Assignment 1 Discussion—Poverty And Discrimination 417953

Assignment 1 Discussion—Poverty and Discrimination Poverty and discrimination are linked as one often leads to the other and vice versa. The poor are a target for discrimination due to their circumstances, while discrimination due to ethnicity, race, or gender reduces the number of economic opportunities an individual might get. In this module, you explore the segments of the population that are more likely to be poor. You also examine the reasons for the poverty of these segments and its implications for social policy development. Research the link between poverty and discrimination using your textbook, the Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet.

Select two journal articles that address the linkage between poverty and discrimination reflected in the conditions of racial and ethnic minority populations. Be sure to select one article that addresses poverty and discrimination in the United States and one in any other country. Make sure the articles include examples of social policies that have attempted to address these issues. Respond to the following: How is the linkage between poverty and discrimination reflected in the conditions of racial and ethnic minority populations? Identify two examples of social policies that have attempted to address these issues and discuss their effectiveness.

Support your positions with material from your library research. Write your initial response in a minimum of 200–300 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. By Saturday, September 6, 2014, post your response to the appropriate Discussion Area. Through Wednesday, September 10, 2014, review and comment on at least two peers’ responses.

Cover the following items in your posts: Provide a statement of clarification. Provide a point of view with rationale. Challenge a point of discussion, or draw a relationship between one or more points of the discussion.

Paper For Above instruction

The intricate relationship between poverty and discrimination significantly impacts racial and ethnic minority populations in both the United States and other countries. Discrimination often marginalizes these groups economically, reinforcing cycles of poverty, while poverty itself can be a source of further discrimination. Research indicates that minority groups experience compounded disadvantages due to social policies and societal attitudes that limit access to resources, education, and employment opportunities.

In the United States, historical and systemic racial discrimination has perpetuated economic disparities among African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans. For example, the practice of redlining, a discriminatory housing policy prevalent in the mid-20th century, systematically excluded minorities from favorable mortgage lending, resulting in long-term economic disadvantages (Rothstein, 2017). This policy not only confined minority populations to underdeveloped neighborhoods but also limited their access to quality education and employment opportunities, reinforcing cycles of poverty. The effectiveness of such policies has been debated; while some measures, like the Fair Housing Act of 1968, aimed to combat housing discrimination, disparities persist, indicating the policies' limited success in fully eradicating structural inequalities (Fischer & Rolnik, 2019).

Internationally, countries like South Africa exemplify how discrimination perpetuates economic disparities among marginalized racial groups, particularly during and after the apartheid era. Policies such as apartheid's racial segregation laws created distinct economic opportunities skewed in favor of the white minority, leaving Black South Africans with limited access to land, education, and employment. Post-apartheid reforms, including the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policy, aimed to rectify these inequalities (Seekings & Nattrass, 2005). While BEE has made some progress, critiques highlight that government initiatives often benefit a small elite, with deep-seated poverty remaining insulated within racial lines (Southall, 2011). These examples demonstrate that social policies must continuously evolve and address the root causes of discrimination and poverty to be truly effective.

Analyzing these examples illustrates the importance of comprehensive policy approaches that target structural barriers faced by minority groups. Effective social policies should prioritize equal access to education, fair housing, and employment opportunities. In the U.S., ongoing efforts like affirmative action seek to mitigate these disparities. However, affirmative action remains controversial, with debates about its long-term effectiveness and potential to reinforce divisions (Sander & Taylor, 2012). Elsewhere, policies like South Africa's BEE highlight the challenges of achieving equitable economic participation within a framework still influenced by historical racial hierarchies. Overall, addressing both poverty and discrimination requires nuanced, sustained policy interventions that confront systemic inequalities at their core.

References

• Fischer, W. B., & Rolnik, R. (2019). Housing Discrimination and the Fair Housing Act: A Review of Policy Effectiveness. Journal of Social Policy, 48(2), 273-291.
• Rothstein, R. (2017). The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America. Liveright Publishing.
• Seekings, J., & Nattrass, N. (2005). Class, Race, and Inequality in South Africa. Yale University Press.
• Southall, R. (2011). Transformation in South Africa: Post-apartheid Challenges. Routledge.
• Sander, R., & Taylor, S. (2012). Mismatch: How Affirmative Action Hurts Students It's Intended to Help, and Why Universities Won't Admit Ignorance. Basic Books.
• Reardon, S. F., & Owens, A. (2014). 60 Years after Brown: Trends and Consequences of School Segregation. Annual Review of Sociology, 40, 159-179.
• Pager, D., & Shepherd, H. (2008). The Sociology of Discrimination: Racial Discrimination in Employment, Housing, and Criminal Justice. Annual Review of Sociology, 34, 181-209.
• Massey, D. S., & Denton, N. A. (1993). American Apartheid: Segregation and the Making of the Underclass. Harvard University Press.
• Williams, D. R., & Mohammed, S. A. (2009). Discrimination and Racial Disparities in Health: Evidence and Interventions. The American Journal of Public Health, 99(12), 221-226.
• Ludwick, R., & Moolman, C. (2018). Post-apartheid South Africa: Economic Policy and Racial Inequities. South African Journal of Economics, 86(4), 519-531.