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Westchester Community College Harold L. Drimmer Library

HSERV 101 - Prof. Spencer : Poverty Response Paper: 1: Poverty Response Paper

Your Assignment

Breaking the Stereotypes: Understanding Poverty

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZxjb4gB93A Use this link the watch the assignment/ 

http://www.thelinemovie.com

 

For this assignment, you will need to watch The Line” which explores the life story of 4 people living at or below the poverty line: John, a former banker who struggles to put food on the table; Sheila, a single mother who grew up in poverty, escaped only to sink back; James, who found himself homeless in North Carolina; and Ronald, a fisherman in Louisiana who watched as his industry became decimated.

 

A comprehensive 4–5-page paper (APA 7 style with citations) will integrate the movie, the text, and you (your supported response). 

Two peer-reviewed journal articles to support your assessment were chosen from the library session. 

 

Make sure to include information/terms from the text’s chapter that defines poverty and explains how poverty can occur and how these terms apply to the families in the documentary. 

 

The paper will need to be typed and double-spaced (APA 7) and follow the format below:

1.     Introduction: A general discussion of Poverty. The film says the 4 individuals are at or below the poverty line. What is the poverty line? What is (absolute) poverty? What are the realities of life in poverty?

 

2.     Body of the paper (you must complete A and B, and choose 1. or 2. of C):

A. The chapter on poverty discusses “The Face of Poverty.” Based on a review of the material in this section, which of the 4 individuals would you have predicted would be living at or below the poverty line? Be sure to explain your thinking and review all material from the section. The focus should be: “Who are the people living in poverty” and “Why are they poor”?

B. The text describes “Social Service Programs For Those Who Are Poor.” What does the text say are the “primary goals of these programs”? Which of these programs are/or could the 4 individuals benefit from? What effect did having to rely on charity or the government have on those who received services Who would not have survived without government assistance? Explain?

 

C. Complete ONE of the following:

1. The text discusses the concepts of personal and social responsibility. Explain these concepts. What is meant by the role of government and issues of dependence versus self-reliance? Explain. Do you think the 4 individuals were dependent? Self-reliant? Explain and give examples. What do you think the role of government should be?

OR

2. The text discusses “Poverty and Inequality.” What does it say about inequality? What does it say about “Economic and Social Justice” and the need for advocacy? If you were going to advocate for one individual based on notions of inequality and social justice, who would it be? Explain. What might the advocacy involve?

 

Conclusion: Your conclusion needs to go beyond the questions in this assignment. The conclusion pushes you to consider broader issues, make new connections, and elaborate on the significance of poverty. In the conclusion you are asked to analyze and or reflect on the following:

Did seeing these stories change how you view and understand poverty? What did you learn about poverty in completing this assignment? Did anyone’s story challenge stereotypes about poverty? How might you have handled the struggles and challenges they faced?

What do you think should be done about the issue of poverty in the US? What does it mean for society when hard-working individuals can’t find work and/or earn enough to escape the poverty line? What do you think the government's role should be in addressing poverty? Do you think it is possible to do away with poverty as a social problem? Why/why not.

 

The paper should include in-text citations and a bibliography according to APA format.

 

You can get help with your research project from a librarian either by going to the library in person or emailing the librarian who taught your research session (see under Help tab).

 

For additional information on your assignment and due dates ask Professor Peguero-Spencer

The Line

APA 7th ed. citation for the version linked above:

 

References page:

Sojourners. (2012, October 2). The Line [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZxjb4gB93A

 

In-Text: (Sojourners, 2012)

In-Text Citation with quoted dialogue use time stamp: (Sojourners, 2012, 18:29)

On Reserve

APA 7th ed. citation for the version on Reserve: 

References page:

Cox, L.,Tice, C. J., & Long, D. D. (2022). Introduction to social work: Advocacy-based profession (3rd ed.). Sage.

If using the 3rd edition, update the year and edition number in the citation above. 

 

In-Text citations (use page number for direct quotes):

Paraphrase: (Cox et al, 2022)

Direct Quote: (Cox, et al, 2022, p. #) 

 

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