New Books in Political Science A. Mechele Dickerson, "The Middle-Class New Deal: Restoring Upward Mobility and the American Dream" (U California Press, 2026)
Jan 17, 2026
A. Mechele Dickerson is a renowned law professor specializing in bankruptcy and economic disparities. She reveals how policies since the 1980s have eroded middle-class stability, proposing a comprehensive agenda to revive upward mobility. Dickerson emphasizes the crucial roles of education and housing affordability, pinpointing how tax changes and labor market shifts have further marginalized lower-income families. She shares personal stories and bold ideas, like repurposing public assets, to create a 21st-century Middle-Class New Deal.
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Middle Class Was Built By Policy
- The U.S. middle class was created intentionally through bold public policy after the Great Depression and WWII.
- Reversing today’s decline requires similarly large public interventions, not just market fixes.
Education Is The Backbone
- Education underpins access to stable, middle-class jobs and intergenerational mobility.
- K-12 quality and shadow education differences drive unequal college and career outcomes.
What Defines Middle-Class Life
- Middle-class markers include affordable housing, reliable jobs with benefits, college access, manageable consumer debt, and savings.
- Losing these markers signals erosion of normal middle-class life, not just income shifts.
