Inequalities and Differences

Outline some examples of differences and inequalities that can be seen on a street that you know, drawing on what you have learnt from the DD102 module materials and your work and tutor feedback from TMA 01

Inequalities are exemplified by the unequal apportioning of social resources, valued in society, between different groups of people. That difference could be age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality or class. Keeping these definitions in mind, there is not too stark a contrast in the differences and equalities seen on Church Street, Inverness when comparing it to City Road, Cardiff. This essay will highlight some of those differences and equalities when comparing these two streets.

Differences can be seen on Church Street throughout the day and into the evening, exactly as we see on City Road. During the day we see different groups of people using both streets, from families to individuals, various ethnicities, different sexualities, young and old, people going to work and people seeking work. The one thing present in Church Street that I didn’t see evidence of on City Road were intoxicated adults, congregating outside pubs and loitering in doorways, unfortunately not uncommon on Church Street. Typically these people are unemployed and have a reduced income as a result.

Inequalities and differences are apparent in both streets. In City Road we see people choosing to shop at Islamic relief for their clothing. In Church Street there are a number of charity shops. These types of shops are more commonly visited by people with a low income, unable to pay the prices of the high street stores.

There is also a restaurant in Church Street which is primarily staffed by volunteers. The initiative behind this venture was that so many people were unemployed and unable to gain experience in hospitality therefore could not progress. This venture allows them to gain meaningful experience whilst providing a great service to the community.