Structural aspect of poverty

*Video 1 highlights an important structural aspect of poverty – that it is an economic state with its own trappings which make seemingly “rational” choices or options impossible. As the programme points out, those struggling financially are unable to capitalise on bulk buying, shopping discounts, or “cashback” promotions. And as the *Buzzfeed, demonstrates, these closed options extend well beyond shopping for groceries. A cash shortage, in other words, creates a shortage of choice. Escaping poverty thus is not as simple as “saving money”.

The video also examines poverty from another approach – psychology. The video, as well as the article from the *Chicago Booth Review describes how poverty induces psychological conditions ranging from “tunnel vision” to decreased cognitive function. Poverty thus can be seen as not just an economic condition, but also a psychological state.

The various disciplines which make up the social and behavioural sciences – namely anthropology, psychology, sociology, economics, and political science. Besides the economic and psychological approaches to poverty, what other vantage points are we able to analyse poverty from? For instance, through sociological concepts of social stratification, power, or class? Or from a political perspective – what is the relationship between poverty and housing policies, welfare policies, the legal system, or even elections? How does analysing poverty through these approaches help us further interrogate “Singaporean” values such as self-reliance?

Please refer

*Video 1 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=GwWFMXzMOkw&feature=emb_title
* Buzzfeed – https://www.buzzfeed.com/stephenlaconte/expensive-to-be-poor-examples-reddit* Chicago Booth Review – https://www.chicagobooth.edu/review/how-poverty-changes-your-mind-set