SOCIAL SCIENCE / Social Classes & Economic Disparity

Education is seen as central to social mobility and equality and, following a drive to raise learners’ aspirations, an ‘aspiration industry’ has emerged. This book traces education policy developments and argues that for learners to have aspirations that do not require qualifications should be regarded as different, not wrong.

In this book, Sarah Kerr explains that we live in a state of ‘wealtherty’, characterised by the hyper-concentration of wealth and a stark distinction between the rich and the poor. In pursuit of social and economic justice, she argues that we need to stop talking about poverty and start addressing the social and political problems caused by wealth.

With new commentary, Austerity Bites 10 Years On assesses on the true scale of the damage austerity policies have inflicted on the country’s most vulnerable groups, public institutions and on the wider society, reflecting on where we have been, where we are now and what needs to happen next to undo the damage and avoid the same mistakes again.

People in the top 10% of earners often drive politics, the public conversation and much of the private sector. This book draws attention to this potentially powerful section of society and explains why it is in their interest that inequality is reduced.

Drawing on student experiences and the perspectives of senior leaders, this book challenges orthodox thinking about school exclusion and advocates for a fairer education system for disadvantaged students.

Capitalism only celebrates success, and it can be difficult to know what to do when it is confronted with failure. This book explores what happens when people go broke, and what the experience of bankruptcy and insolvency is like up close.

Integrating marginalised perspectives into the curriculum and discourse, this indispensable textbook amplifies under-represented voices in the field and paves the way for a more inclusive and comprehensive understanding of tort law.

Drawing on unique new research gathered from three contrasting secondary schools in England, this book explores the aspirations, opportunities and experiences of young people from different social-class backgrounds against a backdrop of continuing inequalities in education.

Despite the high aspirations of young people from disadvantaged communities, they face barriers that are frustrating the realisation of their educational ambitions. This book analyses the ‘left-behind’ phenomenon and explains how denied educational equality undermines social cohesion and what we can do about it.

Considering food consumption in a wider social context, this book offers an alternative understanding of class relations, which extends academic, political and public debates about privilege.

Inequality is an ever-present danger in our society. This book addresses the nexus between the lived experience of inequality and how it shapes political responses. It offers a powerful examination of how the politics of the UK and the lived experiences of its residents have been reframed in the first decades of the 21st century.