Poverty and Inequality

A data-rich, evidence-based analysis of the impact Labour and coalition government policies following the financial crisis, with particular focus on poverty and inequality, by leading policy experts from the LSE, and Universities of Manchester and York.

As New Labour approaches the end of an unprecedented third term in office, this bestselling book asks whether Britain is more equal than it was in 1997. This second volume, following on from the highly successful "A more equal society?", provides an independent assessment of the success or otherwise of New Labour's policies. 

'For whose benefit?' explores how those at the sharp end of welfare reform experience changes to the benefit system. It looks at how the rights and responsibilities of citizenship are experienced on the ground, and whether the welfare state still offers meaningful protection and security to those who rely upon it.

This book synthesises the challenges of researching everyday life for families on low incomes during the COVID-19 pandemic to improve future policy and practice.

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.

Offering a perceptive study of the urgent human rights issue of trafficking in persons, this important book analyses the development and effectiveness of public policies across Eurasia.

Three leading sociologists examine Italy’s regime of poverty and the frequently misunderstood context of familialism in this in-depth study. With analysis of poverty’s roots and development and modern trends including the migrant ‘new poor’, it adds European perspectives for a better understanding of a persistent crisis.

This book offers a holistic view of Julio Boltvinik’s vast and important work on poverty conceptualisation and measurement. It provides the foundations, application and empirical examples of Boltvinik’s Integrated Poverty Measurement Method, which could potentially transform poverty narratives globally as it has done in Mexico.

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.

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.

Based on more than 30 case studies in eight different countries, this book explores the governance dynamics of local social innovations in the field of poverty reduction, illustrating how different governance dynamics and welfare mixes enable or hinder poverty reduction strategies.

A critical analysis of the domino effect of neoliberalism and austerity on social work. Applying theory including those of Bourdieu and Wacquant to practice, it argues that social work should return to a focus on relational and community approaches.