Date of Conferral
4-30-2025
Date of Award
April 2025
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Public Policy and Administration
Advisor
William Benet
Abstract
Extreme wealth disparities between the richest and poorest Americans are a problem in the United States. Although the existing literature has established mixed results regarding the efficacy of universal basic income as a tool to alleviate income inequality, no one has studied the perspectives of social service professionals in Minnesota. The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of Minnesota based social service professionals regarding universal basic income through the lens of Benet’s polarities of democracy framework. The research question for this study was what are the perceptions of Minnesota based social service professionals regarding the potential impact of guaranteed income as a barrier to, or facilitator of, alleviating income inequality in the United States? A generic qualitative methodology was used to address the research question. A semi-structured interview protocol was used to gather data through individual interviews, and thematic analysis identified five major themes. Key findings of the study were that research participants anticipated more positive than negative impacts of universal basic income on their low-income clients, and that although participants viewed universal basic income as a tool with significant potential to reduce income inequality within the United States, current American values, culture, and existing public policies create substantial barriers to making universal basic income a reality. The results support public policy recommendations for positive social change including a more robust personal financial curriculum in public schools, requiring mandatory education for lawmakers regarding income inequality, and the need to place a more intentional focus on the integration of the values of freedom, communal obligations, and human rights when designing new public policies.
Recommended Citation
Dinneen, Caitlin, "Mitigating American Wealth Inequality With Universal Basic Income: Perceptions From Social Service Professionals" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17679.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17679
