What If Everything You Knew About Poverty Was Wrong? →

Stephanie Mencimer:

A sociologist at Johns Hopkins University, Edin is one of the nation's preeminent poverty researchers. She has spent much of the past several decades studying some of the country's most dangerous, impoverished neighborhoods. But unlike academics who draw conclusions about poverty from the ivory tower, Edin has gotten up close and personal with the people she studies—and in the process has shattered many myths about the poor, rocking sociology and public-policy circles.

Be wary of any “facts” or “evidence” that neatly and succinctly sum up a messy, multi-armed issue like poverty. The truth is always complicated and tough to digest. Edin’s approach is refreshing. Hopefully what she has learned doesn’t fall on deaf ears.