Reference Reviews

Reference for Students

Social Policy: Essential Primary Sources. Edited by K. Lee Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, and Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner. 1 vol. 524 p. $. ISBN 10: 1-4244-0328-3; 13: 978-1-4144-0328-1.

If your students need to understand the development and implementation of traditional social policy issues such as civil rights, children, education, housing, health, and welfare since the 19th century, they will find them here. The editors have been able to offer a diversity of cultures, backgrounds, and opinions. Beginning with a seven-page chronology, each entry has a title, subtitle, and type of primary source. The essential information, creator, date, source citation and notes about the creator are given followed by an introduction. The primary source is followed by its significance. Most articles have a black and white photography. Articles end with a bibliography of books, periodicals, and web sites. Because some of the primary sources are parts of books, it is possible that this might encourage readers to read the entire book, although it may be more likely they would be pleased to have just a part. Others explain political cartoons. The inclusion of a poem by Maya Angelou could be useful as a model for an analysis of this literary form by students who need to learn how to write more than a book report. This will be useful in several curriculum areas if you take the time to make some suggestions as to its possible uses.