SYG2010 Saint Petersburg Social Inequality Inevitable Discussion Debate Chapter Two Discussion: Debating Poverty and the race to the bottom 33 unread repl

SYG2010 Saint Petersburg Social Inequality Inevitable Discussion Debate Chapter Two Discussion: Debating Poverty and the race to the bottom

33 unread replies.33 replies.

This debate will focus on poverty and social class (Chapter 2). Many people do not consider how society is divided and by what criteria. With gender as the only consistent division among all cultures, this discussion will focus on other ways society is, or has been, divided and how those divisions effect people’s social class and inequality in general.

Be sure to read the debate instructions where there are also some examples, and review the rubric. You can review the rubric for the debate by selecting “show rubric” in the drop down menu at the top of the discussion assignment.

After reading chapter 2 and watching the videos on the weekly resource page using table 2.4 in your text as a guide; debate the following topic:

Is social inequality inevitable?

The following points are examples of ways you can approach the question.

Points that support this statement (Pro): Points that negate this statement (Con):
Inequality emerges from the social structure The perception of those in poverty is shaped by media owned by those in power
Poverty serves a social function Poverty is learned based on a “culture of poverty” that encourages and perpetuates it
Inequality and poverty benefit those in power
Inequality is maintained by those in power

Make sure you use one of the major theories to help explain your point.

Remember three total posts are due by Sunday with one of the three posted by Thursday. Make sure you review the Debate Instructions for how to properly do this assignment. At least one post MUST be a reply to someone else refuting their side of the argument and at least ONE post MUST deal with the issue of how the topic manifests in the local area.

Remember to support your posts with evidence! At least one reference is required.

Evidence is specific examples from your text, or an external reference that discusses the issue. One of the main purposes of these discussions is to help you learn to see points from more than one side, learn to write better by being able to frame your arguments around a theme such as social problems. Chapter 2 Summary
Chapter 2
Social class and poverty
This chapter, along with the next four chapters, presents some of the history, facts,
dimensions, and social consequences of human diversity. While this chapter focuses
on social class and poverty, subsequent chapters will discuss race and ethnicity,
gender, sexual orientation, and age and aging as dimensions of diversity. Before
addressing the dimensions of diversity specified for this chapter, the author acquaints
the reader with some of the broad-based negative consequences of diversity such as
prejudice and discrimination.
The author introduces Marilyn Loden and Judy Roseners’ Wheel of Diversity in the
section introduction. They identify two major dimensions of diversity including one
dimension that is fixed in nature that has several characteristics such as age, ethnicity,
gender, physical abilities, race, and sexual orientation. The second dimension has
characteristics that are changeable and include such things as educational attainment,
income, and religious beliefs. The introduction continues by noting that many of these
and other characteristics that make us different unfortunately leads to negative
consequences for many minority groups such as social stratification and few or
diminished life chances in areas such as education, shelter, and health care. In
addition, people that are different often face prejudice (a negative attitude) and
discrimination (acts based on prejudiced beliefs) from others.
This chapter explores many of the issues surrounding social class and poverty in the
United States. Though the United States is one of the richest countries, severe
economic inequalities are evident and the resulting consequences are seen, for
example, when recounting the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 on New Orleans
residents.
The gap between rich and poor in the United States is wider than in any other society
with comparable economic institutions and standards of living. Data reveals that wealth,
the value of assets owned by a household at a point in time is more unequally
distributed and more concentrated than income which is defined as the money earned
from one’s work. Research found that during the late 1980s and 1990s, the top one
percent of wealth owners in the U.S. owned more than forty-five percent of all net worth
and nearly fifty percent of all financial assets.
Several definitions of poverty are discussed including absolute and relative poverty and
poverty threshold and guidelines. Absolute poverty refers to a lack of basic necessities
such as food, shelter, and income. Relative poverty is a situation where people are
falling behind from the average income or life style enjoyed by the rest of
society. Poverty threshold refers to the original federal poverty measure based on food,
while poverty guidelines are used for determining family or individual eligibility for
federal assistance programs.
There are certain demographics that describe the poor. White-Americans, blackAmericans (as a proportion of their group as compared to other racial and ethnic
groups), children, and female headed households with children are the most likely to
suffer from poverty in the United States. In addition, research shows that though the
majority of poor people live in cities and suburbs, poverty rates are higher for residents
living outside metropolitan areas. Also, regional patterns of poverty have developed
throughout the U.S. with the South having the highest levels, followed by the West,
Northeast, and finally the Midwest.
The four sociological perspectives are used to shed light onto the social implications of
social class and poverty. Functionalists believe that inequality in the social system is
necessary to maintain social order as some individuals are more important and better
suited for certain positions, and therefore should be compensated more than
others. Functionalists feel that poverty exists because it is functional for society in
several ways. For example, it upholds the legitimacy of dominant norms, it helps
preserve social boundaries, and it provides a low-wage labor pool to do the “dirty work”
which no one else wants to do. Conflict adherents believe that inequality is
systematically created and maintained by those trying to maintain their advantage over
the system. Conflict theorists argue that poverty exists because the rich and powerful
are unwilling to give up some of the resources that they have accumulated, leaving little
else for others. The Feminist perspective focuses on gender inequality which is felt to
be the byproduct of a patriarchal society. Feminists report that poverty is especially
devastating to women because they are under the control of a patriarchal system that is
more willing to assist men than women. Finally, Interactionists believe that social
inequality is a social creation that is made real by stereotypes, beliefs, and attitudes
which shape our behavior and produces the inequality we believe is real. Interactionists
state that poverty is learned and their attention is focused on the meaning people give
to poverty.
Some of the consequences of poverty are explored in the chapter. Health care costs
are rising quickly and the elderly and impoverished, especially children, are not
receiving the treatment they require. While a portion of the poor are eligible for medical
care under Medicaid, coverage is not comprehensive and numerous poor people do not
qualify. Fifteen percent of American families are considered food insecure which means
that these families do not always have access to enough food for active and healthy
lives for all members of the household. Most families who leave welfare do not earn
enough to afford decent and appropriate housing.
Throughout the twentieth century, the federal government has attempted to reduce
poverty by helping those that could not help themselves starting with the creation of
welfare in the 1935 Social Security Act. Lyndon Johnson expanded assistance to the
poor in his “War on Poverty” by creating additional social programs like Head Start and
affirmative action. Finally, in the 1990s, there was great concern that welfare had
become more of a problem than solution and Bill Clinton signed the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) which instituted
significant changes in the way welfare was managed.
In 2005, PRWORA was reauthorized by emphasizing promoting work, increasing
resources for welfare families, protecting children and strengthening families, and
enhancing state flexibility in welfare funding and programming. Under PRWORA, adults
are limited to five years of federal benefits, although states have the authority to impose
shorter time limits. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program was enacted in
1975 and was expanded in the 1980s and 1990s. EITC provides federal tax relief for
low-income working families, especially those with children.

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