Abstract

The structures that we use to think and talk about inequality influence how we make sense of disparities, and also contribute to political choices and calls for change. While local and national inequalities and perceptions thereof have been widely studied, studies at wider geographic scales are comparatively rare. Here I investigate how teachers in Kenya, Mexico and the UK critique inequality. From group discussions, three main arguments against inequality emerged in each of the three countries: (1) the framing of inequality as an inclusive and relational concept; (2) moral distaste for the coexistence of extreme wealth with poverty; and (3) attributing the causes of inequality to larger political and economic systems. The analysis reveals that when people describe themselves as being connected to, enmeshed within, responsible for, or morally outraged by inequality, their critiques of it tend to be stronger. In contrast, those who offer weaker critiques of inequality position themselves as separate from it, or as having no leverage to challenge it. The strong discourses already in the public sphere offer support for policy interventions aimed at reducing inequality. This identification of stronger and weaker discursive challenges to inequality may be mirrored in public discussions of other global challenges.

摘要

我们用来思考和谈论不平等的结构影响着我们如何看待差距，也有助于政治选择和要求变革。虽然对地方和国家的不平等及其看法已进行了广泛的研究，但在更广泛的地理范围内进行的研究却相对较少。在这里，我调查了肯尼亚，墨西哥和英国的批判不平等现象。在小组讨论中，三个国家分别提出了三个反对不平等的主要论点：（1）将不平等构筑为一个包容和相关的概念；（2）道德上对极端财富与贫困并存的厌恶；（3）将不平等的原因归因于更大的政治和经济体系。分析表明，当人们将自己描述为与他人联系，陷入其中，对其负责时，或在道德上因不平等而感到愤怒，他们对此的批评往往更强烈。相比之下，那些对不平等的批评较弱的人则将自己置于与不平等的分离状态，或无权挑战它。公共领域已经存在的强有力的论述为旨在减少不平等的政策干预提供了支持。在对其他全球性挑战的公开讨论中，可以反映出这种对不平等的较强和较弱的话语挑战的识别。