Exploring economic inequality with critical qualitative approaches in psychology

This editorial introduces our special issue showcasing how qualitative research methods can be used in psychological research to explore economic inequality. Economic and class-based inequalities are global problems that have a negative impact on people’s well-being. The papers within the special issue demonstrate how differing methodological approaches such as discursive psychology, thematic analysis, and interpretative phenomenological analysis can be utilised to offer insights into the complexity of economic inequality as a social justice issue. Qualitative methods allow researchers to examine the social and cultural nuances of inequality with a critical lens in differing contexts. Within the special issue, economic inequality can be viewed intersectionally as qualitative methods allow the researcher to provide an in-depth and nuanced analysis. Taking a critical qualitative approach, this special issue shows how individualistic, neoliberal and meritocratic arguments are used to justify and maintain harmful class-based inequalities and offer opportunities to better understand and challenge them.