Explain what is meant by a practice orientation. What is the overall goal of this theoretical approach? How does this orientation compare to the culture of poverty? How might this practice orientation explain the prevalence of poverty in Rubina's community?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Practice orientation seeks to explain what people do as thinking, intentionally acting persons who face the impact of history and the constraints of structures that are embedded in society and culture. It asks how social systems shape, guide, and direct people's values, beliefs, and behavior. But it also asks how people, as human actors or agents, perpetuate or change the cultures of social systems. The culture of poverty theory fits well with practice orientation, since the theory posits that the experience of living in poverty causes certain behaviors to be repeated and systemic. Rubina's family has struggled to make ends meet as long as she can remember. Immigrants to the United States can find it more difficult to succeed financially due to institutional and individual racist policies, and the behaviors they adopt as a result (in line with the culture of poverty theory) may serve to make prejudiced people feel validated in their assertions that "outsiders cannot succeed here."