Discourses supporting socio-economic inequality in Kenya, Mexico and the United Kingdom

Abstract

© 2016 Intellect Ltd Dossier. Socio-economic inequalities are often studied at the country or local level, which offers insight into local dynamics and perceptions. This article considers discourses of inequality within and between countries, enabling a consideration of the web of connections between places and ideas. The three studied countries are spread along a continuum, with varying national wealth and diverse regional locations: Kenya, Mexico and the United Kingdom. This international comparative approach identifies some key discursive ways of supporting inequality that persist in diverse neo-liberal settings. Specific discursive devices include the focus on personal aspirations, opportunities, denial of problems, discrediting alternatives and framing inequality as being natural.