Chapter 2 Flashcards
Economic Inequality
the differences in income and wealth across individuals and groups
Social Class
the division in society based on education, income, and wealth
Socio-economic Status
the education and income of individuals
Social Stratification
the differences in access to wealth and power
- the stratification can also be based on factors such as gender, race, and ethnicity
Absolute Poverty
individuals lack the necessities for survival
- ie; lacking food, shelter, medicine
Ging Coefficient
- higher coefficient, less wealth distribution, more inequality, large gap between rich and poor
- vice-versa
Relative Poverty
individuals have the basics to survive but their living standards are far below that of most people in society
Poverty can:
- lead to feelings of stigmatization and disempowerment, a loss of connection to others
- those in poverty may conceal their situation due to shame or fear, further preventing them from receiving support
Feminization of Poverty
the greater risk of poverty experienced by women
- senior women and lone mothers are especially vulnerable
- laws and policies historically discriminated against women
Groups at higher risk of poverty in Canada
- LGBTQ+
- racialized groups
-indigenous peoples - individuals with diabiities
Intergenerational Reproduction of Social Class
children who grew up in poverty are more likely to experience poverty and vice-versa for those in wealthy families
The Culture of Poverty Thesis
low-income groups embrace cultural values that reinforce their own poverty and create intergenerational poverty
Limitation: The Culture of Poverty Thesis
it blames groups for their own poverty and neglects the role of historical factors and social structures in creating poverty
Marxist Theory
laid the foundations of this theory through his observation during early industrialization
- workers are exploited by capitalists who derive enormous profits at the expense of their health and well-being
Limitation: Marxist Theory
it neglects other resources that affluent families pass on to children
- bourdieu’s theory compliments this gap
Pierre Bourdieu’s Theory
identified non-financial skills and resources that families can provide to their children
- social capital and cultural capital
- by developing these capitals, children can become financially successful as adults
Social Capital
social networks and connections
Cultural Capital
exposure to high class culture
Intragenerational Social Mobility
change in social class that an individual experiences in their own lifetime
- can be upward or downward
What influences social mobility?
social structure
- it can provide or limit economic opportunities
- it varies by location and by time
ie; immigrants to Canada reveal the importance of social structure in social mobility
John Porter (1965)
wrote “The Vertical Mosaic”
- challenged Canada as a land of equal opportunities
- demonstrated how race and ethnicity shape income and occupational status
- showed how different racial and ethnic groups have relatively constant social hierarchy over time
- revealed the power of social structures in shaping socio-economic status
Global Inequality
the unequal distribution of power, wealth, and resources between countries
- rooted in the history of colonialism
- European colonial powers blocked the economic development of regions in the global south through historical exploitation of natural resources and slave labor, and currently through unfair trade practices
Hunting and Gathering Society
foraging society
- the nomadic method of living where humans traveled to forage food from their environment
- no private property, scarcity of resources
- characterized by equality, sharing, and economic cooperation/altruism
Pre-industrial Society
characterized by domestication of animals and early agriculture, a more settled lifestyle
- emergence of private property and social hierarchy due to surplus food and resources
- households were units of production that made goods needed for everyday survival
- emergence of gender inequality and the subordination of women
Industrial Society
emerged in the 18th and 19th centuries
- shift from households to factories as the units of production
- working class and capitalist class emerged
- workers relied on low wages for serval, many lived in poverty
- in early times, work was hazardous and child labour. was common
- families with multiple children old enough to work usually have better economic circumstances
Work in the 21st Century
associated with a decline in manufacturing work and expansion in service sector work and knowledge based work
- automation reduced many jobs
- rise in gig economy
Gig Economy
a labour market where independent contractors work multiple part-time positions to fulfill their needs
Structural Functionalism on Inequality
inequality is functional for society as it motivates people to work harder to ascend the social ladder
Davis and Moore (1945)
argued that economic rewards are provided to individuals who work in the most important jobs in society
Critiques of Structural Functionalism
- it makes assumptions on what constitutes the most important jobs in society
- it overlooks the role of inheritance and nepotism in economic success
- it does not consider those who were born into poverty and have limited opportunities for education
- it assumed that economic rewards are the only effective motivators for people, not accounting for other aspects of work such as self-fulfillment
Conflict Theory on Inequality
karl marx
- economic inequality exists because the rich and powerful capitalists exploit working-class labor to maximize wealth for themselves
- people with economic and political power shape and distribute the rewards and resources in society for their own benefit
- institutions in society such as schools and media reinforce the interest of the owners of capital, perpetuating socio-economic inequality
Alienation
the feeling experienced by the working class of not being able to control the nature and pacing of their labor
Critiques of Conflict Theory
it overlooks inequalities based on gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and other social factors
Feminist Theory on Inequality
examines gender-based inequalities in political economic, education, legal and social institutions
- gender pay gap
Critiques of Feminist Theory
it forced on the most privileged groups of women
- it overlooks intersectionality
Symbolic Interactionism on Inequality
focused on how inequalities are seated and reinforced in micro-level interactions
Critiques of Symbolic Interactionism
- does not explain how economic inequality originated
- does not pay enough attention to social structures which contain people from achieving economic success
- it could be blaming individuals for the poverty and economic inequality they experience
Housing Crisis
the lack of affordable housing, social housing, and accessible housing for people
Homelessness
individuals and families who do not have access to safe and permeant housing
Hidden Homelessness
those who do not have housing and rely on others for temporary accommodation
Unsheltered homelessness
those who do not have housing and stay in shelters, vehicles, encampments, parks, or on the streets
Purpose of shift from homeless to unhoused
to minimize stigma and avoid describing individuals by one aspect of their life
Who is at high risk of being unhoused?
2SLGBTQIA+ and First Nations people living off-reserve, Metis, and Inuit
Causes of Homelessness
- lack of affordable housing and social housing
- lack of support for mental health and addiction
Predictors of Homelessness
- poverty and low-income
- intimate partner violence
- elder abuse
- physician and sexual abuse in children
Food Insecurity
lacking physical and economic access to food that can support health and wellbeing
Health outcomes due to poverty are worse for ______
women
Individual Solutions to Poverty and Economic Inequality
informal support from family and friends and formal support from agencies
Solutions to Homeessness
living in vehicles, abandoned buildings, parks, and other areas
- reduced housing costs by moving, getting a roommate, and living with family
Solutions to Food Insecurity
relying on food banks and other organizations such as school for food
- changing food choices
- meal planning, making preserves, using coupons, etc.
Solutions to High Cost Living
selling a vehicle
- saving money strategies
- working more
Solutions to the Housing Crisis
the unique needs of each group must be addressed
- government intervention
Solutions to Poverty
- social assistance
- implement basic income
-increasing minimum wage and implementing a living wage
Solutions to Reduced Opportunities
- educational opportunities for children need to be expanded at all levels
- addressing the high cost of post-secondary education
