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The politics of relative deprivation: A transdisciplinary social justice perspective

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  • Fu, Mengzhu
  • Exeter, Daniel J.
  • Anderson, Anneka

Abstract

Relative deprivation was defined by Townsend (1987, p. 125) as “a state of observable and demonstrable disadvantage, relative to the local community or the wider society or nation to which an individual, family or group belongs”. This definition is widely used within social and health sciences to identify, measure, and explain forms of inequality in human societies based on material and social conditions. From a multi-disciplinary social science perspective, we conducted a systematic literature review of published material in English through online database searches and books since 1966. We review the concept and measurement of relative ‘deprivation’ focussing on area-based deprivation in relation to inequities in health and social outcomes. This paper presents a perspective based in Aotearoa/New Zealand where colonisation has shaped the contours of racialised health inequities and current applications and understandings of ‘deprivation’.

Suggested Citation

  • Fu, Mengzhu & Exeter, Daniel J. & Anderson, Anneka, 2015. "The politics of relative deprivation: A transdisciplinary social justice perspective," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 223-232.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:133:y:2015:i:c:p:223-232
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.12.024
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Fu, Mengzhu & Exeter, Daniel J. & Anderson, Anneka, 2015. "“So, is that your ‘relative’ or mine?” A political-ecological critique of census-based area deprivation indices," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 27-36.
    3. Cho, Sun Mi & Park, Chan-ung & Song, Min, 2020. "The evolution of social health research topics: A data-driven analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    4. Uriel Leviatan, 2017. "Physical Social Capital and Psychosocial Social Capital as Mediators Between Socio-economic Inequality and Expressions of Well-being and Health in Israeli Kibbutz Populations," Psychology and Developing Societies, , vol. 29(2), pages 160-199, September.

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