Gendering ‘The Hidden Injuries of Class’ and In-Work Poverty in Britain

Spellman, Cat; McBride, Jo

Abstract

This paper argues for the need to reconsider the usefulness of the concept of ‘The Hidden Injuries of Class’ established in Sennett and Cobb’s (1972) classic study. Here, we develop its use, complemented by feminist theory, to encapsulate the nuanced experiences of women. It is used as an investigative lens to help understand the individualised positions of working-class women in the UK who are in employment, but still depend on food banks to feed themselves and their families. Using an ethnographic qualitative approach, we identify various emotional impacts of in-work poverty that women encounter and the coping strategies they adopt to preserve their self-dignity when facing hardship. Our evidence demonstrates how the use of food banks, and the plight of in-work poverty is experienced by working-class women. We explore how they confront a complex internalised conflict heavily impacted by the classed and gendered structures that characterise their realities, manifesting in guilt and shame but also resilience allied by the food banks and volunteers that support them.

Citation

Spellman, C., & McBride, J. (2023). Gendering ‘The Hidden Injuries of Class’ and In-Work Poverty in Britain. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2023(1), https://doi.org/10.5465/amproc.2023.290bp

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 1, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Jul 24, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023-08
• Deposit Date: Nov 21, 2023
• Journal: Academy of Management Proceedings
• Print ISSN: 0065-0668
• Electronic ISSN: 2151-6561
• Publisher: Academy of Management
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 2023
• Issue: 1
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.5465/amproc.2023.290bp
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1945774