A contextual definition of the underclass by Martha Van - PDF document

A contextual definition of the underclass by Martha Van Haitsma Martha Van Haitsma is a Chicago. This article revised and edited section presented at Association Meetings St. Louis, an underclass be, and policies are it all turn on the term "underclass" is defined. The underclass has been of an area belongs to the same socio- cannot be mechanism that links nonnormative3 patterns and family formation to When an area is largely poor persons, the opportunities for dimini~hed.~ links to job context in occur. When this reinforces weak be said define the underclass, therefore, those persons weakly connected to the force and whose social context tends this attachment. definition requires the terms force attachment" labor force Like the underclass itself, force attach- ment has both normative normative dimension the legitimacy income.7 structural dimension force attachment its stability: income flow, including probability of layoff the flow, the a person will have to other income sources the score these dimensions, the more marginal the labor force attachment self-employment refers car-repair services business channels selling things one has made food, handicrafts, metal. Informal labor and informal contracts where mate than illegal only in the that no paid. Also there is high levels. However, work kind is unstable. Seasonal work and part-time employment, are more than informal self- 'Pable Dimensions of -- Low to Low to to moderate to high to high Career from consideration here. employment, but still have lower stability than year-round, full-time work. Formal self-employment stable than full-time work involved, the size is highly can also be characterized legitimate, but in a social rather sense. Socially legitimate income is that has some link to the labor As discussed McLanahan, Garfinkel, and Watson,8 the sale whereas derivative attachment the presumed and spouses to the income and spouses presumed right benefits based on their previous work (e.g., social security, disability). Aid and social service organizations is work in and/or services received. Similarly, aid from and friends a return the form other services. Welfare is source least to the income can divided into those which employment and not. Means-tested transfer programs compete and financial capital accumulation, since income and asset levels pantries and not usually asset levels, allowing at low-wage use such resources rather than substi- earnings (see income from and can achieve stronger force attachment ing several weak-attachment types time jobs, for example). Diversification income sources the income with Formal Work Interestlsavings Means-tested govern- entitlements Moderate to high private agency Varies from family observation and direct sharing neighborhoods where informal work, crime are high, these activities quite a lot conducted. This the range options residents consider when income strategies. Neighborhoods, households, and social networks separated for reality they People live in networks and hoods. Households break and recombine, typically remain within the social networks. span neighborhoods, be heavily context and labor force overall web individual is on labor force attachment which are individual-level variables ability, and experience. Household and social network con- be thought portable resources individuals in These resources bear directly on an generating income, and human capital. Harley Browning principal types capital, financial capital, capital, and cultural capital." Human capital training, and experience; financial capital all assets a car, a business; capital includes bonds and exchange between people and households; cultural capital includes "know- a particular the lan- both literally and figuratively. Each type capital is more or less one's rights, to go, bureaucracies are important forms cultural capital for obtaining Having employed a job, important social finding formal employment. Financial capital self-employment. Some detrimental to particular income strategies versa. Owning major assets such a house difficult to qualify for the same time, once public aid becomes more Different kinds only influence the ability another strategy to obtain income, other. All to depletion acc~mulation:~~ Money runs relationships break obsolete; the rules the system change. All forms require input to remain the social ties that constitute social capital requires financial capital and can deplete savings. Financial resources facilitate mainte- nance and expansion social ties increase access education and training that result expanded human capital. Education and work experience expand and enrich social networks. Knowledge about the private social clothes, food, bills, free education and enable a increase its financial capital. conceptualizing the social attachment, then, portable nonportable aspects cultural capital living in poor local opportunities will be likely to maintain than persons similar neighborhoods social and cultural capital. defined the underclass as those persons with weak force attachment which pre- weaken this tenuous link the formal This definition addresses problems that alternate underclass indicators are used. First, rent occupation and labor status clearly a per- son's life some measure probable duration underclass membership. at current social context, prospectively in probabilities. A person currently poor but in a social which encourages strong attachment is long periods similar person context that education and skills different risks into the underclass depending their information networks, marriage, remarriage, cohabitation with a stably employed partner, their neighborhoods, and their underclass membership raise objec- on a number from the reasons those behaviors result in policy recommendations that treat symp- same time, the consequences behaviors for well-being and mobility ignored. A definition labor market attachment specific social contexts gives attention to underlying economic structural problems without losing social and behavioral factors which contribute to long-term and grants urban underclass: Science Research fellowship and encourage research poverty in the United States talented and well-trained continue to problems associated and persistent poverty: its and what done to fellowships and Research Council through for Research the Urban Underclass. Funds grants from Foundation for Students and scholars who especially encouraged to reach undergraduates, graduate students, and Ph.D.'s. Research Assistantships research conducted undergraduate students with faculty andlor students. Applications colleges for up to five undergraduates. student must a member research projects, at least must belong provide financial full-time research directed doctoral dissertation. Postdoctoral Grants provide stipends and to cover research expenses research to applicants Ph.D. research experience. Information and application materials Social Science Avenue, New York, NY (212- 661-0280). Application deadline is January 10, 1990. of the (continuedfiorn p. 31) loObviously, the larger socioeconomic and political system provides the the more immediate contextual variables neighborhood, and are shaped. I focus here on the more proximate social context, both mediate the larger structural forces reflect the unequal impact those forces the effects econonlic industrial organization, forms etc. on labor force attachment is needed this article. 1 lSee Mark Granovetter, "The Strength Social Networks: Emerging 1977). This work has been Edwina Uehara. group (Uehara, "Job Loss Network Mobilization among Poor Urban Ph.D. disserta- Special research focus: The Dispute Resolution for Research on Dispute announces a initiative within its competitive grants program to encourage research on disputing dispute resolution the underclass, the dent populations. Fund welcomes submissions address- ing important disputing and dispute-processing research and anticipates supporting research addressing these social problems upcoming rounds Fund encourages studies disputing and dispute pro- cessing in different and cultural in particular, efforts to the impact disputing patterns and processes on these populations. to begin these issues and to move beyond program- driven evaluation. It encourages researchers to engage disputing and dispute handling and theoretically grounded and social1 y useful. its 1989 program announcement and submis- sion guidelines, contact concept papers is September 15, 1989. independent research grants program supported Foundation and affiliated with the National tion. Social Service Administration, University IzUehara, "Job Loss." I3See Browning and Nestor Rodriguez, "The Migration lndocumentados as Settlement Process: Implications Work,'' in Marta Tienda, Hispanics in [he U.S. Economy (New York: Academic Press, 1985). I4Ibid. Issee, for example, William Kornblum, "Lumping the Poor: What Is the I984), 295-302. 16For example, breaking fixtures out abandoned buildings. removing building materials from open demolition sites, selling ernment surplus or other free meant for resale.