But these two characteristics are in deep tension with the realities of a global economy. Thus welfare reform shifts the burden of welfare-to-work requirements to the states, even as the states have decreasing control over the size and shape of their local job markets in a global economy, and even as the global economy seems to be handing states exactly the wrong kinds of jobs to lift recipients out of welfare.

This article explores some of the tensions between the goals of welfare reform and the realities of a global economy. First, it explores how the federal government, not the states, increasingly controls the domestic labor market and available jobs in a global economy. Next, it argues that the federal government and the global economy have handed the states exactly the wrong kinds of jobs to lift recipients out of welfare.

The article argues that welfare reform must adapt in order to reconcile its goals with the realities of a global economy. Particularly: welfare reform must either refocus on training and education so that recipients can qualify for sustainable jobs in the global economy; or welfare reform must become a meaningful trade adjustment assistance program.

-E.R. erosser@wcl.american.edu

Global Food Crisis

The "globe's worst food crisis in a generation" is occurring right now and the Washington Post today published a good introduction to the crisis.  Anthony Faiola, "The New Economics of Hunger," Washington Post, April 27, 2008.  A photo gallery is associated with the story, as are two very good graphics, one on which countries have grain, and one presenting reasons for the rise in grain prices. 

Judge Posner and Gary Becker have both commented about the rising prices on their blog (click by name).  A New York times Op-Ed by Tyler Cowen, "Freer Trade Could Fill the World's Rice Bowl" April 27, 2008, makes its premise clear in its title.  The World Bank's website includes a statement by President Zoellick as well as a video overview of the crisis and a policy statement of the crisis/World Bank response.  Maros Ivanic & Will Martin also have a working paper on topic "Implications of Higher Global Food Prices for Poverty in Low-Income Countries" (World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 4594, April 2008).

UPDATE: A number of other blog postings have covered this crisis in much greater detail (thanks to Patrick S. O'Donnell's comment, which I though was worth bringing out of the comment part of the page):

• Patrick S. O'Donnell at Ratio Juris Blog
• Deven Desai at Concurring Opinions
• Rebecca Bratspies at IntLawGrrls

 

-E.R. erosser@wcl.american.edu    

The Balance Sheet of Low-Income Households

How poor or not poor are low-income households.  Two divergent perspectives on what the poor own and what it means can be found in:

• Adam Carasso & Signe-Mary McKernan, "The Balance Sheet of Low-Income Households: What We Know About Their Assets and Liabilities," Urban Institute, Nov. 2007. 
• Robert Rector, "How Poor are America's Poor? Examining the "Plague" of Poverty in America," The Backgrounder from The Heritage Foundation, No. 2064, Aug. 27, 2007. 

The charts found in both of these reports are worth checking out and can inspire class debate...
-E.R. erosser@wcl.american.edu