Systemic Poverty, Not Systemic Racism: An Ethnography, Analysis & Critique

Abstract

This paper describes the lives of two light-skinned brothers raised in a Black neighborhood in 1960s-70s Chicago, highlighting the impact of social and economic factors on individual trajectories. The research then segues into the concept of “systemic poverty” recognizing that 10-20% of Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians are in poverty creating concerns of disparities in education, health, housing, hiring practices, possible voter suppression, wealth gaps, media representation, environmental, employment, and criminal justice. Using grounded theory, the research develops a model based on the causes and effects of systemic poverty, critiques the logical flaws of systemic racism, and calls for greater recognition and support for poor Americans of all races, as well as a national conversation on poverty and inequality that includes all marginalized communities.