Definitions—and Their Consequences  

Oleh:

Dinerman, Miriam

Jenis: Article from Journal - e-Journal
Dalam koleksi: Affilia vol. 19 no. 4 (Nov. 2004), page 353-357.
Fulltext: 353.pdf (61.8KB)

Isi artikel

Definitions are powerful in their ability to direct attention away from and toward many key factors. Definitions of problems carry many implicit assumptions about causes. The consequences that are likely to result from these unexamined assumptions are also not usually attended to. Definitions are usually value laden, but the values, too, are not examined. This fact came clearly to mind in the discussion of welfare reform in the later years of the Clinton administration. Few commented about the shift in the definition of the problem that took place when what is now called Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) was passed. But the change was radical. In the original welfare program, Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) passed as part of the Social Security Act of 1935 and the stated definition of the problem thatADCwas to address was to provide aid to needy and deserving women with children so the mothers could stay at home and raise their children. Going to work to support their children was seen as a forced neglect of maternal responsibility. Because women were driven to this neglect by dire poverty, the implicit definition of the problem to be solved was alleviating poverty and supporting the needs of children. It may be added that the unstated image of these women was that they all had husbands who either died in industrial accidents or had abandoned them and that they all were White. Shortly afterward, it was noticed that the caretaking mothers might also need to eat, so the program was amended to become Aid to Families with Dependent Children, and the mothers were factored into the calculation of grants.

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