William Julius Wilson

A classic contribution to the debate on urban poverty in America in which Wilson argued forcefully for the need to recognize the importance of structural factors in the difficulties faced by poor, inner-city African Americans. Still required reading for anyone interested in urban policy, poverty, or race in the USA, although it doesn't seem quite as fresh as it once did, simply because it was so influential and many of the ideas that he presents have become an accepted part of the conventional wisdom. My only complaint about this book is that it seems somewhat disjointed. Much of the content was initially published in article form, and while it was revised, more effort could definitely have gone into pulling things together into smoother, more unified argument.… (mehr)