Difference, Disparity and Inequality

[Kevin Cooper]

Just looking at the Edexcel Getting Started Guide for Unequal Spaces and it says "create clear definitions of appropriate terms such as disparity, difference and inequality, etc." (p.45). Have to confess I'm struggling with that - anyone got any ideas? - in English language terms they seem to me to mean the same thing, except perhaps difference is not necessarily qualitative (red is different to blue) whereas disparity and inequality suggest one thing is more than the other, not just different? But as a geologist, perhaps I have missed out on some subtlety in the use of these terms by human geographers?

[Simon O]

I think they are synonyms as used here (as a geologist, you might be interested in the subtly extended meaning that difference can have in cultural geography, as a concept derived from the writing of Derrida - see http://web.utk.edu/~misty/Derrida376.html). But for this Unit, I think they are all ways of saying 'uneven'. A 'clear' account of inequality might be one that mentions mean, median & range of incomes perhaps? Ask Dave Holmes what he thinks!

[Kevin Cooper]

Thanks Simon - hoped you might post a reply.

That's fine.

I was interested to try and make sense of the philosophical link you kindly provided - think I agree with what it's saying (don't think we'll refer to it in the CGP revision guide...!)

Much appreciated,

Kevin

[Alan Parkinson]

Thanks for this Simon