Teaching Undergraduates About Poverty: A Vital Curriculum Enrichment

TEACHING UNDERGRADUATES ABOUT POVERTY EVERYBODY S BUSINESS AND NOBODY S BUSINESS KEVIN D. BLAIR, PH.D., ACSW ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF SOCIAL WORK NIAGARA UNIVERSITY blairkd@niagara.edu http://sites.niagara.edu/dr-kevin-d-blair/

Introduction: Poverty and Undergraduates Introduction Without a specific and integrated approach to teaching students about poverty because of its complexity, it can be addressed throughout the curriculum ( e.g., policy, practice, theory, research, diversity, and/or specialization courses) or nowhere in the curriculum, that is, everybody s business becomes nobody s business (Austin, 2007, p. 1). Very few undergraduates have more than a basic understanding of this global crisis, and very few college courses deal adequately with that knowledge gap. The issue can seem very abstract to college students, particularly those in the developed world who are surrounded by all you-can- eat dining options and an endless array of fast-food delivery services. To help bridge the gap between the reality of poverty, inequality, and hunger, and that of the average college student, innovative pedagogical techniques must be used (Krian and Shadle, 2006, p. 52).

Explanations of Poverty Poverty as a result of capitalism; Poverty as a consequence of individual behaviors; Poverty as a consequence of structural conditions; Poverty due to a lack of social empathy. Psychology and Social Work textbooks tend to focus on individual explanations; Recent approaches also emphasize resiliency and human capabilities, but the focus remains on the individual more than the structural.

Undergraduate Poverty Programs/Minors Washington and Lee Shepherd Program Begun in 1997 focusing on fostering human development to alleviate poverty Amarata Sinn Baylor University Interdisciplinary Poverty Initiative Directly modeled on Washington and Lee Program Rice University Program in Poverty, Social Justice and Human Capabilities Recent program, focus remains on human capabilities Significant focus on women s issues and economics of poverty for women with a global perspective Acknowledges that what one can do is dependent on one s resources and opportunities Global Poverty and Practice Minor at The Blum Center for Developing Economies UC Berkley More global focus than other three Global Citizen Humbling experiences

Niagara University Poverty Study Develop an accurate and reliable assessment tool Survey Atherton et al (1993) Silas, J.C., Del Rinc n, A., Prieto, S., Pliego, S. & Cort s, A.C. (2007) Establish baseline of undergraduates attitudes, factual knowledge, and level of social empathy for the poor Validity and Reliability Pedagogical Approach: increase student knowledge and social empathy Poverty course, volunteer service, poverty simulation Empirical evaluation of impact of these approaches Desire to track changes long term

Research Design Experimental Group Pre test completion of survey instrument, then participate in Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) Post test completion of survey instrument Control Group Pre and post test completion of survey instrument Survey Validation used combined experimental and control group pre-test for a sample size 177

Sample Gender Frequency Percent 75 98 173 Religion Frequency Percent 96 28 Male Female Subtotal Missing Total 42.4 55.4 97.7 2.3 100 Catholic Protestant Jewish Muslim Other Subtotal Missing Total 54.2 15.8 1.7 0.6 19.8 92.1 7.9 100 3 1 4 177 35 163 14 177 Age 18-25 26-35 36-50 Subtotal Missing Total 170 96 1.1 0.6 97.7 2.3 100 2 1 173 Ethnicity 4 White African-American Hispanic-American Native-American Other Subtotal Missing Total 156 88.1 1.1 2.3 0.6 2.3 94.4 5.6 100 177 2 4 1 4 School Year Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Subtotal Missing Total 9 5.1 20.9 46.3 24.3 96.6 3.4 100 37 82 43 171 167 10 177 6 177

High School Public Suburban Public Urban Public Rural Private Catholic Private Other Subtotal Missing Total 77 17 39 36 5 174 43.5 9.6 22 20.3 2.8 98.3 1.6 100 3 177 Housing Own Home 161 91 5.1 1.1 97.2 2.8 100 Private Apartment Public Housing 9 2 Subtotal Missing Total 172 5 177 Service Hours between 0-10 between 11-20 between 21-50 more than 50 Subtotal missing Total 41 20 47 0 108 69 177 23.2 11.3 26.6 0 61 39 100

Household Income Frequency Percent Major 8,001.00-15,000.00 15,001.00-25,000.00 25,001.00-40,000.00 40,001.00-60,000.00 60,001.00-80,000.00 80,0001 or more 3 5 1.7 2.8 Arts & Sciences Frequency Percent English Social Sciences Bio/Chem/Math Communications Theater Subtotal 7 4 16 25 26 63 36 174 9 46 10 8 24 95 26 5.6 4.5 13.6 53.7 14.1 14.7 35.6 20.3 98.3 1.7 100 Not sure Subtotal Missing Total 3 Business Accounting Commerce Subtotal 177 8 4.5 11.3 15.8 20 28 Education Childhood 1-6 Adolescence 7-12 Special Education Subtotal Frequency Percent 7 9 2 4 5.1 1.1 10.2 18 Hospitality Tourism/Recreation Hotel/Resturant Sport Management 5 2.8 5.6 10 7 22 4 Subtotal 12.4 Missing Total 14 177 7.9 100

