Class And Economic Status From Middle And Upper Class Societies Essay

Diana George wrote her article about non-profit organizations that try to convince the public about how there are people that really do need help. The purpose of her article is to convince people that they are hearing about people who the ones that are hearing about people who are the ones that are in need the most. Throughout the years in the media people in poverty are portrayed as either helpless victims or

Social Class and Education”. It opens by discussing research conducted in the 1960’s in an effort to identify factors contributing to differences in the academic achievement of Whites and Blacks (Banks & Banks, 2013). Researchers hypothesized that the achievement gaps were mainly the result of disparities in school resources and characteristics, but found that there is a high correlation between achievement and socioeconomic status (SES) (Banks & Banks, 2013). Furthermore, attention is drawn to the class stratification which exists in our educational system and works to maintain inequality through exclusion strategies such as ability grouping and tracking (Banks & Banks, 2013). Evidence of the correlation between social class and

Poverty and homelessness are serious issues in the U.S. today, especially because of the current recession, with levels of poverty and unemployment higher than at any time since the 1930s. Blacks and Hispanics are being affected disproportionately by homelessness, as well as poverty and unemployment in American society. This is just another example of the racial caste system and institutional racism that goes far beyond that of social class, and has always been the case in recessions and indeed with every other social and economic problem in American history. Even though the country elected a black president in 2008, wealth and incomes for minority groups, which were already far lower than whites, have been in severe decline for the past few years (Baumann 2001). Compared to the trillions of dollars in federal assistance that has been extended to the large financial institutions from TARP and the Federal Reserve, programs to aid the poor and homeless have been very inadequate, and are even being cut back on the local, state and federal levels.

Although the United States was a British Colony in the early 1700s, the differences between the two were definitely noticeable, especially in the socioeconomic fields, mostly due to the fact that slavery played a much larger role in the United States.

At the same time as the settlement houses were in effect, the charities were being discouraged from giving public relief, during a period of financial crisis and unemployment. The society went into chaos and the charities began to panic. Due to the overwhelming amount of relief necessary, charity workers argued that there needed to be a scientific way to establish who would get relief. Therefore, private charities were combined into an organization called the COS, and others like it followed. These organizations were there to conduct investigations and distinguish the worthy from the unworthy poor and based on their findings, refer them to relief agencies. Where the COS blamed the poor for their situation, the settlement houses strived to prove that it was a societal issue. The settlement houses paved the way for community organization and didn’t focus on the COS’s distinction of worthy and unworthy. The social workers in the settlement houses focused on reducing

During times of extreme poverty and inequality more attention is provided to those in hardship. A prime example of this is New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. Before the hurricane hit the only time I had hear of New Orleans was if someone was speaking about doing down to Mardi Gras. The people affected by the hurricane lost a lot. Many lost their homes, tangible possessions stored in their homes, animals, and some lost their lives. Hurricane Katrina was a huge devastation to the country, but many survivors say they did not get adequate supplies, shelter, food, or support (Lee, S, 2006).

SOME dedicates and helps empower those who are in poverty and homeless by providing job training, meals and immediate help. Shipler, spent time interviewing real people that are suffering in poverty situation, many come from backgrounds of drug

As an advocate for the homeless Rhodes contacted the law firms that led the case against the city. He leads the community based organizing to find the resources that the marginalized wouldn’t necessarily be able to reach. His documentation done before the lawsuit was used for evidence against the offers claims of legitimate raids. His involvement is also continued through

1. In the book The Moral Underground, How Ordinary Americans Subvert an Unfair Economy by Lisa Dodson the main focus is recounting the lives of people who help out those in the lower classes. People in the lower classes typically struggle day in and day out to make ends meet. Most people in lower income families are families with not many children and are working like any other American. Yet, they are still seen as unmotivated people in society. “Like other Americans in the past, Andrew decided that when you see people being treated unfairly and, worse still, you realize you play a direct role in the unfairness, the right thing to do is act against it.”(pg. 5). This is what many people do; they are seen as “heroes” who break the rules to help those in need because they acknowledge that the system is unfair. Those who need help are treated with little dignity and as criminals as a way to belittle them. Society likes to take away their independence because we see them as different or as a subclass. Some strategies included, “funnel resources such as money, food, medical care, or heat to those critically in need” (pg. 9). In one case mentioned in the book Andrew the fast-food manager, he adds fake hours in which they didn’t work so that way they can have higher pay check because Andrew feels that they don’t make enough to have a living wage (pg. 23). As I’ve learned in class not all the time can people afford or qualify to get on public assistance therefore there are secret

Social class is defined as 'people having the same social or economic status' (Wordnet). In contemporary American society, social class is based on the amount of money and property you have and also prestige. Prestige is given to a person through the line of work or the family that they come from. For example, upper-upper class member Jennifer Lopez reeks of prestige not only because she has millions of dollars in her bank account, but she has very expensive luxuries, cars, and houses.

So many people in the American society live paycheck to paycheck and are one financial catastrophe away from financial ruin. In my own experience, after my husband’s employer continually embezzled from employees and clients, we found ourselves in a terrifying position. Jobless, penniless, and entrenched in mountains of subsequent debt, we were acquainted with the terror many American’s face while struggling to keep food on the table and a roof over our family. Just as the chapter 9 in our textbook describes, Aaron and his wife quickly realized that their income was “no longer sufficient to meet their needs,” (Openstax Intro to Sociology, 2015), we found ourselves in the same position. During my husband’s search for a new job, he began doing all he could to keep food on the table. He participated in tree removal, a laughable wage for hard physical labor. In desperation, I took a full time babysitting job looking after two very difficult little girls for a measly $250 a week. Looking back, although the situation was terrible and trying, we cannot wish it away. The situation taught us what mattered. There were so many things my family took for granted. The situation opened our eyes to the trials and suffering of many people in our society and allowed us to develop compassion, love, and understanding. Now, as we think back to our own struggles, it is much easier to reach out

The Settlement House Movement was a response to the Charity Organization Society who had made little efforts to improve living and working conditions of the poor. Where C.O.S had “friendly visitors” Settlement House workers considered themselves social reformers rather than charity workers (Trattner, 1999). Their approach was to prevent ails that the poor suffered from such as urban living and working conditions. They also attempted to bridge the gaps between classes and races. These workers were not interested in just giving out financial or verbal relief they were trying to reform society and the way the poor were viewed.

Thesis statement: The upper middle class residents of South End proudly expressed their love for diversity in the community yet romanticized being helpful by controlling and reconstructing the original residential norms. In condemning the routinely behaviors and common establishments in the neighborhood, it became evident that their true intent was to control the population.

Socioeconomic status (SES) is one of the most widely studied constructs in the social sciences. Several ways of measuring SES have been proposed, but most include some quantification of family income, parental education, and occupational status. Research shows that SES is associated with a wide variety of health, cognitive, and socioemotional outcomes in children, with effects beginning prior to birth and continuing into adulthood. A variety of mechanisms linking SES to child well-being have been proposed, with most involving differences in access to material and social resources. For children, SES impacts well-being at multiple levels.

I have come to understand that a big part of what has shaped my life has been my class. I would identify myself as middle-class, due largely to my parents careers. Being middle class has come with many benefits, including the accessibility of a college degree due to my middle class status. It has only been through taking this Introduction to Women’s Studies class that I have had to reflect heavily on my privileges. Being a middle class citizen also affects how people see me as I move through the world. This status is not something that I have worked for; instead, it is something my parents have given me. This speaks to the unjustness that exists in American society. I have done nothing to deserve my status of middle-class, only being born