Stigma of Urban Poverty History Term Paper

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document

Total Length: 2529 words ( 8 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 5

Page 1 of 8

The public face of stigma involves the general public's negative beliefs, feelings and behaviours directed toward those with a stigma" (¶ 4). Public stigma may contribute to a cycle of poverty by: a) Employers discriminating against obese individuals or those who may be HIV-infected or mentally ill. b) Being poor, per se, may contribute to even more public stigmatization.

Self-stigma and public stigma closely connect, Reeder and Pryor (2008) stress . The degree an individual perceives that his/her employers, family, family, and landlords possess stigmatizing attitudes; he/she will likely experience the pain of self-stigma. One's awareness of public stigma frequently promotes self-stigma.

A stigma, similar to a disease may spread from one individual to another. The individual who decides to affiliate with a member of a stigmatized group may acquire a courtesy stigma. In a sense, as the individual gains admission into the stigmatized category, both the stigmatized group's members as well as those outside the group treat the individual as if the stigma taints him/her. Josh Otlin (2008), ethics, history, and economics educator in Hudson, Massachusetts, asserts that the majority of individuals stigmatized as the urban poor do not deliberately desire nor plan to be poor; that they would prefer not to be the object of charity.

In the journal article, "Left out: Perspectives on social exclusion and inclusion across income groups," Miriam Stewart, et al. (2008), Faculty of Nursing and School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Canada, explains that social exclusion may stimulate a person to experience low self-esteem, internalize blame, and feel powerlessness. Social exclusion "refers to deeply embedded societal processes whereby certain groups are unable to fully participate in and benefit from major societal institutions, and experience economic, political and social deprivations and inequalities" (Stewart, et al. ¶ 2). Because of being socially excluded, a person may deliberately avoid participating in community life. Processes of social exclusion may also produce corresponding adverse affects on the socially stigmatized, excluded individual's health and well-being.

In the journal article, "The causes of poverty: thinking critically about a key economic issue," Otlin (2008) stresses that poor individuals in the U.S. not only experience indignity because of stigmatization, they also suffer. They also live one illness or accident away from becoming completely desperate. Many live to survive day-to-day, meal-to-meal, at times, unsure whether they will have a place to live and/or food to eat. "This vulnerability," some individuals assert, "causes intense stress, ultimately leading to hopelessness. As a result, social problems, including domestic abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, and crime, are widespread among the poor" (Otlin, Evan Section, ¶ 3). Other individuals oppose the contention that the external components contribute to stigmatization of urban poverty or poverty per se. Some argue that to overcome poverty one simply needs a "willingness to work hard, exercise self-discipline, and improve themselves… [that] …a failure of individual responsibility is the cause of poverty in the U.S." (Otlin, Barbara Section, ¶ 1). Some argue that taking money from people who work regularly to earn money and giving it to the individuals who for whatever reason, including drugs; alcohol; etc. To work hard enough to support themselves clearly constitutes a wrong practice.

Stuck Writing Your "Stigma of Urban Poverty History" Term Paper?

View All Our Example Stigma of Urban Poverty History Term Paper

Have A Custom Example Essay Written



Conclusion

Seeking to understand and explain urban poverty and its stigmatization, the literature reveals, serves as a significant first step to begin to assert ideas to develop social policies and practices to deter the growing contemporary problem. Understanding may lead to ideas to better counter the problem as well as hopeless attitudes and/or standards the urban poor may experience. Accurately identifying and measuring poverty, the writer asserts, may also constitute a critical first step challenge cycle of urban poverty as well as its stigma.

Whatever the reason for the stigmatization of urban poverty, as well as whether poverty per se evolves from businesses' greed, exploitation, and discrimination or from the individual's failures of individual responsibility will likely provide material for ongoing debates as long as a society characterizes a part of its community as poor. The negative consequences that frequently evolve from and/or accompany urban poverty as well as its stigmatization, however, do not only adversely affect the poor. As the stigma, no matter the object of the stigmatization, belittles the person, an inherent part of society, the writer asserts - each person in society, in a sense, also becomes poorer.

REFERENCES

Jeanine B. et al. Poverty and Social Assistance in Transition Countries Journal of Comparative

Economics, Volume 29, Issue 1, Pages 188-189

Katsiaouni, O. & Gorniak, J. (2001). Globalization and rural poverty in transition economies.

Paper for Expert Group Meeting on Globalisation and Poverty Reduction: Can th Rural Poor Benefit from Globalisation? organised by Division for Social Policy and Development, United Nations, 8-9 November 2001, New York.

Molnar, J.J. et al. (2001). Private food assistance in a small metropolitan area: Urban resources and rural needs. Conner 28 J. Soc. & Soc. Welfare 187 Retrieved on April 16

2010 from the United Nations Cyberschoolbus website; www.cyberschoolbus.un.org

Otlin, J. (2008). The causes of poverty: thinking critically about a key economic issue. Social Education. National Council for the Social Studies. Retrieved May 05, 2010 from HighBeam Research: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-177817186.html

Plutzer, E. (2010). Do Highly Exclusive Social Welfare Programs Increase Political Inequality?

A Comparative Analysis of the 50 U.S. States. Social Science Research Center Berlin

(WZB). Retrieved May 5, 2010 from http://skylla.wz-berlin.de/pdf/2010/i10-201.pdf

Reeder, G. & Pryor, J. (2008). Dual Psychological Processes Underlying Public Stigma and the Implications for Reducing Stigma. Mens Sana Monographs. Medknow Publications Pvt.

Ltd. Retrieved May 05, 2010 from HighBeam Research:

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-178848585.html

Stewart, M., et al. (2008). Left out: Perspectives on social exclusion and inclusion across income groups. Health Sociology Review. eContent Management Pty Ltd. Retrieved May 05,

2010 from HighBeam Research: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1533543821.html

Tickamyer, a.R. (1996) Public Policy and Private Lives: Social and Spatial Dimensions of Women's Poverty and Welfare Policy in the United States;. 84 Ky. L.J. 721

Teitz, M.B. & Chapple, K. (1998). The causes of inner-city poverty: Eight hypotheses in search of reality. Cityscape: A Journal of Policy Development and Research. Volume 3, Number

3.

Zastrow, C. (2009). Introduction to social work and social welfare: Empowering people.

Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Ziliak, J.P.….....

Show More ⇣

     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Stigma Of Urban Poverty History" (2010, May 07) Retrieved May 7, 2024, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/stigma-urban-poverty-history-2811

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Stigma Of Urban Poverty History" 07 May 2010. Web.7 May. 2024. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/stigma-urban-poverty-history-2811>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Stigma Of Urban Poverty History", 07 May 2010, Accessed.7 May. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/stigma-urban-poverty-history-2811
   

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document
order custom essay example