1. Poverty
Chapter 10

2. Review of some key terms…
Life chances?
Social mobility?
Social reproduction?
The sociological imagination?

3. What is Poverty?
How does poverty in America differ from that of third world countries???
The United States has among the highest rates of poverty in the developed/wealthy/advanced world.
Absolute poverty—not having enough money to afford the most basic necessities
Food insecurity-Having enough food to be physically sustained
Food deserts…
How much money should a family of four make to live above the poverty line?

4. The Poverty Line
Poverty line—the minimal level of income that the federal government considers necessary for basic subsistence
Used to determine eligibility for government assistance (forms of welfare)
In 2016, the poverty line was _______for a family of four.
Poverty rate=__%
___ Million Americans live in Poverty
A rise in Deep Poverty

5. Issues with the Poverty Line Measurement
1963-Cost of minimal level of healthy Food times 3
Rising costs in housing, health care, and child care
No regional differences
I.e.: Mississippi vs Cali
Illustrates Relative Poverty Rates
Not having enough money to maintain an average standard of living in a society
-Being Relatively Poor???

6. The Effects of Poverty on Children’s Life Chances
Material Deprivation
Poor nutrition, lack of adequate medical care, unsafe home, school, and neighborhoods environments
Parent stress
The Parenting Stress Hypothesis
As poverty exacerbates stress in the household, parents may act in ways that are not conducive to healthy child development

7. Welfare and Opposing Viewpoints
Pros?
Cons
Social Safety net
Get people back on their feet after job loss, etc.
Help those in need
Attempts to counter the negative effects of deindustrialization, globalization, outsourcing, discrimination, Etc,. that lead to high unemployment rates and stagnant wages
Taxes
Perverse Incentive Argument
The idea that a social safety net is attractive and leads to people who become “free-riders”
The idea that welfare discourages work

8. Who are the Poor? -Racial Minorities -Children -Women
Feminization of poverty
-Racial Minorities
-The “new poor/homeless”?
How is poverty
Explained?

9. Causes of Poverty? Deficiency vs. Structural theories
-Deficiency Theories- Blame the Individual
Innate Inferiority
Cultural Inferiority
Culture of Poverty Thesis
-Structural Theories- Focus on role of society
Institutional Discrimination
Capitalist Economy of Society
Structure vs. Free will Debate?