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Stigma, shame and ‘people like us’: an ethnographic study of foodbank use in the UK

Garthwaite, K.

Stigma, shame and ‘people like us’: an ethnographic study of foodbank use in the UK Thumbnail


Authors

K. Garthwaite



Abstract

Foodbanks and other charitable activities are fast becoming an established part of austerity Britain. This paper is based on ethnographic research undertaken over a two-year period in North East England, exploring the lived experiences of health inequalities for residents in the most and least affluent areas. Findings show how the majority of foodbank users experienced stigma, fear, and embarrassment, which was at times aggravated by representations in ‘poverty porn’ television shows. Stigma could be overcome once people recognised that ‘other people like us’ were receiving a food parcel. Finally, the practice of ‘Othering’ was evident across the research sites.

Citation

Garthwaite, K. (2016). Stigma, shame and ‘people like us’: an ethnographic study of foodbank use in the UK. Journal of Poverty and Social Justice, 24(3), 277-289. https://doi.org/10.1332/175982716x14721954314922

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Sep 2, 2016
Online Publication Date Oct 1, 2016
Publication Date Oct 1, 2016
Deposit Date Sep 26, 2016
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Journal of Poverty and Social Justice
Print ISSN 1759-8273
Electronic ISSN 1759-8281
Publisher Bristol University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 24
Issue 3
Pages 277-289
DOI https://doi.org/10.1332/175982716x14721954314922

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Copyright Statement
This is a post-peer-review pre-copy edited version of an article published in Journal of Poverty and Social Justice. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Garthwaite, K. (2016). Stigma, shame and ‘people like us’ an ethnographic study of foodbank use in the UK. Journal of Poverty and Social Justice, 24(3): 277-289 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1332/175982716X14721954314922




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