Books
Reformed American Dreams: Welfare Mothers, Higher Education, and Activism
Sheila M. Katz · Rutgers University Press · 2019 · ISBN 978-0-8135-9434-7
Reformed American Dreams explores the experiences of low-income single mothers who pursued higher education while on welfare after the 1996 welfare reforms. Drawing on research conducted during the Great Recession, Sheila M. Katz documents these mothers’ journeys balancing family, college, and grassroots activism—including many who organized with LIFETIME, a welfare rights organization advocating for policy change and educational access. The book argues that policymakers seeking to reduce welfare dependency should expand access to higher education, a pathway that enables lasting upward mobility into family-supporting employment.
The International Handbook of Women and Poverty
Sheila M. Katz & Laura Livesey, Editors · Bloomsbury Academic · October 2026 · ISBN 979-8-7651-6408-2
Almost half of the global population lives on less than $2 USD per day, and the majority of these people are women and children who lack access to adequate nutrition, clean water, shelter, sanitation, and basic healthcare.
The International Handbook of Women and Poverty is an innovative, collaborative project by leading experts in poverty. Scholars from around the globe explore the dynamics of women and poverty in their respective countries and highlight local social justice initiatives. Topical coverage ranges from child marriage and teenage pregnancy to violence and war to climate change. The result is a handbook that explores how poverty and inequality vary by country, region, continent, and level of development. It is an essential reference work for anyone who seeks to understand the feminization of poverty.