Exam 2 Flashcards
Cultural Causes
Modernization theory- poverty from a societies cultural beliefs
Tangle of pathology
Structural Causes
Dependency theory- poverty from natural resource exploitation
Discrimination, neighborhoods, incarceration
Higher poverty in certain races
Poor live in Poverty Culture (it’s their fault, have weal work ethic, unmotivated, don’t value education)
Discrimination against migrants/failure to accommodate cultural differences for benefit programs
Psychological impact of discrimination in education, employment opportunities, and access to information
geographic area with higher poverty
Spatial distribution of poverty associated with race (South AA are in poverty, Southwest NA in poverty, North whites in poverty)
poverty by age Elder
65+ poverty has decreased since 1959
Social Security what keeps elders out of poverty
Elderly women higher poverty rate (live longer)
poverty by age Children
2008 was 30% 2012 was 33%
Lack of social programs to look out for children
Reflects the parents income/poverty more than kids
social capital
Education
Skills
Work Experience
recession and poverty
Poverty rate takes longer to decrease even after recession
Poor are always hit harder than the rest
Poor unemployed first in recessions
Over arching macro policies affect poverty
Government spending cuts increases poverty
subprime lending Race
African Americans targeted more than any other group
60% AA loans were subprime
People finally had a chance to own a home
subprime lending Income
Changes in law meant easier access to loans
Take out mortgages despite persons income
Had low initial interest rates that sky rocketed
foreclosure Race & Income
Once evicted you’re black listed from subsidized housing
Bad credit keeps people from getting new place
economic shifts
Manufacturing jobs disappearing ($ and jobs overseas)
Automation/ modernization reduces blue collar positions (need education to work on the robots)
unions
Lack of unions leads to decline in wages even if productivity continues
If union density was same as 1979 people would make $813/ wk vs. $755/wk now
Unions raise wages for all by keeping it competitive
economic shifts
Manufacturing to Service (only the best educated benefit)
Manufacturing jobs disappearing ($ and jobs overseas)
Automation/ modernization reduces blue collar positions (need education to work on the robots)
debt buyers
Laws/ tactics that prey on the poor
Charging people for debt based on spreadsheets, zombie debt
Privatizing probation companies charge on unpaid tickets, people can never pay it all off and go to jail
Reinstating debtors prision’s basically
unions
Lack of unions leads to decline in wages even if productivity continues
If union density was same as 1979 people would make $813/ wk vs. $755/wk now
Unions raise wages for all by keeping it competitive
Air traffic control strike broken by Reagan destroyed Unions 1980’s
parental leave
Only developed nation to not have paid parental leave
biological explanations
A social construction of race justified, a racial difference in intelligence, slavery (AA not humans), sterilization of latin, AA, NA women, apartheid
Let the poor parish part of natural selection, competition, fitness and ability to evolve
social explanations
Migration breaks down old ways
Immigrants were uprooted, disorganized created confusion of roles, the cultural baggage must fall away and have to assimilate
Moynihan report
Poverty in African American families resulted from “matriarchal family form”
Slavery weakened kin ties and men’s role in families; Resulting form was “matriarchal”
Led to a “tangle of pathology” that was the “fundamental source of weakness in the negro community”
Published 1965
functional family
Nuclear family (dad, mom, son daughter) Primary socialization of children so they can truly become members of society into which they have been born Stabilization of adult personalities of the population of the society
structural reasons for race/ ethnic variations
People more likely to be marginalized by race/ethnicity which impacts their education/careers
Psychological impact of discrimination (under constant surveillance, racial profiling)
public policies housing
Spacial concentration in poorer areas
Racial profiling
labor market segmentation
Routing people into certain types of jobs through education, networks, hiring practices, hostile work environments
