Gettingrealabout consumer poverty: Deep processes for transformative action

Abstract

To uncover pathways for understanding and alleviating poverty, this paper offers an alternative approach for examining the real and unseen processes of destitution and in-work poverty which shape the lives of consumers. We apply a critical realist paradigm structured around three core tenets-stratified realities, complex causations and generative structures-to surface the nuanced complexities of these issues. A critical realist lens encourages impact by focusing on the deep causes of enduring social problems and provides transformative consumer research scholars with an integrative way to work toward transformative policy action.

Towards a Bhaskarian Metatheory for Marketing Systems

“…Traditional policy and research often focus on income metrics and definitions, leading to generalized welfare and training programs. However, as Hutton et al (2022) point out, poverty's causes are not uniform but structural and diverse, varying significantly even within the same community. This insight underscores the importance of critical realism's integrative approach, which accommodates the structural variations and complexities inherent in social issues like poverty rather than relying on oversimplified, one-size-fits-all solutions.…”