SOCWK 300 Flashcards
how does the “moral underclass discourse” view poverty? answer in short
- views poverty as result of individual moral failings
- does not blame structural or systemic issues
- emphasizes personal responsibility
- stigmatizes the poor as undeserving of support
How is the “social inclusion discourse” different?
- focuses on poverty being result of social and structural barriers
- emphasizes need to remove these barriers
- integrate marginalized individuals not society through inclusive policies
How do think tanks and the media influence these discourses?
- shapes the public opinion and policy by promoting specific discourses
- produces research and policy recommendations which frame poverty
- influences how society and policymakers perceive and address poverty
Which discourse is dominant in think tank and media stories
regarding poverty, according to Harding?
- dominance of the moral underclass discourse in think tank and media stories
- individual responsibility, moral failings, and behavioural issues
- often depicted as undeserving or responsible for their poverty
- less emphasis on systemic causes like inequality or economic policies
What is the difference between “absolute” conceptualizations of
poverty and relative conceptualizations?
absolute:
- based on fixed, universal standard
- poverty exists if income/resources fall below this threshold
- focuses on survival needs
Relative:
- defined in relation to societal standards of living
- poverty exists if individuals lack resources compared to others in their society
focuses on social inclusion and inequality
What is the difference between “absolute” conceptualizations of
poverty and relative conceptualizations?
- ignores disparities in living standards within a society
- disregards how poverty is experienced differently across societies
- does not account for individuals being excluded from normal societal participation due to lack of resources
- fails to adapt to shifts in societal expectations of wellbeing
What are the three most common measures of poverty
used in Canada?
Lowe income measure: measures poverty based on a percentage of the median income in society
Low income measure after tax: similar to LIM, but considers income after taxes and transfers
market basket measure: defines poverty based on the cost of a specific basket of goods and services required for basic standard of living
What does the differences among these three measures
mean for assessing and tracking poverty in Canada?
LIM and LIMT-AT:
- focus on income inequality relative to median, making them useful for tracking overall economic disparities
- they may not capture regional variations in cost of living or the specific needs of different communities
MBM:
- provides more concrete and localized measure, based on actual cost of basic standard of living
- reflects the affordability of essential goods and services but may overlook income-related factors or broader social exclusion
How does each one calculate poverty?
Low Income Measure (LIM):
Poverty is defined as having an income below 50% or 60% of the median income in society.
Compares income to the median across all households.
Low Income Measure After
Tax (LIM-AT):
Similar to LIM but adjusts for income after taxes and transfers (social benefits).
Poverty is having an income below 50% or 60% of the after-tax median income.
Market Basket Measure
(MBM):
Poverty is defined based on the cost of a specific basket of goods and services (e.g., food, clothing, shelter) required for basic living.
Compares household income to the cost of this basket in different regions of Canada.
Which kind of measure is Canada’s Official Poverty Line?
- based on Market basket measure
- measure calculates poverty by assessing whether a households income
- tailored to different regions and family sizes across Canada
What five categories of expenses is Canada’s Official
Poverty Line built around?
- Food
- Clothing
- Shelter
- Transportation
- Other goods and services (e.g., personal care, household items)
What has been the general trends in poverty in Canada
since since the 1980s?
Increase in Poverty Rates: Poverty rates rose in the 1980s and early 1990s, particularly during economic recessions.
Stagnation: After the mid-1990s, poverty rates remained relatively stable despite economic growth.
Rising Inequality: Income inequality has grown, with a larger gap between the rich and poor.
Vulnerable Groups: Certain groups, including Indigenous peoples, single-parent families, and racial minorities, continue to experience higher poverty rates.
How does Canada compare with other OECD nations in
terms of poverty? One of the best (lowest levels of
poverty)? One of the worst (highest levels)? Below the
average? Above the average?
Above the OECD Average:
Canada generally has poverty rates above the OECD average.
Comparison with Best:
Countries like Denmark and Finland have some of the lowest poverty rates among OECD nations, performing better than Canada.
Comparison with Worst:
Countries such as Mexico and Turkey have some of the highest poverty rates, worse than Canada.
Poverty Trend:
While not among the worst, Canada’s poverty rate remains higher than in many other high-income OECD countries.
What are 4 categories of income security programs we use in Canada, and how is each defined?
Social Assistance:
Government-funded support for individuals or families in need, typically for those without sufficient income or employment.
Examples: Ontario Works, Welfare.
