Books by James Jennings

This volume of essays by scholars and activists focuses on the political and social relations between blacks, Latinos, and Asians in key urban centers.

?This collection of essays focuses on the growing participation of Puerto Ricans in electoral politics. Although some historical background is provided, much of the book contains useful and interesting descriptive material on recent Puerto Rican politics in New York, with briefer accounts of Boston and Chicago. A major theme running through many of the essays is the shift in political attention, on the part of politically active Puerto Ricans in northern cities, from events in Puerto Rico to politics and government in their stateside cities. ... In short, this is a useful addition to collections on minority politics in urban areas, and would be especially appropriate for upper-level students who already have some knowledge of Puerto Rican politics. Others should turn to the excellent bibliographic essay by Angelo Falcon that concludes the volume to find out where to get the larger historical and socioeconomic background.?-Choice

This book is designed to help readers navigate through the vast and rapidly growing literature on poverty in urban America. The major themes, topics, debates, and issues are examined through an analysis of eight basic questions about the nature and problem of urban poverty: *What is poverty, and how is it measured? *What kinds of national policies have been utilized to manage poverty? *What are the major characteristics and trends associated with poverty in America, and how are race and ethnicity reflected in these trends? *What are the major explanations for persistent poverty in the United States? *What are the major characteristics and themes reflected in the American welfare system and anti-poverty policies? *How is the underclass defined and explained? *How have the poor utilized political mobilization to fight poverty in the United States? *How does social welfare policy directed at poverty in America compare to social welfare systems in other countries?After analyzing these issues, Jennings concludes with a brief overview of how public discussions related to poverty in the 1990s are similar to such debates in earlier periods. Essential reading for urban policy makers, social scientists, and students of contemporary American urban concerns.