Visual self-representations of households living in situations of economic vulnerability

Abstract

Negative social representations of poverty and people living in situations of economic difficulty are still highly prevalent in society. Poor people are commonly viewed as passive, lazy, morally deviant, and, as distinct from the general population, undeserving of social assistance. These representations are grounded in individualistic explanations of social phenomena that ignore structural factors and make the subject responsible for their circumstances. This, in turn, impedes the development and implementation of social processes that might reduce exclusion. Although research on self-representations of poverty is limited, they tend to express far greater complexity and depth of meaning. These counter-representations can be understood as a reaction to negative social images, as a reconstruction of an alternative positive image, and as a claim to dignity as full members of society. Carried out within the framework of a European project, this study analyses the self-representations of households living in situations of economic vulnerability in two Spanish case studies (one urban and the other rural). The study employed an ethnographic methodology and is based on photographs taken by the study participants (21 households) and in-depth interviews. The fieldwork was conducted between 2014 and 2015. The results show that the study participants’ representations of themselves and their social world diverges greatly from social stereotypes. On the one hand, photographs taken in the intimate and private space of the home represent significant economic vulnerability. On the other, images taken in public spaces show people going about their everyday lives in a way that emphasizes resilience, normality and dignity, as well as a sense of belonging to the local community and a vindication of their rights as citizens. The findings have clear implications for social policy and manifest the importance of giving space to the voice of people living in situations of economic vulnerability.