Aporophobia

Aporophobia (from the Spanish aporofobia, and this from the Ancient Greek ἄπορος (áporos), 'without resources, indigent, poor,' and φόβος (phobos), 'hatred' or 'aversion')[1][2] is the systematic rejection, aversion, and discriminatory attitudes directed toward individuals experiencing poverty or economic disadvantage. This concept, formalized by Spanish philosopher Adela Cortina in the 1990s, describes a particular form of social prejudice that targets people not primarily due to their ethnic background, nationality, or other identity markers, but specifically because of their lack of economic resources and perceived social powerlessness.[3] Aporophobia manifests itself in negative emotional reactions, including disgust, hostility, and fear, towards those who are economically marginalized.

The word povertyism is also used, in the field of international law, to denote this form of discrimination against people living in poverty.[4]

Conceptualization

The concept of aporophobia is used by media outlets and professionals.[5] Aporophobia is the hatred, fear, and rejection of poor people. Poverty is a circumstantial characteristic of human life and is in no way part of one's identity. Poverty is not a permanent condition of human beings, but rather an undesirable and unjust situation, but one that can be overcome.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ Fundéu BBVA (18 December 2014). "Aporofobia, neologismo válido". fundeu.es. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  2. ^ Guerrero, Gloria. «Aporofobia, f.», Martes Neológico, Instituto Cervantes. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  3. ^ «El Imán pide a la RAE que acepte el término aporofobia.» La Voz de Galicia. 31 de agosto de 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Make poverty discrimination illegal like racism or sexism, official to tell UN". the Guardian. 2022-10-26. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  5. ^ "Aporofobia, cuando odiar al pobre es delito". Diario ABC (in Spanish). 2014-09-20. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
  6. ^ "¿Por qué los hinchas del PSV tienen aporofobia?". El Mundo (in Spanish). 2016-03-17. Retrieved 2025-10-11.

Bibliography

Look up aporophobia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
  • Cortina, Adela (2017). Aporofobia, el rechazo al pobre. Barcelona: Paidós. (in Spanish).
  • Cortina, Adela (2022). Aporophobia: Why We Reject the Poor Instead of Helping Them. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691205526.
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