The Teenage Dad' and 'Slum Mums' are 'Just Certain People I know': Counter hegemonic representations of the working / under class in the works of Morrissey

The “understandable preoccupation” with Morrissey’s sexuality has seen “other forms of social identity” which inform his body of work, particularly social class, being neglected to a certain extent (Coulter 2010:160). In this chapter I examine Morrissey’s representation of the working / underclass in an era where neo-liberalism and the ideology of personal responsibility have obtained a global hegemonic or dominant position. My particular interest in Morrissey’s creative work lies in wider sociological debates around the continuing relevance and representations of social class. This chapter will document how Morrissey has continuously dealt with the “hidden injuries of class” that characterise contemporary society (Coulter 2005:6). Ultimately, the chapter will demonstrate that Morrissey’s work presents a counter narrative / alternative lens with which to critically examine the hegemonic neo-liberal view of the working / underclass