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Stigmatization And Social Welfare Essay

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This essay investigates the concept of stigma within the context of selective approaches to welfare and social services. It starts by identifying the concept of stigma in debates about universal and selective approaches to welfare. Then it will proceed to a more general understanding of the concept in regards to attitudes towards groups of people who have been categorized by stigmatization and stereotyping in society as non-deserving poor. After identifying the concept of stigma within debates about universal and selective welfare and more general debates about institutionalized stigmatization, this essay critically discusses modern day examples of stigmatization. This essay will now discuss the concept of stigma that is felt in individuals receiving assistance …show more content…

The individual will be required to go through significantly intrusive and complex paperwork and provide a substantial amount of documentation in order to qualify to receive this type of social welfare payments. This essay puts forward the argument that the individual receiving such payments are aware that they are not ‘owed’ these payments but they are the ‘receipt’ of public charity. This leads to stigmatization in the individual’s personal life, they may be ashamed if people ask what they are doing. The individual may start to socially isolate themselves as it is easier not to have to face the questions. The individual feels shame and anxiety just presenting themselves at the social welfare office which is further fuelled by the means test process. As described by (Reismann,2001) ‘Stigma mean a loss of self-respect and personal dignity, a sense of guilt, of shame, of personal fault or failure’ Reismann states that there is stigma felt in relation to the means test used for those who require state provided social assistance payments in order to give access to those who are most in need they must be segregated from the rest of the population in

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