Chapter 5 – Poverty Chapter 6 – Race & Ethnic Relations

Unit 3 Project You have been learning that people are discriminated against for a variety of reasons and that some populations struggle with this more than others. Choose one group that experiences discrimination according to your text. You can choose an ethnic group or a group determined by age such as children or the elderly.

Unit 3 Project 1. First, explain why you chose this group. 2. Using the text and the websites you researched in this unit, explain the connections between poverty and discrimination for your chosen group. Remember to use research from your text or other reliable sources and cite your sources appropriately. 3. ***Discuss how the agencies and organizations you researched influence poverty and discrimination for that group. Do you agree with the way they do their work? Why or why not? *** 4. Conclude with your reflections on how completing this project has influenced the work you do or want to do with clients.

Unit 3 Project Your project should be between 500 and 900 words, double spaced, not including your title and reference page. While no points will be deducted if APA formatting is incorrect, points can be deducted if there is no attempt to cite references. Please use the Research, Citation, and Plagiarism document found in Doc Sharing to help you with formatting your project.

Myth or Fact? (p. 120) Both the poor and the affluent are a drain on the treasury and both pay to support it. Receiving welfare encourages women to have more children, to leave their husbands and to avoid work. Fact Myth

Defining Poverty An absolute definition of poverty establishes a fixed economic level below which people are considered poor, and this level does not necessarily change as society on the whole becomes more or less affluent. A relative definition of poverty focuses on the idea that people are poor relative to some standard, and that standard is partially shaped by the lifestyles of other citizens A cultural definition of poverty views poverty not only in terms of how many resources people have, but also in terms of why they failed to achieve a higher economic level.

Extent of Poverty in the U.S. In 2005 in the U.S. 37 million people, or 1 in 8 citizens, or 12.6% of the population, were living in poverty The poorest 20% of households receive less than 4% of the total income while the wealthiest 20% receive over 50%.

Who are the poor? Racial and Ethnic Minorities Most of the poor in the U.S. are white, while nonwhites are more likely to be poor than whites. Children Thirty four percent of the poor are children under the age of eighteen. The Elderly Poverty is relatively low among the elderly: It is slightly lower than among non-elderly adults.

FIGURE 5.4 People Living Below the Poverty Level by Race as a Percentage of All Poor People, 2005

FIGURE 5.6 Percentage of Children Younger Than Eighteen Living Below the Poverty Level, 2005

Who are the poor? Women A growing number of women are among the poor, which has been called the feminization of poverty. Central City and Rural Dwellers Poverty tends to be concentrated in certain places such as central-city and rural areas. The Disabled As many as one-third of the poor suffer from severe physical disabilities.

Future Prospects Approaches to reducing poverty include Encouraging full employment A situation in which everyone or nearly everyone who wants to work can find a job Educating and training the poor to compete effectively in the job market Early childhood interventions include Head Start Jobs programs include on-the-job training and temporary public service jobs

Future prospects Providing income maintenance programs Social insurance programs Social Security Medicare Public assistance programs Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) General Assistance (GA) Medicaid Noncash Benefits

Chapter 6: Race and Ethnic relations

Myth or Fact? The Civil Rights Act, affirmative action, and other social policies have eliminated racism in the U.S. Of all American minorities, American Indians remain among the poorest. Myth Fact

Minority Groups A minority group is a group whose members share distinct physical or cultural characteristics, are denied access to power and resources available to other groups, and are accorded fewer rights, privileges, and opportunities.

Race and Ethnicity Race a group of people who are believed to be a biological group sharing genetically transmitted traits that are defined as important. Ethnic group a group of people who share a common historical and cultural heritage and sense of group identity and belongingness.

Racism Racism is the view that certain racial or ethnic groups are biologically inferior and that practices involving their domination and exploitation are therefore justified.

Sources of Prejudice and Discrimination Prejudice an irrational attitude toward certain people based solely on their membership in a particular group Discrimination behaviors, particularly unequal treatment of people because they are members of a particular group Prejudice and discrimination result from social and psychological sources.

Social Sources Ethnocentrism is the tendency to view one’s own groups or culture as an in-group that follows the best and the only proper way to live. Competition Competitive situations can lead to prejudice and discrimination. A split labor market is one in which there are two groups of workers willing to do the same work, but for different wages. Internal colonialism refers to when a subordinate group provides cheap labor that benefits the dominate group and is then further exploited by having to purchase expensive goods and services from the dominant group.

Social Sources Socialization Once patterns of prejudice and discrimination become legitimated, they can then be transmitted to new members through the process of socialization. Institutionalized Discrimination Institutionalized discrimination is the inequitable treatment of a group resulting from practices or policies that are incorporated into social, political or economic institutions and that operate independently from the prejudices of individuals.

Psychological Sources Stereotyping Stereotypes are oversimplified images in which each element or person in a category is assumed to possess all the characteristics associated with that category. Frustration and aggression Frustration and aggression arise when people become frustrated by their inability to achieve sought after goals. Authoritarian personality Authoritarian personality refers to a rigid adherence to conventional lifestyles and values, admiration of power and toughness in interpersonal relationships, submission to authority, cynicism, an emphasis on obedience, and a fear of things that are different.

Consequences of Discrimination Discrimination forces some groups into a disadvantageous position in the stratification system and adversely affects their life chances may cause those who feel it to accept the devalued and stigmatized view of themselves creates tense, hostile, and sometimes violent encounters between dominant members and minority group members undermines our social and political values and institutions

Future Prospects Techniques that have been used to try to improve race and ethnic relations in the U.S. include: collective protest and civil rights legislation affirmative action programs school programs and districting improving the economy

Opportunity to Share and Discuss… How are prejudices formed? What can you do as a human service professional to combat prejudice and discrimination? In your opinion what is the one way to raise people out of poverty?