Ain’t No Makin’ It

In this updated edition of the influential ethnography Ain't No Makin' It, Jay MacLeod explores the persistent issue of social inequality through the lives of the "Brothers" and the "Hallway Hangers" from the Clarendon Heights housing project. Originally published in 1987 and revised in 1995, this third edition includes 13 new interviews and contemporary theoretical analysis, providing a fresh perspective on the struggles of these individuals within the labor market and the underground economy. MacLeod's work delves into the cycles of poverty, race, and social mobility, reinforcing its status as an essential text in understanding social reproduction.