Understanding Social Inequality
- Tim Butler - King's College London, UK
- Paul Watt - Birkbeck College, UK
Moving beyond the traditional dichotomies of social theory, Understanding Social Inequality brings the study of social stratification and inequality into the 21st century. Starting with the widely agreed "fact" that the world is becoming more unequal, this book pulls together the "identity of displacement" in sociology and the "spaces of flow" of geography to show how place has become an increasingly important focus for understanding new trends in social inequality.
Understanding Social Inequality charts a path through current debates and issues that studies of social inequality cannot afford to ignore, linking the study of social and class inequality to: recent theories and theorists, such as poststructuralism and Pierre Bourdieu; new social groups, from successful middle-class gentrifiers to the "working poor"; space, place and new forms of mobility and immobility; and the increasingly globalized nature of social inequality.
Accessible and engagingly written, this book stimulates the "sociological imagination", prompting readers to link personal experiences and public issues.
This is a book that should be read by anyone interested in class, inequality, poverty and politics. Actually, probably more importantly it should be read by people who think that those things do not matter! It provides a wonderful summation of the huge amount of work on these topics that now exists and it also offers its own distinctive perspectives on a set of issues that are - despite the claims of some influential commentators - still central to the sociological enterprise and, indeed to political life.
With theoretical ease and the use of telling examples, Butler and Watt offer a clear and compelling analysis of the dynamics of social and spatial inequality in an era of globalisation. This is an invaluable resource for students and scholars in sociology, human geography and the social sciences more generally.
A very good collection of articles supported with photos, maps, graphs and various charts.
A very detailed chronology of key events and dates and 'pros and cons' boxes enabling a two sided argument towards the questions.
An excellent supplementary reader
A well written and accessiable text. Particularly strong here, and especially useful for my course, was the focus on space and inequalities within cities. The book also does a good job placing arguments within theoretical debates
One of the strongest textbook on social inequality currently on the market. It is adoptable for a range of modules on our BA (Hons.) Youth & Community Work.
need something with a more global focus. the book is also too advanced for our students, none of whom are sociology majors but would be taking the course as an elective.
This a fantastic read! Absolutely perfect for my module on understanding inequality in education. I like the emphasis on socio-economic status but with recognition that it is not the only cause of inequality. Well written and engaging.
Sage College Publishing
