Assignment#3_Mobiity-OtherWaysReducingPovertyInequality

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Apr 3, 2024

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SOC 302 Assignment #3: Mobility and Other Ways of Reducing Poverty and Inequality in the United States Your Name : Desiree Falkenhagen YOUR SOCIAL CLASS 1a. List the name of the occupation, the median income, and the entry-level education for this occupation from the Occupational Outlook Handbook . Realistically, given the data from the Handbook , what social class do you think you will be if you have this occupation? Note: More information about your occupation is available. You need not focus only on income and education. Name of Occupation Median Income Entry Level Education Social Class for this Occupation High School teacher $62,360 Bachelor’s Degree Middle-Class 1b. Now, consult Chapter 3 in your textbook. If you use the CLASS STRUCTURE AS A CONTINUUM MODEL of the class structure, what social class would someone be in if that person had the occupation you hope to have when you are established in your career? (Fill in the blank below). Then, explain the sentence, that would be the choice by completing the sentence I started for you. (You can write more than one sentence!). Someone with this occupation in the Middle CLASS (give the class continuum model of the class structure). They would be in this social class because Of the fact that being a teacher is a lower paying White-collar job that requires a college education and pays above the median of the working class, but under the median for the middle class. So, teaching falls right in the middle.

SOCIAL MOBILITY 2a. Now, discuss three things that individuals or families can do to increase their likelihood of moving upward, generally, or out of poverty, more specifically. Make sure that your suggestions are clearly based on empirical research. (1) One thing that can be done, if it is possible, is to move out of the U.S. to nations with relatively high mobility rates. For example, as seen in the article presented in the question, Canada has double the mobility rate of the United States, which is at the bottom of the chart. (2) Based on the previous response, it is also important where you are in the United States as there are different upward mobility rates all across the U.S. Some of the places that have low mobility rates include areas of the southeast part of our nation while areas in the middle north of our nation have great rates of mobility. (3) One big thing is receiving a college education, as it is seen on the graph in the article provided. Receiving a college degree increases the chance of moving up out of poverty, but there is also the factor of how high the college is as elite schools allow for higher rankings. 2b. Given your answer to 1b (about your career when you are established), discuss the factors that will lead you to be upwardly mobile (compared to your parents), downwardly mobile compared to your parents, or will lead you to stay in the same class as your parents. Just looking at my opportunities compared to my parents, I should technically be higher than them in upward mobility as my mom was a single mom at the age of 20, and never went to college. The same can be said for my dad as he never went to college. But, due to society, there may be a chance I will be in the same class as before as the education system is not the best in the U.S.

RECIPIENTS OF BENEFITS PROGRAMS 3a. Begin by describing the numbers and social characteristics of people receiving ALL kinds of aid together The numbers for Individuals receiving all kinds of aid, my screen is as follows:

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For Households, my screen look 3b. Then, put on filters for a particular program. For example, if you click SNAP, you will only see people who receive that nutrition assistance program. The other numbers will tell you the percent of SNAP recipients who receive the other programs (for example, what percent of SNAP recipients also get TANF?) and the social characteristics of those people. What program did you pick? Medicaid/Chip What other programs to people receive? 39.9 SNAP, 7.4 WIC, 25.5 Free or reduced school meals, 9.4 SSI, 1.9 TANF, 12.6 Energy Aid, 11.8 Rental Subsidies, 17.2 Social Security, 16.8 Medicare, 4.2 Unemployment Compensation,

What are the social characteristics of the people who receive this program? 3c. Discuss the reasons why Americans might be more willing to support some kinds of anti- poverty or benefit programs rather than others. Certain Programs can be used as a source of income rather than actual help. For example, I know someone who was living off of unemployment instead of finding a job, and their excuse was “I am still making money and have other benefits, why should I look for a job?” Programs like this can be abused.

THEORIES ABOUT POVERTY AND ITS REDUCTION 4a. Compare and contrast the individualistic theory of poverty with more structural views about poverty. See Chapter 2 in your textbook for part of this discussion. For the purpose of your response, you can consider political theories and relational theories as part of the structural view (because social structures involve the political system as well as the economic system and social structures involve the relationships between people). In your answer, make sure that you discuss William J. Wilson’s view of why poverty exists in inner-city America, Kathryn Edin’s view about why young, poor, single women do not marry, and Matthew Desmond’s view of why you need to understand the relationships between the non-poor and the poor to understand poverty. (The videos from Week 2 as well as Week 3 will help with this.) Individualistic View : The individualistic argument contends that the poor's own issues and shortcomings are to blame for their predicament. Although the concept that the poor are biologically inferior hasn't totally disappeared, it's much more prevalent today to think that they lack the ambition and drive to work hard and succeed. Structural View: The structural theory takes a "blame the system" stance and contends that issues in American culture that result in unequal opportunity and a lack of employment are what causes poverty in the US. These issues include discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, and age; a lack of quality healthcare and education; and structural changes to the American economic system. These issues contribute to the vicious cycle of poverty, whereby impoverished families' children are frequently destined to grow up in or very close to poverty. William J. Wilson’s view of poverty: This theory follows that of the structural view as there is a huge margin of those unemployed as there is a lack of good job opportunities and resources, ultimately becoming associated with bad activities, leading to their children being in the same situation. He states that there needs to be strong secure organizations in communities to hopefully decrease these rates. Kathryn Edin’s view on poverty : Edin emphasizes that many young, underprivileged women are wary of getting married because they think it would make their financial instability worse. They frequently view marriage as a potential risk since it could result in dependence on a partner who might not offer consistent financial assistance. She also discusses how some women fear the possibility of divorce, which will result in financial hardships, ultimately leading to the avoidance of marriage. Some women also just value their independence, which some believe that marriage will take away. Edin discusses the need for a change in social norms around marriage to try and decrease poverty as a whole. Edin’s theory follows that of an individualistic view of poverty. Matthew Desmond’s View of Poverty : Matthew Desmond's view underscores that poverty is not solely a problem of the poor, but a social issue that involves the relationships and dynamics between the non-poor and the poor. Understanding these connections is crucial for developing effective policies and strategies to combat poverty and address the underlying structural inequalities that sustain it. His theory, in my opinion is a bit between both the individualistic and structural view as there is a connection seen between poor and non-poor.

