Welcome to Sociology 240Social Welfare

Agenda Syllabus Questions? How this course fits into the HS concentration What is the Welfare State? Who uses welfare to survive? Surviving in the low wage job market –

assignment for next week.

Part of The Human Services Sequence Soc 240 Social Welfare –How Society Helps People in

Need (focus on using data to analyze different approaches)

http://www.monkeysee.com/play/17261-choosing-to-be-a-social-worker

Soc 341 Human Services Caseload Management –How You Personally Might Help People in Need (focus on internship and database technology)

• Soc 402 Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation –You Design a Program to Help People in Need (focus on evaluating if it works)

Jansson Reading for Today- Chapter 1 What is a Social Problem? (page 1)

Poverty Discrimination Disease

Who, according to Jansson, has often experienced a disproportionate burden of social problems? (p1) African Americans Older persons Women Native Americans Latinos Gay Men and lesbians Children Persons with chronic physical disabilities Persons with psychiatric disorders Persons accused of violating laws

From The New Yorker Sociologist’s Book of Cartoons2004

What is the Welfare State?…

In general, it is governmental efforts made to respond to and fix or ameliorate these social problems.

Let’s look at some “common” definitions of the welfare state…

What is a state? This can be confusing. State: A government that claims the right to a

given territory and its population Nation: A people with shared economic and

cultural interests Nation-state: A term that combines the

governmental and cultural connotations of both terms (Cherlin 2005)

Definitions: Throughout this nation’s history, those who must bear the brunt of

social problems – individuals contending with poverty, discrimination and disease – have depended in considerable measure not only on their personal and familial tenacity and on community supports but also on the policies of public and nonpublic agencies and of federal, state, and local governments. (Jansson, p1)

Welfare state – Government enacts measures to protect workers and families

from harsh effects of system—basis of current U.S. government assistance (Cherlin 2005)

welfare states or social welfare policy, typically refers to the efforts of states (i.e. governments) to

address economic insecurity and inequality due to risks to regular income. (Amenta et. al.)

risks to regular income.How does this occur?

Requires an understanding of our economic system.

Economic Context of a Welfare State: Monopoly Game

Capitalist economy People pass go get $200 –symbolize

working What happens when people must

keep going around board (living) but cannot work (don’t collect $200)?

Have to pay others, get bankrupt, go to jail, homelessness (Housing Policy)

Starve? (Food Stamps) Perhaps even revolt? (Piven

and Cloward) If independently wealthy

and own a lot of property, will still make money, won’t be that bad off.

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/images/monopoly-board.png

Social Context of a Welfare State What types of things might make a person not able to

work and collect that $200? Injury, Disability Sickness Death of Relative, need to assume new roles Caregiving responsibility Women expected to remain in home (historically based) Racism, exclusion from a job Old Age Lay-Offs

risks to regular income

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/images/monopoly-board.png

Exactly how we as a society help those in need (and who we consider deserving of help) has changed over time…

http://webserver.lemoyne.edu/~ridzifm/fmridzi_files/Social%20Welfare%20S04.htm

The Vast transition from Beggars to victims….

http://www.castle-vidcons.com/2008/05/13/comic-25-alms-for-the-poor/

http://www.cottesimple.com/alms_purse/luttrell_purse_alms.htm

Nobless Oblige, Robber Barron Philanthropy, not until the Great Depression (and last year’s crisis) did everyone seem vulnerable

http://www.alliance1.org/newvoices/History.pdf

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/08/obama-jobs-plan-my-turn-into-campaign-issue/1

With a Human Services Concentration, Where Might your Career Take You?

Sociologists can be: Front-Line Staff Social Workers Administrators (Harry Hopkins) Public and Agency Officials (FDR, LBJ, Perkins) Elected Officials Government and Non-Profit Advocates (Mary McLeod Bethune) Activists (Jane Addams Social Reformer) Voters Anywhere the welfare state is.

Web Mural

http://webserver.lemoyne.edu/~ridzifm/fmridzi_files/Social%20Welfare%20S04.htm

http://webserver.lemoyne.edu/~ridzifm/fmridzi_files/Social%20Welfare%20S04.htm

THEORETICALTHEORETICAL & HISTORICAL & HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE SUCH POLICIES PLAY IN SOCIETY.

POLITICALPOLITICAL IMPROOVE ABILITY TO GRASP WHY PARTICULAR GROUPS ADVOCATE PARTICULAR SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES.

APPLIEDAPPLIED INCREASE Skills and FAMILIARITY WITH EFFORTS TO SOLVE “SOCIAL PROBLEMS”

But aside from helping people in your career…. You are already helping people (including yourself) – let’s look at your tax bill.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/04/15/your-taxpayer-receipt

These are taxes to yourself – to pay for your personal insurance

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/04/15/your-taxpayer-receipt

Food Stamps

HUD

SSI

UI

EITC

“Welfare”As we will discuss, federal employees and railroad employees don’t participate in social security.

VESID

Public School

College Loans

One Stop Centers

CDC

FDA

SCHIP

Prescriptions for seniors

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/04/15/your-taxpayer-receipt

Do your own tax receipt and use it as a guide to the rest of the course. http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/

2011/04/15/your-taxpayer-receipt I will ask you when we look at each section

what percent of your tax bill goes to it.