Stereotypical
Representation of the Poor in Media Messages Used by Nonprofit Organizations
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Maria Fielteau
Thomas R.
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The Introduction
Your class has
been chosen to participate in a panel to study and to analyze the
representation of poor in media messages used by nonprofits in the United
States.
"Poverty: a human condition
characterized by the sustained or chronic deprivation of the resources,
capabilities, choices, security and power necessary for the enjoyment of an
adequate standard of living and other civil, cultural, economic, political and
social rights."
~United
Nations’ definition of poverty
The Task.
Because
poverty is a dynamic term, you will
discuss and debate what we mean when we use the word and how we distinguish
between different kinds of poverty—abject, absolute, relative, individual,
communal, domestic, national, transnational—in the real world as well as in the
worlds of our respective mages. You will analyze what these images seem to be
saying about the kind of poverty that is being represented, and what the images
imply about the production of and potential solutions for poverty. Who is
poverty associated with? What is it
linked to? You will consider these questions as you complete our web-quest.
You
will
·
apply
PPA to the problem of stereotypical representation of the poor in media
messages used by nonprofit organizations
·
create
a three page outline of the findings based on the article of Diana George
“Changing the face of Poverty” and the review of current images used by
nonprofits
·
produce
two-page written recommendation for nonprofits based on the findings
The Process
Your teacher will divide
the class into groups of 4 to review the images of poor used by the major
nonprofits using “Notice and Focus” and report back to the whole class
Here
are some questions you’ll want to consider as you view your images:
Ø How does the
image create a definition of “poverty”?
Ø Who are the
poor?
Ø Are the
characters coded in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, etc. as well
as class?
Ø How do they
reflect their real counterparts?
Ø How are the
complexities of those people being brought to light? How are they being eroded, erased, or
simplified?
Ø What
explanations does the image seem to offer for the conditions of the
impoverished characters? What does the
image seem to be saying about the mechanisms at work behind this poverty?
Ø What does it
imply about the potential solutions (or lack thereof) for global and local
poverty?
Ø What is the
image arguing about poverty, and what appeals does it employ?
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The Steps of
the Public Policy Analyst (PPA): http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips/ppaqe.html 1.
Define the Problem 2.
Gather the Evidence 3.
Identify the Causes 4.
Evaluate an Existing Policy 5.
Develop Solutions 6.
Select the Best Solution (Feasibility
vs. Effectiveness) |
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Group 1 visits the website for the Salvation Army
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf/vw-local/Home
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Group 2 visits the website for the Rescue Mission
https://rescue-mission.org/food-services
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Group 3 visits the website for Habitat for Humanity
http://www.habitat.org/lc/quicktour/3_whoweserve.htm
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Group 4 visits the website for Open Door Mission
http://www.opendoormission.org/
Using
the knowledge from above, do the worksheets at the bottom of PPA steps 1 and 2:
Explore how the poor are
represented throughout history in order to identify the causes of stereotypical
portrayal.
Students are divided in
6 groups and jigsaw a part of the article “Changing the Face of Poverty” by
Diana George.
o Group
1 reads and summarizes the
representation of poor in the works of Grueze and
Hogarth p. 238
o Group
2 reads and summarizes the representation of poor in the works of Henry Mayhew
p. 238
o Group
3 reads and summarizes the
representation of poor in the works of Jack London p. 239
o Group
4 reads and summarizes the
representation of poor in the works of Jacob Riis p. 239
o Group
5 reads and summarizes the
representation of poor in the works of Helen Campbell p. 239-240
o Group
6 reads and summarizes the
representation of poor in the photo project for the Farm Security
Administration p. 241
Groups share information with the whole class.
Evaluate an Existing Policy
Students
divided into two groups. Group 1 evaluates Jonh Engler’s back-to-work program, while group 2 evaluates
democrats’ proposed amendments to Engler’s bill
(p.248-249). Each group completes and later presents the following worksheet.
Worksheet 4: Evaluating existing public policies
1.
State one of the major existing policies
that attempts to deal with the social problem:
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2.
What are the advantages of this policy
(consider effectiveness, costs, enforcement, public
acceptance):
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3.
