Reciprocal looks: representations of inequality in Mexico

Abstract

Despite the importance of inequality in contemporary societies, the analysis of its subjective dimensions has been underestimated. However, the way individuals signify and experience it is key to understanding its causes and consequences. This article analyzes the symbolic tools with which young working class and privileged Mexicans deal with inequality on an everyday basis. It explores the representations of wealth and poverty, as well as the reciprocal constructions of the “other.” The findings suggest tensions between the structural and symbolic dimensions of inequality that challenge the subject.