Poverty in African American Communities (Essay Sample)

Analysis
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Analysis
Ecological Perspective
The theory, introduced by Germain Carel to social work, presents the environment as an entity rather than a static stage that life was enacted on. The theory has several constructs which closely apply to the situation in the African American societies. The constructs, mainly, adaptation, goodness-of-fit, niche and habitat are very vital when it comes to the understanding of the situation. The African American societies are mainly associated with low education standards, less job opportunities and poor living conditions. With respect to the habitat, the individuals in such communities have been adapted to it in such a manner that they are very complacent to get themselves out of it. As put across by Rodgers (2003), the manner in which such habitats are disorganized is a key factor in the promotion of poverty, unlike the well-developed habitat of the rich. The niche that people living in such areas have taken is also essential element in consideration of the high poverty levels (Johnson & Rhodes 2005). The goodness-of-fit construct also helps support the theory further in arguing the state in which the colored people live. Basically, they have very little need for resources as they have very narrow needs due to the complacency that exists amongst them.
However, the major weakness of the theory is its inability to be applied in isolation. The various elements of the society have to be factored in for it to effectively work. You may never look at the aspect of the niche without considering the reason for the occupancy of such a zone.
Systems Theory
The theory mainly applies the complex systems in the description of human behaviors. The theory outlines the various reasons as to why the African Americans society is characterized with poverty as compared to the societies where the white people live (Sloan, 2003). Under the theory, the assertion is that the people living in these communities are not engaged in working towards solving the problems that they face in a unified manner. This is a reason enough to give the explanation for such high levels of poverty.
The systems theory has one major weaknesses; it does not go ahead to address the various factors related to social inequalities and power as well as their respective causes (Johnson & Rhodes, 2005). In this context, it becomes very difficult coming up with the various ways in which the society may be struggling to alleviate the situation.
Structural-Functionalist Theory
This theory views the society as a complex function with various parts that work together to help ensure stability and solidarity in the society. Each and every social structure that come together to make up the entire society is seen to serve specific function within the society. For example, education is very fundamental in providing grounds for learning, socializing and social categorization (Saleeby, 2007). The theory asserts on the importance of the stratification in the society. Within the various societies, there is the social stratification. Such stratification comes about automatically in such a manner that it may not be easy controlling by the use of any external means. Arguably, for the equilibrium of the society, there has to be some people at the top and those at the top. This helps in ensuring the interdependence, which is very vital in the society, is maintained. An important point pointed out by the theory is the functionalist aspect, which implies the various niches that each group or individual holds in the society. Closely related to the ecological theory, the stratification places the respective individuals in positions whereby they ...