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Dignity and Dreams

Jennifer Sykes¹; Katrin Križ²; Kathryn Edin³; Sarah Halpern-Meekin⁴

¹ Michigan State University · ² Emmanuel College · ³ Johns Hopkins University · ⁴ University of Wisconsin–Madison

Money has meaning that shapes its uses and social significance, including the monies low-income families draw on for survival: wages, welfare, and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). This study, based on in-depth interviews with 115 low-wage EITC recipients, reveals the EITC is an unusual type of government transfer. Recipients of the EITC say they value the debt relief this government benefit brings. However, they also perceive it as a just reward for work, which legitimizes a temporary increase in consumption. Furthermore, unlike other means-tested government transfers, the credit is seen as a springboard for upward mobility. Thus, by conferring dignity and spurring dreams, the EITC enhances feelings of citizenship and social inclusion.

DOI

10.1177/0003122414551552

Volume

80 (2)

Pages

243-267

Language

en

Export

BibTeX

Sources

crossref