Week 9: mini-lecture 3

Summary

In this mini-lecture, the speaker explores various types of poverty, such as absolute, relative, marginal, and transitional poverty, highlighting how they affect individuals' lives differently. The lecture delves into how social class influences access to housing, education, health, and employment, as well as the concept of social mobility. The speaker explains different forms of mobility, including horizontal, vertical, intra-generational, and inter-generational mobility, while also addressing structural and exchange mobility. The idea of social class and its implications is further explored through thought-provoking questions about fairness, class symbols, and the Great Australian Dream of social mobility.

Takeaways

• 😀 Absolute poverty refers to severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, water, shelter, and healthcare, not just based on income but access to essential services.
• 😀 Relative poverty is a condition where people lack the minimum income to maintain an average standard of living, even if they still have basic needs met.
• 😀 Marginal poverty occurs when a person lacks stable, ongoing employment, such as seasonal work or short-term contracts, leading to periods of financial hardship.
• 😀 Transitional poverty is a temporary state of poverty, often caused by losing a job but usually experienced by individuals with skills that can help them regain employment in the short term.
• 😀 Social class affects various aspects of life, including the type of neighborhood, access to education, health outcomes, and employment opportunities.
• 😀 Social class can influence health behaviors, with lower socioeconomic groups more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as smoking, drinking, and drug use.
• 😀 Social class also affects access to resources like education, with wealthier families able to afford better schooling, extracurricular activities, and support systems.
• 😀 Social mobility refers to the ability to change one's social class, and while the 'Australian Dream' suggests upward mobility is possible, it may not be easily achievable for everyone.
• 😀 Horizontal mobility involves changing positions within the same social level (e.g., switching jobs within the same income/status category) without moving up or down.
• 😀 Vertical mobility refers to moving up or down the social hierarchy, such as advancing from a working-class job to a professional career, or experiencing downward mobility due to job loss or economic downturns.

Q & A

What are the four types of poverty discussed in the lecture?

The four types of poverty discussed are: absolute poverty, relative poverty, marginal poverty, and transitional poverty.

What is absolute poverty and how is it different from relative poverty?

Absolute poverty refers to a severe deprivation of basic human needs such as food, water, shelter, and healthcare, where even if someone earns a wage, they might still lack access to these needs. Relative poverty, on the other hand, refers to a condition where someone lacks the income needed to maintain an average standard of living in their society, even if their basic needs are met.

How does relative poverty manifest in a developed country like Australia?

In Australia, someone experiencing relative poverty might have a home, food, and healthcare but may still struggle to afford things like quality food, internet access, or leisure activities. They might also face challenges such as not being able to afford clothing for school or relying on food banks.

What defines marginal poverty, and how does it affect people's employment stability?

Marginal poverty occurs when a person lacks stable employment. Examples include seasonal jobs or contract work, such as a Santa Claus performer during the holidays or construction workers who face gaps between projects. These individuals experience poverty between periods of employment.

What is transitional poverty and how does it differ from other types?

Transitional poverty is a temporary state that occurs when someone loses a job for a short period. It's a brief period of financial hardship until they secure another job, like when a worker is laid off from a company shutdown but is likely to find new employment relatively soon.

How does social class influence an individual's access to housing, education, and healthcare?

Social class affects housing, with wealthier individuals living in safer neighborhoods with better facilities. Education is also influenced, as wealthier families can afford better schooling and extracurricular activities. Additionally, healthcare access is often better for higher social classes due to private insurance and access to specialists.

What are the different types of social mobility discussed in the lecture?

The different types of social mobility discussed are: horizontal mobility (movement within the same social class), vertical mobility (movement up or down the social hierarchy), intra-generational mobility (changes within an individual's lifetime), inter-generational mobility (changes between generations in a family), structural mobility (changes affecting an entire social group), and exchange mobility (the idea that social classes maintain a relatively stable number of people).

What is horizontal mobility and how does it differ from vertical mobility?

Horizontal mobility refers to moving between jobs or social groups without changing one's social status, such as switching from a bartending job to a retail job. Vertical mobility involves moving up or down the social hierarchy, such as a person going from the working class to the middle class or vice versa.

What is the significance of intra-generational mobility and how does it reflect an individual's life experience?

Intra-generational mobility refers to a change in social status within an individual's lifetime. For example, if someone from a lower-income background works hard to gain an education and a professional job, they move up the social ladder. This reflects the impact of education, work ethic, and opportunities on social mobility.

What is the concept of structural mobility and how does it differ from individual mobility?

Structural mobility refers to changes in social status that affect entire groups or classes of people, often due to changes in policies, laws, or societal attitudes. For example, if a historically marginalized group gains new rights or access to better employment opportunities, they experience structural mobility. This differs from individual mobility, which focuses on personal advancement or decline.