Original 37 Questions A person receiving welfare should not have a nicer car than I do Poor people act differently Poor people will remain poor regardless of what's done for them Poor people are discriminated against. Welfare makes people lazy Most poor people are dirty Any person can get ahead in this country Poor people are satisfied receiving welfare People who are poor should not be blamed for their misfortune. Welfare recipients should be able to spend their money as they choose. If I were poor, I would accept welfare benefits. Out-of-work people ought to have to take the first job that is offered An able-bodied person using food stamps is ripping off the system The government spends too much money on poverty programs Poor people are dishonest I Some "poor" people live better than I do, considering all their benefits f poor people worked harder, they could escape poverty There is a lot of fraud among welfare recipients Most people are members of a minority group Benefits for poor people consume a major part of the federal budget People are poor due to circumstances beyond their control. Poor people use food stamps wisely. Society has the responsibility to help poor people. Poor people generally have lower intelligence than non-poor people People in welfare should be made to work for their benefits Poor people should be more closely supervised Unemployed poor people could find jobs if they tried harder I believe poor people have a different set of values than do other people. I believe poor people create their own difficulties Poor people are different from the rest of society I believe I could trust a poor person whom I employ. Being poor is a choice I would support a program that resulted in higher taxes to support Most poor people are satisfied with their standard of living social programs for poor people. Poor people think they deserve to be supported Welfare mothers have babies to get more money Children raised on welfare will never amount to anything

21 New Questions Everyone, regardless of circumstances, should have enough food Everyone, regardless of circumstances, should have health care Everyone, regardless of circumstances, should have a place to live Most people who are poor waste a lot of their time The poor are treated the same as everyone else The poor have the same opportunity for success as everyone else The poor face challenges that are the same as everyone else Governments should do more to help the poor Lack of transportation is a major challenge for the poor Lack of social support (family, friends, church) is a major challenge for the poor Lack of education is a major challenge for the poor Lack of child care is a major challenge for the poor Lack of self-control is a major challenge for the poor It upsets me to know that many people are poor I feel that I know what it is like to be poor Charities should do more to help the poor I feel that I understand why someone may be poor Businesses should do more to help the poor I feel that I have enough direct experience with the poor Individuals should do more to help the poor I feel that I could personally make more of a difference in the lives of the poor

Tracking Tool: 58 items reduced via Exploratory Factor Analysis Survey Item WelfareAttitude Factor Score There is a lot of fraud among welfare recipients Benefits for poor people consume a major part of the federal budget The government spends too much money on poverty programs 0.829 0.719 0.715 0.696 -0.669 -0.667 0.633 -0.603 Welfare makes people lazy Governments should do more to help the poor I would support a program that would result in higher taxes to support programs for poor people An able-bodied person using food stamps is ripping off the system Poor people use food stamps wisely Fundamental rights Everyone regardless of circumstances should have a place to live Everyone regardless of circumstances should have enough food Everyone regardless of circumstances should have healthcare 0.906 0.839 0.774 Society, but not government, should help Individuals should do more to help the poor Charities should do more to help the poor Businesses should do more to help the poor Equal opportunity for all in U.S./flawed character? The poor have the same opportunities for success as everyone else The poor face challenges that are the same as everyone else Any person can get ahead in this country The poor are treated the same as everyone else 0.823 0.813 0.793 0.859 0.8 0.613 0.605

Factors: Page Two Survey Item Poor are different--negative connotations/flawed character Factor Score Poor people act differently 0.759 0.751 0.748 Poor people are different from the rest of society I believe poor people have different set of values then do other people Poor do face a lack of resources Lack of education is a major challenge for the poor Lack of child care is a major challenge for the poor Lack of social support is a major challenge for the poor 0.831 0.772 0.679 Poor are different from me/social empathy I feel that I know what it is like to be poor I feel that I have enough direct experience with the poor I feel that I understand why someone may be poor 0.786 0.784 0.59 Circumstances/environment counts--opposite of flawed character People who are poor should not be blamed for their misfortune People are poor due to circumstances beyond their control 0.774 0.728

Discussion Result of EFA are quite promising Second round of data collection including focus groups is underway Lower score on remaining 29 items indicates more positive view of poor and more willingness to help. Questions related empathy reduced to three Showed no significant correlation with other 7 factors; most disappointing Higher score shows less positive view and more belief in character flaws as underlying reason for poverty. Need to expanded sample

CONCLUSION Questions