What are the disadvantages of this
policy? Consider effectiveness, costs,
enforcement, public acceptance):
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4.
Based on your evaluation of the advantages
and disadvantages, should the current policy be totally replaced, strengthened,
or improved? What advantages, if any,
from the current policy should be retained?
What disadvantages, if any, should be eliminated?
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Develop Solutions
Students
work in groups of four to complete and to present the following worksheet.
Worksheet 5: Developing public policy solutions
Propose
at least three new/original public policy alternatives. Be sure that all of your public policy
alternatives are at the same geopolitical level as your social problem. Each alternative must specify the actual
government or agency that will carry out the proposed action.
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2. |
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3. |
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Select the Best Solution (Feasibility vs. Effectiveness)
Students
remain in the same groups of four to complete and to present the following
worksheet.
Worksheet
6: Selecting the best public policy
solution
1. List the three public policy alternatives
from Worksheet 5. Create a short word or
abbreviation to summarize each policy and write it at the end of each policy.
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2. Use the format in the example to complete
the matrix below:
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EFFECTIVENESS |
FEASIBILITY |
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HIGH |
MEDIUM |
LOW |
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HIGH |
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MEDIUM |
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LOW |
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3. Discuss the
reasons for your decisions in the matrix.
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4.
Discuss
why your group prefers one alternative over the other two.
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The
Resources are
the websites students will use to complete the task. Also, other website links
related to the topic may be included.
1. http://fc.niskyschools.org/~tlester/S039185F0.11/18%20Changing%20the%20Face%20of%20Poverty.pdf
2. http://www.habitat.org/lc/quicktour/0_welcome.htm
4.
http://www.opendoormission.org/
5.
https://rescue-mission.org/food-services
6. http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf/vw-local/Home
7. http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips/ppaqe.html
The Evaluation
The final project is completed individually by each student. Students are
required to
·
create
a three page outline of the findings based on the article of Diana George and
the review of current images used by nonprofits
·
produce
two-page written recommendation for nonprofits based on the findings
Rubric:
Organization:
The writer organized the essay effectively, with explicit and thoughtful claims
that precede discussions of the image and the text, and with logical
transitions between sections.
[_____
out of 20 points]
Close
work w/ the Texts: The writer worked closely and rhetorically with the chosen reading
and image. In other words, the writer accurately identified each text’s main
purpose and argument, quoted, paraphrased, and summarized where appropriate and
necessary, and interpreted material and/or offered it up as evidence.
[_____ out
of 25 points]
Critical
Thinking/Synthesis: The writer developed new ideas
specific to the reading and image, and engaged readers in a more complicated,
more thoughtful way of thinking about the reading, image, and related issues.
In other words, the writer provided details, not generalizations, new ideas,
not clichés, and analysis, not summary.
[_____
out of 25 points]
Introduction
& Conclusion: The writer composed rhetorically
effective beginning and ending paragraphs.
[_____
out of 15 points]
Grammar
& Style: The writer edited for grammar, style,
and usage effectively.
[_____
out of 10 points]
Citation:
The
writer cited text[s] appropriately and properly using MLA citation procedure.
[_____
out of 5 points]
The Conclusion
As
we applied public policy analysis to the problem of stereotypical
representation of the poor in media messages used by nonprofit organizations,
we engaged closely with the article “Changing the Face of Poverty” by Diana
George. We analyzed how the poor are represented in media images used by
nonprofit organizations and made claims about what these images seem to be
saying about the kind of poverty that is being represented, and what the images
imply about the production of and potential solutions for poverty. We examined
existing policies related to the consequences of the use of images of poor in
the media and wrote recommendation for nonprofits based on the findings.
STANDARDS
New York State P-12 Common Core
Learning Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy
- Read
closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical
inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking
to support conclusions drawn from the text.
- Integrate
and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including
visually and quantitatively, as well as in words
- Analyze
how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build
knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.
- Write
arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts,
using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
- Conduct
short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused
questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation
- Prepare
for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and
collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
- Present
information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can
follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style
are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
Reading
Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 6–12
·
Determine
the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an
accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and
ideas.
·
Integrate
information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent
understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources