Open AccessAlienation: A useful concept for health inequality research
Author(s) -
Emil Øversveen,
Conor Andre Kelly
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.953
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1651-1905
pISSN - 1403-4948
DOI - 10.1177/14034948221085394
Subject(s) - alienation , social inequality , inequality , marxist philosophy , sociology , social determinants of health , health equity , social class , positive economics , social psychology , psychology , health care , political science , economics , economic growth , law , politics , mathematical analysis , mathematics
While Marxist class analysis has strongly influenced the development of health inequality research, other aspects of Marx's theory have received less attention. Among the most relevant of Marx's theoretical contributions for social inequalities in health is the theory of alienation. As empirical applications of the theory of alienation are currently scarce, the purpose of this commentary is to invigorate interest in alienation theory within the field of health inequality research by demonstrating its potential to illuminate the relationship between social inequality, psycho-social affects and health outcomes.