Poverty, Welfare and Social Policy

What this unit covers

The resources look at how poverty is defined, who experiences it and how the state responds. The mind map Wealth Poverty and Welfare aqa sets out absolute and relative poverty, including the poverty line idea. Separate maps on Absolute Poverty, Relative Poverty and Consensual Poverty let you look at each definition on its own.

Welfare and social policy

Several maps deal with policy itself. beveridge covers the strengths and limitations of the post-war universal benefits system and its five giants. NHS 5 July 1948 looks at the NHS Act 1946 and the compromises made with medics. Family & Social Policy begins with what social policy means, and Donzelot: the policing of families covers the idea of surveillance. There are also maps on the New Right and feminist perspectives.

Inequality between groups

Some resources look at who is affected. Poverty of Women covers pay inequity, and there are flashcard decks on the distribution of poverty, wealth and income by age and by gender. Poverty and Inequality explains social exclusion in economic, political and cultural forms.

Where to start

1. Open Poverty and Inequality for the main ideas.
2. Move to Wealth Poverty and Welfare aqa for definitions and measurement.
3. Read the Beveridge and NHS maps for the welfare state.
4. Finish with the family and social policy maps and the perspectives on policy.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a map first, then take a quiz such as Sociology - poverty quiz, which asks about absolute poverty and its strengths. Note the questions you miss and go back to the matching map. Flashcard decks like UK Poverty Key words help with terms. This unit sits in the Stratification and Inequality strand of Sociology. Pick a map, test yourself, then make your own version.