Relative Deprivation Theory

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Townsend (1987, p. 125) defined relative deprivation “as a state of observable and demonstrable disadvantage, relative to the local community or the wider society or nation to which an individual, family or group belongs.” The study has used relative deprivation focusing on an area-based deprivation in relation to inequities in clean water supply and basic sanitation and social outcomes. The study provides a critique of Townsend’s concept of relative deprivation and area-based deprivation through critical, structural analysis and suggested alternatives to give social justice a better chance. The study takes relative deprivation as a very important theory to use because the study examines people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviour as a way of understanding and dealing with their emotional or mental problems. Relative deprivation is therefore, underscored by feelings of despair, frustration, grievance and hunger. Some scholars conceived of relative deprivation as an emotion, rather than a perception (Crosby, 1979, p. 109). …show more content…

Deprivation is a condition that applies to all underprivileged people and that the concept of relative deprivation has important consequences for both behaviour and attitudes, including feelings of stress, political attitudes and participate in collective action (Bayert, 1999). The ecological model emphasizes on how the conditions of social, cultural, political, built and natural environments greatly affect human health (Lawrence, 1999& 2000; Tsouros and Barton, 2000 in OPHA,

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