The right (soft) stuff: Qualitative methods and the study of welfare reform

摘要

Quantitative studies drawn from administrative records are essential to capture the "big picture" of the welfare reforms that have seen many poor women move from cash assistance to work. Large-scale surveys or panel studies are equally important as officials seek to understand and predict the dynamics of welfare caseloads when Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. (TANF) is retooled and reauthorized.