A self-proclaimed news junkie/policy wonk, Amanda Barusch is fascinated (and sometimes horrified) by U.S politics and policies. For two decades, updating this book has enabled her to monitor the intricate shifts and major sea changes in America's pursuit of social justice. A native of California, Dr. Barusch completed her B.A. at Reed College, her M.S.W. and Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, and her M.F.A. in creative writing at the University of Utah. Her primary research and teaching interests are in the fields of social policy and aging. She has investigated topics ranging from interpersonal relations to international policy comparisons. She has published articles in leading North American journals, seven books, and numerous poems and short stories. Dr. Barusch joined the faculty at the University of Utah College of Social Work in 1985, where she has served as Associate Dean. She was Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Gerontological Social Work for six years, and is on the editorial board of several international journals. She is a fellow in the Gerontological Society of America. She also holds a Professorial appointment at the University of Otago in New Zealand, where she can be found when winter reaches the northern hemisphere.