No Longer Academic – A Family Tragedy Casts a Harsh Light on the U.S. Safety Net

Andrea Campbell learned indelible new lessons when a hit and run driver left her sister-in-law paralyzed. To carry on, a young couple that had no health insurance was forced to search for assistance in a bureaucratic maze of fragmented programs.

In her new book Trapped in America’s Safety Net, Campbell presents the struggles of her brother and sister-in-law to illuminate the real-life shortcomings of current American social programs. The book’s unique appeal comes through vividly in a compelling review by John Rosenberg, editor of Harvard Magazine.

Political scientist Andrea Louise Campbell has done cutting-edge research and written extensively about Social Security, Medicare, and U.S. tax policies, with a special focus on public opinion and the impact of social programs on citizen participation. In addition to publishing academic books and articles, Campbell contributes regularly to public discussions in the print and visual media. She is the author or co-author of several SSN briefs – about American taxes, the role of the private sector in U.S. social programs, and the impact of Social Security on senior citizen activism.