The phenomenon of the 'New Poor' is an issue that many industrialized countries are now facing. The new world economy, driven by advanced technology and a global flow of finance and information, has had a drastic impact on social order (Goode and Maskovsky 4). There is an increasing economic gap between the lower and upper classes of society, and groups of people are finding that there is no place for them in the mainstream economy.
             One of these groups is the people who work on Sixth Avenue in New York City. In his ethnography, Sidewalk, sociologist Mitchell Duneier provides a detailed and descriptive account
             of life on the street and shows how the people – mainly unhoused, black men – living and working on the sidewalk have created an informal social structure to serve their emotional and financial needs. Duneier argues that this social structure also benefits society as a whole. However, local politics and legislation also play a significant role in shaping the environment in which these people live and work, and "their attempts to maintain self-respect through 'honest labour'" (Gowan 76) are not always supported by
             Duneier's ethnography and message are attractive for a number of reasons: it well written and the text is interesting and easy to read. Duneier's journalistic style adds to the book's appeal, as the places and people are very real to the reader. Duneier's use of photographs throughout the account also helps to situate the reader, but the photos' lack of captions, which would "locate the individuals and activities and supply links to the text" (Davies 119), is an unfortunate oversight. And although one could argue that Duneier's analysis is missing a feminist perspective, the author explains that he has chosen to focus on males because they are the predominant gender on the sidewalk.
             Duneier provides a view to the future and su...