ECU Libraries Catalog

Abandoned in the heartland : work, family, and living in East St. Louis / Jennifer F. Hamer.

Author/creator Hamer, Jennifer
Format Book and Print
Publication InfoBerkeley : University of California Press, ©2011.
Descriptionxv, 244 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 22 cm
Subject(s)
Contents In America's heartland -- East St. Louisans and their wheels -- Work and meaning in a jobless city suburb -- Hustling, clean and dirty -- "Around here, women never get done workin" -- "Gotta protect my own" -- The cost of abandonment.
Abstract "Urban poverty, along with all of its poignant manifestations, is moving from city centers to working-class and industrial suburbs in contemporary America. Nowhere is this more evident than in East St. Louis, Illinois. Once a thriving manufacturing and transportation center, East St. Louis is now known for its unemployment, crime, and collapsing infrastructure. Abandoned in the Heartland takes us into the lives of East St. Louis's predominantly African American residents to find out what has happened since industry abandoned the city, and jobs, quality schools, and city services disappeared, leaving people isolated and imperiled. Jennifer Hamer introduces men who search for meaning and opportunity in dead-end jobs, women who often take on caretaking responsibilities until well into old age, and parents who have the impossible task of protecting their children in this dangerous, and literally toxic, environment. Illustrated with historical and contemporary photographs showing how the city has changed over time, this book, full of stories of courage and fortitude, offers a powerful vision of the transformed circumstances of life in one American suburb."--Publisher's website.
General note"The George Gund Foundation imprint in African American studies."
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references and index.
LCCN 2010052399
ISBN9780520269316 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN0520269314 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN9780520269323 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN0520269322 (pbk. : alk. paper)

Available Items

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Joyner General Stacks HN80.E27 H37 2011 ✔ Available Place Hold