In Defence of Welfare 2 brings together nearly fifty short pieces from a diverse range of social policy academics and commentators, policy makers and journalists that focus on developments in ‘welfare’ over the last five years of Coalition Government.

Snobbery matters because it is the way in which social divisions are built. In these times of growing social inequality, snobbery is becoming ever more pertinent. This book draws on literature, popular culture and autobiography as well as sociology and history to take a fresh and engaging look at this key social and cultural issue.

What’s wrong with work shows that how workers are treated has wide implications beyond the lives of workers themselves.

Recognising gender, race, class and global differences, the book considers the ways formal work is often dependent on informal work and concludes by considering what might make work better.

Dorling brings together new material alongside a selection of his most recent writing on inequality from publications including the Daily Telegraph, the Guardian, New Statesman, Financial Times and the China People’s Daily. He explores whether we have now reached ‘peak inequality’ and concludes by predicting what the future holds for Britain.

Who are universities for? argues for a large-scale shake up of how we organise higher education. It includes radical proposals for reform of the curriculum and how we admit students to higher education. Offering concrete solutions, it provides a way forward for universities to become more responsive to challenges.

Presenting a sharp critique of extreme financialization and the economics profession’s continuing blind faith in the efficient market hypothesis this book considers how our current concept of finance can be revised for the good of society.

This book explores why climate is such a challenge for political systems, even when policy solutions exist. It argues that more democracy, not less, is needed to tackle the climate crisis, and suggests practical ways forward.

Drawing on a two-year multi-platform initiative, this book by award-winning journalist and author Mary O’Hara, asks how we can overturn the portrayal of poverty once and for all. Crucially, she turns to the real experts to try to find answers – the people who live it.

Available Open Access under CC-BY-NC licence. Reports on the innovative, transdisciplinary co-production on sustainable urbanisation undertaken by Mistra Urban Futures, a highly influential research centre based in Sweden (2010-19), this book makes a significant contribution to evolving theory about comparative urban research.

Pat Thomson takes on England’s muddled education system and exposes fraudulent and unethical practices, including the skewing of the curriculum and manipulation of results. She argues for an urgent review of current practices, leading to a revitalised education system that has the public good at its heart.

Drawing on Roma community voices and expert research, this book challenges conventional discourses on Romani identity, poverty and exclusion. Through the transformative vehicle of a ‘Social Europe’, it presents new strategies for framing social justice for Romani communities across Europe and provides innovative solutions to these dilemmas.

Written by an expert on constitutional law and human rights, this accessible book explores how human rights, democracy and the rule of law can be protected during a pandemic and how emergency powers can best be ended once it wanes.