Debunking Deficiency Theories

Abstract

Although Oscar Lewis' (1966) Culture of Poverty thesis has been largely debunked, pathologies are still associated with residents in poor urban neighborhoods, in general, and African-American residents, in particular. Some studies challenge these views and suggest that residents often exhibit mainstream attitudes and behavior. In this study, the Urban Poverty & Family Life Survey is used to investigate life dimensions by race and neighborhood context. Results dispel common misconceptions by showing statistically and substantively insignificant differences between most variables. These findings suggest the need to re-evaluate the ways in which race and concentration effects have been examined and to evaluate a broader set of indicators to better capture the nuances of life in poor urban neighborhoods.