Running head: GLOBAL ISSUES REPORT 1

Global Issues Report:

Colonias Poverty

Carlos Villa

The University of Texas at El Paso

RWS 1301

Dr. Vierra

October 29, 2018

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Abstract

This paper offers an insight view upon low income people at the University Of Texas At

El Paso, and individuals who are poor from all around the world and their perspectives upon

education. Though by providing such insight, we can explore the reasons why low income

people don’t put education first. Although ironic, it is in fact true that sometimes in order have

somewhat of a stable life you have to make sacrifices, and sometimes those sacrifices mean

giving up education in order to fulfill the necessity.

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Global Issues Report

Surviving poverty isn’t just trying to stay afloat with having some materialistic artefacts.

It is the fact that those who suffer from poverty are trying to stay alive each day. Students both at

The University Of Texas At El Paso, and all around the world often are deprived from education

due to them lacking either the resources or just money in order for them to attend school.

Poverty isn’t just a temporary thing, it has a long term affect in the individuals life by either

keeping them trapped for life or somehow affecting their point of view in life. This, causing

often a negative impact in the individuals mental health as well as perspective in life making

them not motivated to peruse their educational careers.

Discussion

In today’s modern society, people often focus more on monetary status rather than the

person itself. According to Parck (2018) modern society values more socioeconomical statues,

rather than the individual's characteristics (p.32). Consequently, Ezparsa (2008) also adds into

the topic how it's usually society as a whole who tends to do this wrongful action. Ezparsa in

order to best convince his argument, he provides insight information upon rural areas, and

exemplifies such behaviors being practiced within one another (p.21). Since both Parck and

Ezparsa go over the topic of social behaviors within low income people, they make both

arguments more credible due to their educational backgrounds. In order to also have a larger

audience both authors use syntax that is easy to understand while also including real life

situations demonstrating such argument. This confirms the harsh reality that in fact, we all judge

people based on materialistic things rather than themselves as a person.

People that have a low income tend to be more exposed to violence. According to

McIlwaine, C., & Moser, C. (2003), claimed that violence is high in poor areas. This violence
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can either be due to high necessity or power (p.23) Both authors use the view points of the

individuals living in this high violence poor areas. They both describe this view point as in the

eyes of the poor, to better showcase their argument. According to Sen (2008), discusses and

argues on what is like living in this violent areas, while also inputting how all poor areas are the

same. He exemplifies such generalization by stating how Poverty and inequality are importantly

linked to violence. Since McIlwaine, Moser and Sen all argue towards the same idea, both

describe different areas from the whole picture they are trying to from in their audience’s mind.

This successfully showcases the authors claim by providing information in grand detail and

taking away those questions or thoughts their audience may have.

Individuals who have more money are happier than those who don’t. According to

Easterlin (1973), in fact there is doubts about such claim yet people who are wealthy usually

have less stress which means more happiness (p.2). In addition, Easterlin adds justification to the

claim by describing a specific scenario which occurred during world war two. In this scenario

wealthy people had less worries about basic life needs rather than poor people due to them

having the resources. In addition, Beccheti (2010) showcases different couples with different

income. In this scenario, Beccheti compares and contrasts both lifestyles. By doing this Beccheti

successfully justifies his claim to his audience. Since both Easterlin and Beccheti discuss how

happy you are based on nominal income we can assume that, money best helps a person’s life

quality.

Underprivileged people have more trouble adapting to normal society rather than the

society they lived with. According to Jensen (2009), people who have a troubled life due to

being poor often find themselves having a hard time interacting or being part of society. She

exemplifies such claim by showcasing how kids who are poor are the ones who usually have

trouble being arounds other kids. This is because of the home they may reside on, or just them
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being deprived from such grand different society. As exemplified from figure 2, races also hold

an amount of accountability. As less amount of that specific race there is, harder would be

adapting or even relating to other individuals. In addition, Harker (2001) discusses the adaptation

of migrant teens in their new country. This is shown by the author describing in detail to better

emphasize his claim towards his audience. Likely both authors go down to the idea on how

people have.

People who are economically unstable are more likely to commit crimes in order to help

their situation. According to Alferi (1994) she explains what goes on desperate people's mind

who are trying to ease their situation by committing wrongful acts. Alferi in order to justify such

claim introduces various people who had to commit such actions in order to stay afloat in their

disadvantaged situation (p.36). This exposure to reality provided by the witnesses best help

Alferi claim and helps her audience understand how being good to people isn't going to help you

sometimes. Consequently, Bar-Tal (2004) studies social behaviors, and claims upon how in fact

sometimes violence is the only resource available to survive amongst the needy. Bar-Tal believes

that is such behavioral research is more legimatiley when done with real life people (p.671) In

such conducted research, Bar-Tal uses Palestinians and Jews who have been fighting over both

moral and resources. This setting is showcased by the author by providing various scenarios in

which his claim is showed. In addition, both Aferi and Bar-Tal conclude to the same main

argument that violence is no secret weapon amongst those who lack resources. Violence in way,

according to both authors claim is a must in order to survive.

