Sociological Imagination Growing Gaps in Inequality Sociological Imagination A shift from personal troubles to public concerns Detach from assumptions and get critical distance View world from perspective of others Seek solutions to social problems by changing structure of society not problem people Franklin D Roosevelt s Four Freedoms Speech Freedom of Speech Freedom of Worship Freedom from Want Freedom from Fear FDR s Second Bill of Rights Employment with a living wage Freedom from unfair competition and monopolies Housing medical care education social security Why Care about Inequality It is in our self interest to do so society It is consistent with and essential to fulfillment of core values of our It is part of our obligation and responsibility as citizens of wider communities Self Interest Risk of poverty over life course Risk of welfare use over life course Spending on health education crime Risk of Poverty over Life Course By age 75 school education o 52 of White Americans o 75 with less than high school education 48 with high By age 28 Black Americans experience the same risk of poverty that White Americans face by age 75 Risk Sharing economic system No one plans to be poor or need welfare but it is a risk for our Most Americans believe it will never happen to me or my family Are the poor or welfare users any different than us Public Spending Due to Poverty Education o Health problems lack of family resources stressful home neighborhood Crime o 90 of crimes to obtain property normally acquired through legitimate means Values Judeo Christian Ethic Testaments o Direct imperative to help the poor in both Old New o Mercy generosity and urgency in helping poor American Civic Principles o Principles are undermined by existence of poverty o Liberty Poverty constrains people s choices power ability to act o Equality Poverty constrains equal access to opportunity Citizenship Demands reciprocity reaping rewards of a society as well as bearing responsibility to maintain common good How does one become poor Wise stewardship Con Inequality Does Not Matter Principles of competition profit and efficiency o Belief in mechanism of free market o Largely inconsistent with caring for poor or for gaps between wealthy and poor increasingly isolated o This is only one of many complicated competing beliefs o Are we at a point in which inequality has forced us to reconsider a full range of principles Theories of Inequality What does the Public Think About Poverty Some believe that the poor have the same moral values as other Americans Others believe the poor have lower moral values Individualism Theory What does our society say about people who become wealthy Hard work connections family Rags to riches The American Dream Work hard make something of yourself Assumption Characteristics of people lead to wealth resources Implications o Poor are uneducated untrained perhaps lazy unmotivated o Wealthy attained wealth through own hard work positive decision making intelligence o Poor lack morals have an eroded work ethic make poor decisions are bereft of aspirations o The poor parent their children in ways that do not promote positive behaviors Structural Explanations of Poverty What is structure o Society wide systems Greek system work place o Laws policies minimum wage school districts o Social systems o Schools o Health care o Local national global economy Global economy is a piece of structure because the economy shapes where jobs are affecting socioeconomic status The way a society is organized perpetuates poverty sets patterns for dynamics in and out of poverty affluence Consideration of environmental social factors on a wide scale Social stratification systems evolve over time within societies o Forced vs Natural Economic social factors determine US poverty levels patterns Cultural Explanations of Poverty What is culture o Do we know it when we see it o Patterns around group members locations How aware of our own culture are we Facets of Culture o Cuisine food social stratification political systems family characteristics values attitudes language religion communication customs rituals clothing Definitions of Culture o A framework that guides and bounds life o The encompassing expression of a person s life Suggest that a sub cultural set of values traits and expectations has developed as a direct result of the structural constraints associated with living in poverty Individual behaviors cannot be understood apart from the circumstances in which they exist Subculture of poverty results in weakened family structure foreshortening of perspective helplessness resignation towards work Culture of Poverty Explanations Origins o Oscar Lewis Culture of Poverty 1959 Latin writer o Moynihan Report 1968 o The Underclass 1980s Culture or Structure Scenario a young adolescent of color living in Adelphi MD drops out of high school o JUMP factor job poor academics others dropped out no opportunity parental support o PUSH factor safety Was he pushed or did he jump How Do We Measure Poverty Affluence 24 12 2012 12 33 00 Measuring Poverty Relative Poverty o Poverty threshold that is tied to the average earnings of the population at large o Example earning incomes at or below the median income Absolute Poverty o Basic needs o Orshansky Economic Food Plan 1964 Minimum adequate diet x3 Adjust each year for inflation o Food vs housing costs o New measures for poverty Today CPI used in calculation Poverty Threshold vs Guidelines Threshold used by Census for statistical purposes o Poverty threshold for family of four assuming 2 parents children 22 113 Guideline used by HHS for administrative purposes o Poverty guideline for family of four 22 350 Poverty threshold for family of four should be 29 747 Measuring Poverty Threshold o Minimize poverty because Does not keep up with inflation Housing takes up larger portion of budget than food Wide variation in cost of living by locality Census takers miss many poor people Ignores differences in medical care needs of a families o Alternative measure as supplement Sept 2011 Accounts for medical costs transportation child care geographic differences in living conditions food stamps tax credits Poverty Guidelines Over Time From 1987 2011 o 2 Person Family 7 396 14 710 o 3 Person Family 9 056 18 530 o 4 Person Family 11 611 22 350 o 5 Person Family 13 737 26 170 How Many People are There 2007 Official Poverty Line o All Persons 12 5 Children under 18 18 0 150 of Poverty Line o