Engaging systematically with severe forms of poverty in Europe, this important book stimulates academic, public and policy debate by shedding light on aspects of deprivation and exclusion of people in absolute poverty in affluent societies. It examines issues such as access to health care, housing and nutrition, poverty related shame, and violence.

The book investigates different policy and civic responses to extreme poverty, ranging from food donations to penalisation and “social cleansing” of highly visible poor and how it is related to concerns of ethics, justice and human dignity.

Helmut P Gaisbauer is Senior Scientist at the Centre for Ethics and Poverty Research, Salzburg University, with research interests in normative philosophy and political theory. He is also President of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Social Ethics in Salzburg.

Gottfried Schweiger is Senior Scientist at the Centre for Ethics and Poverty Research, University of Salzburg. He works in social and political philosophy.

Clemens Sedmak is Professor of social ethics and holds a joint appointment in the Keough School of Global Affairs and the Center for Social Concerns at the University of Notre Dame. He is also the FM Schmölz OP Professor for Social Ethics and Head of the Centre for Ethics and Poverty Research, University of Salzburg.