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Human agency and social suffering

Frost, Liz; Hoggett, Paul

Authors

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Liz Frost Elizabeth.Frost@uwe.ac.uk
Associate Professor in Social Work

Paul Hoggett



Abstract

In this paper the authors are primarily exploring the notion of social suffering within a psychosocial paradigm. A brief outline of Bourdieu's concept of social suffering, and a similarly concise explication of the psychosocial subject as contemporarily theorized are given. The central section of the paper looks at some understandings of social suffering that are experienced internally as well as within structural inequalities and power relations. The concept of hurt is considered, offering the internalized injuries of class as an example. Loss is then examined in relation to the severing of, for example, communities and the losses of social recognition and internal esteem. The complex concept of double suffering, in which hurt accrues more hurt and is re-experienced, is then discussed. The welfare subject of contemporary policy and practice is, finally, briefly revisited. © 2008 IEEE.

Citation

Frost, L., & Hoggett, P. (2008). Human agency and social suffering. Critical Social Policy, 28(4), 438-460. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261018308095279

Journal Article Type Conference Paper
Publication Date Oct 13, 2008
Journal Critical Social Policy
Print ISSN 0261-0183
Electronic ISSN 1461-703X
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Not Peer Reviewed
Volume 28
Issue 4
Pages 438-460
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/0261018308095279
Keywords psychosocial, Bourdieu, hurt, social suffering, recognition
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1008381
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0261018308095279