491 Review Questions for Gilens, Why American Hate Welfare

1. What is the “reality” of welfare programs in the U.S.? What exactly are welfare programs, how much do we spend on such programs, how adequate are the payments, and how does spending in the US compare with other countries? To what degree can this US exceptionalism be attributed to public support for welfare versus other programs in the US?

2. Evaluate the thesis that self-interest accounts for support for welfare across different programs, across time, and across classes (i.e., the middle class and the poor).

3. Based on your appraisal of the survey evidence presented in Gilens, to what degree can we explain whites’ opposition to welfare by their racial attitudes vis-à-vis other factors, such as individualism, etc.? Be sure to first appraise the correlational evidence and then the evidence from the survey experiment in answering this question.

4. How have changes in news portrayals of the poor over time and across different groups contributed to the racialization of poverty, according to Gilens?

5. What are some of the major causes and consequences of media distortions of public perceptions of the poor and support for welfare programs, according to Gilens?

6. According to Gilens, to what extent are racial stereotypes distinct from prejudice and how does this affect our interpretation of the linkage between stereotypes and opposition to welfare? Do you agree with Gilens? Why or why not?

7. What are some o the broader implications of Gilens’ findings for antipoverty policies in the United States (chs. 8 & 9)?