Employment Insurance (EI):
Provides temporary financial assistance to unemployed individuals who have paid into the system.
Eligibility based on work history and job loss.
Public Pensions:
Income support for seniors, such as the Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS).
Designed to ensure a minimum income for retirees.
Tax Credits and Benefits:
Direct financial benefits or tax reductions for eligible individuals or families, often targeted at low-income households.
Examples: Canada Child Benefit (CCB), GST/HST Credit.
What are some of Canada’s main programs for income
security?
- canada pension plan
- old age security
- guaranteed income supplement
- employment insurance
- canada child benefit
- provincial social assistance programs
What has been the general trend in social assistance rates across the country since the 1980s?
Decline in Rates: Social assistance rates have generally declined, especially in the 1990s and 2000s, due to welfare cuts and a focus on reducing government spending.
Tightening Eligibility: Many provinces have tightened eligibility criteria for social assistance, making it harder for people to qualify.
Increase in Inequality: While the number of social assistance recipients may have decreased, poverty rates and income inequality have remained high.
Regional Variations: The decline in social assistance rates has varied by province, with some regions experiencing more significant reductions than others.
What has been the general trend in eligibility for
Employment Insurance benefits since the 1990s?
Tightening Eligibility: Since the 1990s, eligibility for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits has become stricter.
Increased Requirements: Requirements for qualifying for EI, such as the number of insurable hours worked, have increased.
Reduced Coverage: A smaller proportion of unemployed individuals qualify for benefits, especially in regions with high unemployment.
Regional Disparities: The threshold for eligibility varies by region, with some areas facing more challenging conditions for access.
When was the Canadian Child Benefit introduced (1960s,
1980s, or 2000s)?
introduced in the 2000s, specifically 2016
What are Canada’s 3 main, national, public pension
programs?
- old age security
- canada pension plan
- guaranteed income supplement
What does the Gini Coefficient measure?
The Gini Coefficient measures income inequality within a population. It ranges from 0 to 1, where:
- 0 represents perfect equality (everyone has the same income).
- 1 represents perfect inequality (one person has all the income, and everyone else has none).
A higher Gini coefficient indicates greater income inequality.
Has income inequality been growing or declining in
Canada over the past 30 years?
- the gini coefficient has increased
- widening gap between rick and poor
- income gains concentrated among the wealthiest individuals
- low and middle-income Canadians have seen slower income growth
What is the relationship between income
redistribution/income equality and health/social
outcomes?
- greater income equality
- income redistribution
- health outcome
- social cohesion
What is “Housing first” and how does it depart from
traditional approaches to housing the homeless?
Housing first:
- provides immediate permanent housing to homeless individuals without requiring them to address issues like addiction or mental health
Departure from traditional approaches:
-often requires individuals to meet certain conditions before receiving housing
- removes preconditions emphasizing that housing is basic right and start point for recovery
What is meant by a “Living Wage” and how is it
different from the idea of a “minimum wage”?
minimum wage:
- legally mandated lowest hourly wage
- set below living wage not enough to cover basic living expenses
living wage:
- income required for worker to meet basic needs
- calculated based on actual local costs of living
What is a Guaranteed Annual Income (or “Basic
Income”) and how is it different from social assistance?
- provides regular, unconditional cash payments to individuals or families, regardless of employment status
differences:
- unconditional
- universal or broad coverage
- simplified
How does Ontario’s per-capita funding for post-
secondary education compare with other provinces?
- lowest among canadian provinces
- fewer public funds to colleges and universities
- forces institutions to rely on more heavily on tuition fees
What is meant by essentialism particularly in the context of feminism?
- refers to the belief that certain traits or roles are inherently tied to biologic al or natural differences
- such as idea that woman are naturally more nurturing
- this perspective reinforces stereotypes and limits understanding of gender as socially constructed
What is meant by intersectionality particularly in the context of feminism?
- coined by kimberle Crenshaw
- emphasizes that feminism must address overlapping forms of discrimination to be inclusive
What is meant by positionally particularly in the context of feminism?
- refers to acknowledgment of one’s social and cultural context influences their perspective
- stresses the importance of recognizing one’s position in system of power when analyzing social issues
What is meant by the personal is political particularly in the context of feminism?
- slogan popularized in second-wave feminism
- it emphasizes personal experiences
What are some of the ways in which women remain unequal to men in Canadian society
- Pay gap
- leadership representation
- STEM fields
- unpaid care work
- political representation
- violence and safety
