Questions and Answers
What can poverty be analyzed in terms of?
Causes and functions.
What is the perception of those who don't achieve the American Dream?
They are perceived as undeserving.
What does risk reduction achieve in society?
It distances the labeled from those who label them.
What does scapegoating and displacement refer to?
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What does economic banishment imply about the reserve army of labor?
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What jobs do the underclass typically turn to?
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What happens to society due to job creation related to the underclass?
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What does moral legitimization provide segments of society?
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What is norm reinforcement in relation to the deserving?
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What are some stereotypes used to supply pop culture villains?
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What are the two macro social functions related to the underclass?
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What does reproduction of stigma and stigmatized involve?
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What does extermination of surplus refer to?
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Study Notes
Poverty Analysis
- Analyzed through causes that initiate and perpetuate its existence.
- Functions can be both positive and negative, adaptive and destructive.
American Dream
- Those who do not achieve the American Dream face perceptions of being undeserving members of society.
Risk Reduction
- Labeled individuals are distanced from labelers, preventing equal treatment and association within society.
Scapegoating and Displacement
- The poor are stigmatized and blamed for various social issues, exemplified by stereotypes surrounding Black single mothers.
Economic Banishment
- Stereotypes render the underclass undesirable in the job market, limiting their mobility and opportunities for advancement.
Underground Economy
- For many in the underclass, the only available jobs may be through the supply of illegal goods and services.
Job Creation
- The exclusion of the underclass from society ironically leads to job creation for others, including roles in law enforcement, legal professions, and the prison industry.
Moral Legitimization
- Society segments individuals into "deserving" and "undeserving," granting legitimacy to only a specific segment.
Norm Reinforcement
- The deserving class reinforces societal norms, asserting their values as the "right way" and defining their identity in opposition to the undeserving.
Pop Culture Villains
- Stereotypes of the underclass manifest in pop culture, with labels evolving over decades (e.g., "welfare queen," "abortionists," "terrorists").
Two Macro Social Functions
- Extermination of surplus population and reproducement of stigma and stigmatized individuals.
Reproduction of Stigma
- Stereotypes and stratification are continuously reinforced, perpetuating societal misconceptions about the underclass.
Extermination of Surplus
- Social conditions historically lead to illness disproportionally affecting the poor, with examples including tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and other crises like Hurricane Katrina.
- The poor are often viewed as a means to eliminate undesirable societal elements.
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Description
This quiz explores the complex interplay between poverty and societal perceptions. It discusses the causes and consequences of poverty, including stigmatization and the challenges faced by individuals striving for the American Dream. Examine how societal attitudes shape opportunities and labels related to the underclass.