Carolyn French's Thesis Proposal Draft

Carolyn French, IML Thesis Proposal Draft

November 15, 2007

Working Title
Examining Welfare Reform

Project Abstract
I am going to work on a project where I investigate welfare reform, the switch from AFDC (Aid For Dependent Children) to TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). I will evaluate the differences and similarities between these two policies and the cultural, economic, and political motivations behind the creation of the TANF legislation. TANF was created to appease critics of welfare, has it fixed the problems that were a part of AFDC? Or has it simply created more problems?

Description

Genre:
The Project will be in the form of a website. This website will incorporate video, picture, graphics, and text to explore the aspects of these two policies.

Clear articulation of project goals:
Public knowledge of a lot of national policies is limited solely to their name or the politician attached to the policy. It is important to delve deeper into these policies and examine if they are doing what they are intended to do. I would like to raise awareness of some of the limitations of these policies. For a lot of people, the idea of welfare comes with negative connotations. I would like to give a “human” perspective of welfare by giving people a view of the new TANF policy in practice. This would be more interactive then reading about this policy in a book or hearing its name in class.

Statement of significance within contemporary scholarship in field:
This would offer a new perspective and could be a model for comparing other policies that are directed towards fixing social inequality. A lot of Social Workers and Sociologists hold the view that policies like TANF are a detriment to a society as a whole and contribute to social inequality. My website will aim to convey these views to the larger population. Books and text research on this topic are already available, but they are not compiled in a way that can effectively reach a mass audience. My website will be accessible and simple, people can learn as much or as little about these policies, can spend as much time as they want on this website whenever they desire, and can choose which component of this policy they would like to learn about. This user control will encourage interest and education.

Timeline
Final Thesis Proposal: December 2007
All text Research: Completed by August 2008
Multimedia supplements to text research: August 08-January 09
Putting together website: January-May 2009
Finished Project: May 2009

Budget
Less than $100: transportation costs, miscellaneous

Advisors
Dr. Carrie Lew (School of Social Work) Awaiting Confirmation
Dr. Karen Sternheimer (Sociology) Awaiting Confirmation
Undecided (IML)

Presentation Plans/Venues
Final Presentation TBA by IML

Production Resources

Software Needs
Flash
Website
Digital camcorder
Video editing software

Presentation Needs
Computer, Internet

Prior Related Work
Previous Coursework:
Sociology 305, Sociology of Children
Social Work 304, Children and Families in Urban America

Research Bibliography
Whose Welfare?: Afdc and Elite Politics (Studies in Government and Public Policy)
by Steven M. Teles

American Dream: Three Women, Ten Kids, and a Nation's Drive to End Welfare
by Jason DeParle