Knowledge of the everyday: Confronting the causes of health inequalities

This chapter challenges the dearth of sociological and political analysis within the health inequalities field, which, the authors argue, is facilitating the current behavioural bias of research, arguing that health inequalities researchers need to pay more attention to the voices of those whose health is most severely affected by inequalities in power and resources. Second, the chapter demonstrates how the analysis of the causal pathways generating and sustaining health inequalities could be enhanced through the more sophisticated application of social theories that help draw attention to the politics of health inequalities. Third, it highlights the importance of solidarity and collective action as strategies to reduce health inequalities. The chapter concludes by encouraging health inequalities researchers to work harder at helping the voices of those bearing the ‘weight of the world’ to be heard: creating a citizen social science that builds ‘thicker’ knowledge and understanding about health inequalities.