Presentation by Neil Simcock at 2017 RGS-IBG Annual International Conference, in the session 'Governance, energy and injustice'

1. “Some people are really poor and
some of them are lazy”: the role of
(mis)recognition in the experience and
reproduction of energy poverty
Neil Simcock
University of Manchester
With thanks to Jan Frankowski, Sergio Tirado Herrero, Stefan Bouzarovski, Saska
Petrova, Harriet Thomson

2. Misrecognition:
Lack of due respect for persons’
identities, circumstances and dignity in
socio-cultural systems of meaning and
value

3. Misrecognition as a form of injustice
– Psychological and emotional harm
“The integrity of human subjects … depends on their
receiving of approval or respect from others”1
– Impairment of participation in society
Misrecognition as “the foundation of distributive
injustice”2
1 Honneth, A (1992) Integrity and disrespect: Principles of morality based on the theory of recognition. Political
Theory, 2(2), p.188
2 Schlosberg, D (2007) Defining Environmental Justice. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p.14

4. Mechanisms of misrecognition
Rooted in language and images; everyday interactions; state
policies, definitions and categorisations
3 Fraser, N (1995) From Redistribution to Recognition? Dilemmas of Justice in a 'Post-Socialist' Age. New Left
Review, 212, p.71.
Image: Bunnyfrosch / CC-BY-SA-3.0; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NancyFraser.JPG
Non-recognition: “being rendered
invisible”3
Disrespect: “being routinely maligned
or disparaged in stereotypic public
cultural representations and/or in
everyday life interactions”3

5. Aims and Method
Aim: to understand the role of misrecognition in the production
and experience of energy poverty
• How are energy poor households represented and valued in the
policy arena and wider society?
Poland case study:
• 30 ‘elite’ interviews with
decision-makers & experts
• Repeat interviews with 25
households in Gdansk,
Poland

6. Energy poverty: an ‘invisible’ problem
among policy actors
In my view, energy poverty is
a matter for social policy
rather than energy policy
Official in Polish Ministry of Economy
[Energy poverty] is only
considered a real problem in
the medium to long term
Expert at Institute for Structural Research
[Political parties] don’t
understand … They like
direct solutions and do not
apply complex solutions
Representative at Polish Climate Coalition

7. Disrespect: the political stigmatisation of
(energy) poverty in Poland
Economic transformation to capitalism has proceeded
along neoliberal lines4
Stigmatisation as a tool of neoliberal governance:5
• Poverty as an individual failing; ‘deserving’ v.
‘undeserving’
Direct impact on energy poverty amelioration policies:
• Stringent means-testing of ‘energy benefits’
• Measures to “avoid cheating” by households
4 Stenning, A., Smith, A., Rochovská, A., Świątek, D., 2010. Domesticating Neo-Liberalism: Spaces of Economic
Practice and Social Reproduction in Post-Socialist Cities. Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester.
5 Tyler, I. (2013) Revolting Subjects. Zed Books

8. Household discourses of misrecognition
Non-recognition
• Energy poverty not a term that
resonated
• Limited understanding of
causes of energy bill struggles
Disrespect
• Stigmatisation of the
‘undeserving’ poor – and thus
of energy poverty
• Stigmatisation of welfare
There are people who do
not pay [their energy bills],
but because of laziness,
omission
GD019, Single female, early 40s, 2 children
People are ashamed
[of welfare], because
it somehow proves
helplessness
GD009, Male, early 60s

9. Household responses to misrecognition
• No ‘self-recognition’ of
hardship
• Avoidance of welfare
• Shame
• Legitimisation of inequality
and austerity
I don’t apply [for welfare
benefits] … I prefer not to
have than to ask for help
GD019, Single female , mid-50s
I feel like a pauper
Why should the government
support those who have
trouble paying bills?
GD016, Male, ~40
GD020, Single male, early-30s

10. Concluding thoughts (1)
• The energy poor face a double misrecognition in Poland
– Non-recognition: their situation is largely invisible in
policy and wider society
– Disrespect: stigmatised as lazy and wasteful
If local governments do not
recognize [energy poverty],
‘regular people’ do not recognize
[it] as a separate problem – they
see it as ‘general poverty’
Representative at the Institute of Public Affairs
• The way policy-makers
talk and act has impacted
on public awareness,
attitudes and discourses

11. Distributional
injustice
Misrecognition
Energy poverty
a target of
misrecognition
• Non-recognition means
policies are simplistic
and poorly targeted
• Disrespect legitimises
inequality & reduces
household inclination
seek support
Unequal attainment of
energy services
Non-recognition &
disrespect of energy poor
Concluding thoughts (2)

12. Thank you for listening
urban-energy.org
neil.simcock@manchester.ac.uk
@neilnds
@curemanchester