Low income people often have mental instability or problems due to traumatic events that

they had been through. According to Murali and Oyebode (2004) families who are uncertain of

their future tend to get into abusive relationships due to the lack of money. The authors describe

poverty as the greatest cause of suffering on earth (p.216). Poverty in fact according to Murali
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and Oyebode affects both emotional, behavioral and psychiatric problems. In order to best justify

such claim, the authors conducted a research amongst poor kids and have them describe their

life. In which all of them had a similarity which was them being mentally unstable due to violent

acts amongst their parents or families. In addition, Belle (1990) also discusses mental health by

discussing how woman in a poor household often suffer mental issues due to violent situations

done either by their spouse or family. Research according to Belle, has shown that low income

and low socioeconomic status are associated with high rates of mental disorder. Since both

authors showcase different scenarios but the same idea, it justifies the claim in which there is in

fact high mental issues amongst those who are poor. This is proven by the author’s both

educational research and background whose main intention for their articles was to provide

awareness of such tragic topic.

Children who are extremely poor are more in dependable at an early age. According to

Conticini & Hulme (2007), claim that children in Bangladesh, as in many developing countries,

children ‘abandon’ their families and migrate to the street because of economic poverty (p.222).

Both authors explain how children don’t know their situation and are often eased to the idea that

they can be dependent even though poverty is all around them. By the children have this

mentality, they often find low paying jobs or manage to find a source of income in which it

causes that they themselves end up carrying for their family. In addition, Evan (2004), claims

that children who are poor have less parents figures in their life, and how in general they have a

harder time being at school. Evan showcases low income areas in which all have the same

problem, poverty. By doing this, Evan states how they all don’t focus on education if not, on

how to manage to stay afloat in such disadvantaged areas. Since both Conticini, Hulme and Evan

have the same claim, of children being self-sufficient when poor, they all justify the claim. This

is because of the amount of research conducted upon such behavior on children.

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Poor families have the worst healthcare overall. According to Raiz (2006), she claims

how in the United States has a ironic relationship with poor people. Poor people are the ones who

don’t have health insurance (p.88). As Raiz goes on with her research she demonstrates how

government funded health programs aren’t as good as those who have private health insurance.

She exemplifies such scenario by showcasing a government funder program Medicaid, against

other private insurances. As expected, those with private insurance are healthier and have more

income rather than those who don’t. In addition, Wagstaff (2002), claims that Within countries,

poor people have worse health outcomes than better-off people (p.97). Wagstaff showcases such

claim by providing research done by others. She also includes various charts that include the

number of poor people with health problems. As a result, both authors justify such claim. Both

Raiz and Wagstaff go into depth upon the healthcare epidemic poor people are experiencing due

to the lack of nominal income in the United States.

Social class overall controls individual's life quality. According to Marshall (1992), it is

no surprise that in any country, there is inequality due to citizenship and economic status. She

exemplifies such act by providing research based on social interactions with both rich and poor

people. Marshall also adds various resources to prove her point. In addition, Lareu (2000) adds a

bigger picture to the claim by providing information regarding parents who are in good standing

monetary wise, and their families. She exemplifies such characteristics by showcasing parents

involment in their children’s school. She shows how this parent, push their children to success

all thanks to their economical standing. This is because these children are sent to the best

educational centers. Since both Marshall and Lareu ideally agree with each other's point due to

the similarities one can best infer that in fact social economic status can best control and affect a

person's life.
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People who are poor tend to give up on education. According to Van der Berg (2008),

poverty is the lack of capability to function effectively in society (p.10). This is then added up to

the claim that education not being prioritized by low income people due to hardships they are

going through. As shown in figure 1, the poor areas amongst Texas is El Paso. This is because

many families migrate and all they are surrounded by is poverty. In addition, she adds people

who tend to get a higher education other than high school are more likely to be better off than

those who don’t. In addition, Hurley (1969) showcases how people in such poor areas may not

grow up having the mindset or even intelligence to attend or get a higher education. This, in fact

adds up to Van der Berg’s claim by expanding such claim into more in depth. Since both authors

discuss poverty and education, they both justify that in fact, education sent sometimes a choice

or something poor people want to peruse.

Conclusion

Though poverty is known to negatively affect a person’s life, many think it's just going to affect

their materialistic wants. But the harsh reality is it affects factors such as life quality, education

and health. Both categories of students that either attend The University Of Texas At El Paso or

students who pursue a education around the world have one main obstacle, poverty. Thus, after

some people overcome such barrier, they still have long term effects during life. Poverty isn’t

just being materialistic deprived if not being away from living life itself. It does in fact, move

change who have the idea of overcoming such hardship , to the reality of trying to survive.
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References

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https://www.jstor.org/stable/1123163?casa_token=S6PMRi_KWi8AAAAA:nEzGWfNx

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Bar‐Tal, D. (2004). The necessity of observing real life situations: Palestinian‐Israeli violence as

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34(6), 677-701. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ejsp.224

Becchetti, L. (2010). The money–happiness relationship in transition countries: evidence from

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Easterlin, R. A. (1973). Does money buy happiness?. The public interest, 30, 3. Retrieved from

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Evans, G. W. (2004). The environment of childhood poverty. American psychologist, 59(2), 77.

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development solutions. University of Arizona Press. Retrievd from

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McIlwaine, C., & Moser, C. (2003). Poverty, violence and livelihood security in urban Colombia

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Murali, V., & Oyebode, F. (2004). Poverty, social inequality and mental health. Advances in

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treatment/article/poverty-social-inequality-and-mental-

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Figures

Figure 1. The chart exemplifies poverty alongside border cities. Portraying different levels in the

poverty rate alongside the whole state.

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Figure 2. This pie chart shows different races in El Paso, Texas. This demonstrates the variety of

people residing the city and best shows how border cities are mostly Hispanic .