Political observers have long since struggled with understanding how new ideas are placed on the public agenda. In their studies, most social scientists have relied on biographical sketches and intensive case studies to explore the intricacies of innovation. Researchers have had much more difficulty, however, in moving from these individual success stories to more generalizable theories of entrepreneurship. This book builds such a theory by focusing on the critical issue of child support enforcement in the United States. Covering over a 100 year period, this book tracks the evolution of multiple sets of political entrepreneurs as they grapple with the child support problem: charity workers with local law enforcement in the nineteenth century, social workers throughout the 1960s, conservatives during the 1970s, women's groups and women legislators in the 1980s, and fathers' rights groups in the 1990s and beyond.

"...this well-written book delivers on its promise--a strong account for sea changes in child support policy. The Politics of Child Support in America is recommended reading for students of public policy, advocates, and child support professionals."
-Family Court Review

"This is a useful and timely contribution to studies of social policy change and should spark other fruitful research."
-Renee Monson, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, American Journal of Sociology