Acknowledgments
Section I: Welfare Legends: An American Tradition
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: The Welfare System and Narrative Scholarship
Chapter 3: Birth in a Nation
Section II: Insider Views: Aid Recipients' Stories
Chapter 4: Origin Stories
Chapter 5: Challenge Stories
Chapter 6: Making Ends Meet and Achieving Success Stories
Section III: Public Debates: Clash of Cultures
Chapter 7: Symbols and Stereotypes
Chapter 8: Hard Workers and the Worthy Poor
Chapter 9: Welfare Lore in Social Media
Section IV: Re-Envisioning Legends
Chapter 10: Context as Creator of Tradition
Chapter 11: Truth and Doubt in Contemporary Tradition
Chapter 12: Overthrowing the Queen
Epilogue
Appendix
Notes
Sources Cited
