Soci 371 Unit 9: Coping in Families

the interface of work and family is a

critical sociological concern

interface of work and family: the degree of connection and/or separation of these is usually a

subject of debate (Rosabeth Kanter, 1977)

• the myth of the separation of these worlds is worth exploring

it is important to know

• who is working

• where is the work being done

• what type of work and why

• when is the work being done

• for whom is the work

“In every province, Canadians are feeling less hopeful about the future compared wit how they felt in….

2016

• although the extent varied by province

• British Colombia experienced the largest decline in the proportion of people reporting a hopeful outlook on the future between 2016 and 2021/2022 (76% to 62%)

• stats Canada

discussed why we have this not-so-good reality in a

land of plenty

the world in which humans live is generally prone to crises of different kinds:

• disasters

• economic downturns

• social upheavals

• political issues

• etc

these crises have direct or

indirect effects of families

not all families are impacted the same way because of

differentials in the social, economic, and political statuses

social inequality and poverty have long characterized

Canadian social life

the last several decades have been turbulent for many Canadians, coinciding with some notable ups and downs in the North American economy -

the recessions of the 1980s, early 1990s, and 2008, plus the COVID-19 pandemic

the economic circumstances facing low-income families, from the

early 1980s through 2018, before the outbreak of COVID-19

Poverty as a byproduct of

global crises

what is poverty

the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. Poverty is said to exist when people lack the means to satisfy their basic needs

poverty can be categorized into two:

• absolute poverty

• relative poverty

absolute poverty

when individuals are unable to meet their physiological needs

relative poverty

as the world relative suggests, it has to do with comparison of oneself or group or nation to another

• what constitutes poverty differs from one place/people to another

• however, the idea that one is unable to participate fully in the society or comity that one belongs to reinforces the notion of poverty

although average family income has increased in real terms for several decades (ex. after adjusting for inflation), a

proportion of families continues to experience major financial setbacks