Poverty and Knowing: Exploring Epistemological Development in Welfare-to-Work Community College Students

Through a one year-long, qualitative study of welfare-to-work students, this study investigates the developing epistemologies of women enrolled in a community college CalWORKs program. We investigate how poverty as a macro-environment and the community college as a micro-environment influence participants’ epistemological development. Findings demonstrate poverty suppresses epistemological development through socialization, as experiences with disenfranchisement impede participants’ beliefs in self as knower, and reify the value of absolute submission to authority. Additionally, we find that poverty impacts the types of epistemologies used and normalizes these epistemologies through the experience of intergenerational poverty. Theoretical, practical, and policy implications are discussed.