Work, Welfare and the Breadwinning Mother
Incorporating Gender into Structural Vulnerability Theory
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12455725 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Stephanie Moller (0000-0002-8239-719X, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1999 |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 19-35 |
| Publication date | 1999-12-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Poverty (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1087-5549 • E-ISSN: 1540-7608 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1300/j134v03n04_02 |
| OpenAlex | W2182023842 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 34 |
The structural vulnerability approach to poverty combines human capital and structural theories, arguing that poverty results from vulnerability to economic crises, which are often caused by macro-economic changes. Individuals low in human capital are especially vulnerable to economic shifts. I build on this approach by arguing that incorporating the social aspects of poverty into this theory helps social scientists more fully understand the nature of poverty in the United States. I present an analysis of three focus groups with welfare recipients in New Castle County, Delaware. My findings suggest that welfare recipients desire self-sufficiency but need human capital development and “decent” employment opportunities to attain independence. In their attempts to attain the skills necessary for employment, they face numerous obstacles including those associated with the dual roles they play as the primary caregiver and breadwinner. I contend that the tension associated with this dual role causes women to make choices that help explain the intricacies of poverty among single mothers
Basic needs · Capital (architecture · Culture of poverty · Development economics · Economic growth · Economics · Face (sociological concept · Geography · Human capital · Independence (probability theory · Political science · Poverty · Social capital · Social science · Sociology · Vulnerability (computing · Welfare · Employment and Welfare Studies · Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics · Social Policy and Reform Studies
Making Ends Meet
The undeserving poor
Support for the American welfare state
Losing ground
Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital
In the shadow of the poorhouse
The Truly Disadvantaged
Human Capital
Living on the Edge
Focus Groups as Qualitative Research
Poor Women in a Bind
Confronting poverty, prescriptions for change
Working
Competition and the Structure of Industrial Society
Stratification in a Dual Economy
After The Family Wage
The Unhappy Marriage of Marxism and Feminism
Work, Welfare, and Single Mothers' Economic Survival Strategies
Living Poor
Welfare
Industrial Segmentation and Labor Market Discrimination
States and Social Policies
The Proximate Contexts of Workfare and Work
Family, Race, and Poverty in the Eighties
Productive Activities and Support Systems of Single Mothers
| Citations per year | 0.06 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2008 - 2008 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |