Measuring poverty

    AQA
    GCSE

    The measurement of poverty is a contested area within Social Stratification, requiring candidates to navigate the shift from physiological definitions to social definitions. Study must focus on the operationalisation of concepts: Absolute Poverty (subsistence), Relative Poverty (comparative disadvantage), and Social Exclusion (marginalisation). Candidates must evaluate the methodological challenges in establishing a 'poverty line' and the political implications of these metrics. Mastery involves critiquing seminal studies (Rowntree, Townsend) and contemporary measures (HBAI, Social Metrics Commission), understanding that the choice of measurement dictates the scale of the problem reported.

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    Objectives
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    Exam Tips
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    Pitfalls
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    Key Terms
    4
    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Award marks for precise definitions: Absolute poverty as lacking basic necessities for survival; Relative poverty as lacking resources to participate in accepted social norms.
    • Credit references to Peter Townsend's Deprivation Index (1979) when explaining the shift from subsistence to participation-based measurement.
    • Candidates must evaluate the validity of the '60% of median income' threshold used in official UK statistics.
    • High-level responses must link measurement difficulties to the concept of 'Social Exclusion' (New Labour/EU definitions) rather than just income levels.

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Award marks for precise definitions: Absolute poverty as lacking basic necessities for survival; Relative poverty as lacking resources to participate in accepted social norms.
    • Credit references to Peter Townsend's Deprivation Index (1979) when explaining the shift from subsistence to participation-based measurement.
    • Candidates must evaluate the validity of the '60% of median income' threshold used in official UK statistics.
    • High-level responses must link measurement difficulties to the concept of 'Social Exclusion' (New Labour/EU definitions) rather than just income levels.

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡When discussing relative poverty, explicitly name Peter Townsend and the concept of 'relative deprivation'.
    • 💡In 12-mark essays, contrast the rigidity of absolute measures (Rowntree) with the flexibility of consensual measures (Mack and Lansley).
    • 💡Use the term 'operationalization' when discussing how sociologists turn the abstract concept of poverty into a measurable variable.
    • 💡Allocate 15 minutes for the 12-mark question; ensure a conclusion addresses the 'extent' of the debate.

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Confusing 'relative poverty' with simply 'being poorer than the rich' without referencing the median income or social participation standards.
    • Asserting that absolute poverty does not exist in the UK, ignoring destitution and reliance on food banks.
    • Failing to distinguish between 'subjective poverty' (feeling poor) and objective statistical measures.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Identify
    Describe
    Explain
    Discuss
    Evaluate
    To what extent

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