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4b. Then, discuss one policy suggestion that is linked to the individualistic view and one policy linked to the structural view. That is, if a theory provides an explanation for why poverty exists, then it must also imply a view about how poverty could be reduced. The policy you discuss may already exist or it may be one that you create. Make sure that you make clear in your discussion how each theory implies the “solution” you discuss . Individualistic View: The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is one individualistic measure intended to combat poverty. For people and families with low to moderate incomes, the EITC is a tax break. Even though the EITC is a successful individualistic policy for decreasing poverty, it is crucial to regularly review and tweak the program to keep it responsive to the shifting needs of low-income people and families. Additionally, its effects may differ based on the particular layout and degree of generosity of the EITC in a particular jurisdiction. Structural View : The introduction of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) scheme is one structural measure that can aid in the reduction of poverty. According to the UBI policy, all citizens get a regular, unconditional cash transfer from the government, independent of their income or job situation. A UBI program must be carefully planned and funded, as well as any potential effects on the labor market and inflation, before it can be implemented. A UBI program's particular structure and funding will differ from nation to nation, but it has the potential to be a structural measure that combats income disparity and poverty.

POLICIES TO REDUCE POVERTY 5a. Now discuss two specific policies or programs that have not been implemented on a widespread basis that you think have the potential to reduce poverty or inequality. Make sure that you discuss both the policy and why you think it will be a useful one for reducing poverty or inequality. Chapter 15 should be helpful for this discussion (along with Chapter 3). (1) One innovative policy idea that has yet to be widely implemented but has the potential to decrease poverty is a "Participatory Income Guarantee" (PIG). This policy aims to provide a guaranteed income to individuals who engage in community service or participate in projects that benefit society. While the Participatory Income Guarantee is an innovative approach to poverty reduction, it would require careful design and implementation to ensure that it is equitable, and efficient, and does not lead to exploitation of participants. Additionally, such a policy would need to consider the circumstances of individuals who are unable to participate due to health or other constraints. Nonetheless, it represents a novel and potentially effective approach to addressing poverty while fostering community engagement. (2) Another innovative policy concept that has yet to be widely implemented but holds promise for reducing poverty is the "Individual Development Account (IDA) for Education." This policy would be designed to help individuals from low-income backgrounds save and invest in their education. While the IDA for Education concept is innovative, it would require careful design, funding mechanisms, and safeguards to ensure that it effectively serves its intended purpose. It can be a powerful tool in promoting educational attainment and breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. 5b. Most cities have developed some kinds of programs to provide aid to people who are poor. Think about a large city (examples could be Detroit or Chicago or Saint Louis) and search for “anti-poverty” programs in that city. Discuss what is being proposed in that city to reduce poverty. Then, evaluate the extent to which you think that the program(s) being enacted are useful. One of the programs that Detroit Michigan currently has is the Detroit Head Start which is the Head Start program provides early childhood education and support services to low- income children and their families to promote school readiness. It also provides nutritional support to children who are enrolled, which reduces the risk of malnutrition, as well as provides healthcare services for enrolled children as many in poverty have decreased access to healthcare. This is very beneficial as it provides a lot of services to families in poverty that can struggle with getting a good start on their children’s education.

5c. The federal government has also instituted policies that help non-poor people. Discuss one program that is especially likely to help people who are not poor. A program that is especially likely to help people who are not poor is the "Childcare Assistance Program" (CCAP). CCAP is designed to provide financial assistance to families, including those with moderate incomes, to help cover the cost of childcare. Child Care Assistance Programs are essential for a wide range of families, including those who are not impoverished but still experience financial strain due to the high costs of child care. These programs aim to strike a balance between supporting working parents, promoting early childhood development, and sustaining economic well-being for families in various income brackets.

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Assignment#3_Mobiity-OtherWaysReducingPovertyInequality

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