Abstract
According to the “culture of poverty theory,” those living in poverty adjust to the context of their lives and in doing so instill certain attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors in their children (Boxill, 1994), which are passed from one generation to another (Ludwig & Mayer, 2006). Although this theory has been extensively criticized for decades by social scientists, who attribute poverty to malfunction at the macro-level such as tight employment markets and deplorable wages, it has made a comeback in academia, political circles and in think tanks. A research study, conducted by the presenters, at three institutions of higher education in two countries, looked at graduate and undergraduate students’ attitudes concerning persons living in poverty, causes of and solutions to poverty, beliefs about who the social work profession should serve, and poverty content in the curriculum. This paper shares the results of the research study, lessons learned, and recommendations for research and education. Furthermore, the implications for community practice from a global COVID-19 pandemic lens are explored.
Presenters
Mioara DiaconuAssociate Professor, School of Social Work, Western Michigan University, Michigan, United States Laura Racovita
Professor of Social Work/ Dean, Social Work, Southern Adventist University, Tennessee, United States Domingo Carbonero Munoz
Professor, Law, University of La Rioja, La Rioja, Spain Linda Reeser
Professor, Social Work, Western Michigan University, Michigan, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Perceptions of poverty, Global COVID-19 pandemic, Poverty attribution
