20. A Discomforting Pedagogy of Poverty: Discourses, Representations and Vulnerabilities

Hutton, M., & Heath, T. (2025). A Discomforting Pedagogy of Poverty: Discourses, Representations and Vulnerabilities. Sociology. https://doi.org/10.1177/00380385251380772This article proposes a “pedagogy of discomfort” for teaching about poverty, aiming to challenge normalized views and stigmatizing assumptions. The authors argue that poverty is a form of “difficult sociological knowledge” that requires students and educators to move beyond their comfort zones and critically examine how systems of meaning sustain inequality.The framework is structured around three analytical tools. First, discourses encourage students to identify and question dominant narratives that frame poverty as an individual failure, revealing embedded prejudices and emotional biases. Second, representations focus on critically analyzing media and cultural portrayals that reinforce stereotypes, prompting students to recognize their own complicity in these narratives. Third, vulnerabilities connect learners with lived experiences through real-world cases and community voices, reducing “othering” and fostering a sense of shared human vulnerability.The authors conclude that sustaining discomfort within a supportive environment promotes deeper critical reflection, challenging individualistic perspectives and enabling students to engage more meaningfully with structural inequalities.