Bad Mothers: The Politics of Blame in Twentieth-Century America

by Laurie Umansky and Molly Ladd-Taylor

In the past quarter century, "bad" mothers have moved noticeably toward center stage in American culture. While Susan Smith will eventually fade from the tabloids, the monster mother that she represents has a storied and long history. Mothers have been blamed for a host of problems, from autism in children (due to chilly "refrigerator" mothers), to homosexuality (attributed to "smothering" moms), to welfare dependency and crime (caused by black...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0814751202
• ISBN13: 9780814751206
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: New York University Press
• Length: 422 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.0" x 8.9"