Essay guidance: You should outline the concept of the underclass – hint, although it is a widely used term, it is sociologically contested. You might say how this relates to ideas around cultures of worklessness. Who uses ideas around underclass or the ‘culture of worklessness’? What do they use it to explain and what kinds of things do they emphasise in those explanations? What are the debates?
Evaluate the empirical/sociological evidence in support of underclass and underserving poor arguments. What is your sociological conclusion as to the merit of the underclass thesis?
Come to an evidence based conclusion of whether there is evidence to support the notion of the underclass.
