Record Details

No Shame in My Game: The Working Poor in the Inner City, 1993-2002

Harvard Dataverse (Africa Rice Center, Bioversity International, CCAFS, CIAT, IFPRI, IRRI and WorldFish)

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Field Value
 
Title No Shame in My Game: The Working Poor in the Inner City, 1993-2002
 
Identifier https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/W7FMDA
 
Creator Newman, Katherine S.
 
Publisher Harvard Dataverse
 
Description This study explored the lives of the working poor in the inner city. Three hundred male and female participants were drawn from central and west Harlem, New York City; 200 worked at one of four fast food restaurants in Harlem, and 100 had applied to one of those restaurants but were not hired. Participants were African American, Dominican and Puerto Rican of varied ages, most between 15 and 40 years of age. Educational status also varied, with the majority of participants' highest level of education being a high school degree.


This study consists of three waves. The first wave was conducted in 1993-1994 with 300 participants. All 300 completed a survey, providing data on basic demographics (such as race, marital status, income, members of family, places where respondent has lived), as well as information on education, health care, and in-depth employment history. One-hundred fifty of these participants completed an extensive, semi-structured three to four hour interview telling their life history, covering topics such as family history; neighborhood identity; work history and aspirations; and race relations. Interviewers noted their impressions of the neighborhood and the physical appearance of the participant and her surroundings. The restaurant owners and managers were interviewed as well. Twelve of the participants agreed to be intensely studied; members of the research team worked alongside these participants at the fast food restaurants for four months, got to know their parents and children, and interviewed other key figures in their lives such as teachers and priests.

The second wave was conducted in 1997-1998 with 100 of the original participants - some were employed, and some were unemployed. A survey was completed, addressing the same topics as the wave one survey. Interviews were conducted to ascertain life updates since wave one. The third wave was conducted in 2001-2002 with 40 of the 100 wave 2 participants. No more follow-up waves are planned.

The Henry A. Murray Research Archives currently holds original record paper data, and audiotape data from waves 1 and 2 of this study.
 
Subject Social Sciences
 
Type longitudinal, field study, oral history