Shildrick, T, MacDonald, R and Furlong, A (2016) Not single spies but in battalions: a critical, sociological engagement with the idea of so-called ‘Troubled Families’. Sociological Review, 64 (4). pp. 821-836. ISSN 0038-0261
Abstract
Recent political and popular discourses in the UK have drawn upon a range of different concepts and powerful and easily recalled sound bites to describe groups who are disadvantaged and who are portrayed as undeserving. The labelling of disadvantaged groups in negative terms and in order to support punitive policies has a long history and not just in the UK. From the racialised ‘underclass’ discourses popular in the US to the recent discourse around ‘Troubled Families’ in the UK, there is a long tradition of labelling disadvantaged groups in such ways that they are alleged to be poor because of their dysfunctional cultures, anti-social behaviours and destructive family life-styles. Drawing on interviews collected with different generations of deeply disadvantaged families we offer one of the first, empirical, sociological accounts of the problems and troubles that some families can face – over decades and over generations. We use this empirical case study by way of illustrating how these negative discourses successfully pave the way for punitive policy interventions and how they also have implications for how disadvantaged groups are treated and for personal wellbeing.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2016, Wiley. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: "Shildrick, T., MacDonald, R. and Furlong, A. (2016), Not single spies but in battalions: a critical, sociological engagement with the idea of so-called ‘Troubled Families’. The Sociological Review, 64: 821–836. doi: 10.1111/1467-954X.12425" which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-954X.12425. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving. |
Keywords: | 'Troubled families'; poverty; 'undeserving poor' |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Education, Social Sciences and Law (Leeds) > School of Sociology and Social Policy (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 19 Oct 2016 09:53 |
Last Modified: | 18 Oct 2017 14:59 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-954X.12425 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/1467-954X.12425 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:106186 |