“I’M NOT POOR”: BEING RELATIVELY POOR IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Delving into psycho-social dimensions of poverty, this thesis explores the lived experiences of relative poverty in Singapore with a specific focus on the shame-poverty nexus. This involves an investigation of stereotypes, differences and shame that the relatively poor feel, from the perspectives of both higher and lower-income young adults. While the poor are often perceived as powerless, they exhibit the ability to mitigate stigma, refute stereotypes as well as resist being shamed.