Poverty, inequality and social justice

In a world marked by political and economic uncertainty, debt appears to be a constant, an enormous dark cloud weighing upon our lives. We are always in debt, struggling to make ends meet, maintain repayments, and balance the books. In the wake of financial crash of 2008 debt was big news and many imagined the Read More

In this podcast we’re telling Alex’s story, about debt, grief and loss, and how life can spiral out of control. This is the second in a series of podcasts that examines what life is like for families stuck in problem debt. The stories are taken from Life in the Debt Trap by Sorcha Mahony and Larissa Read More

Not for the first time the issue of post A-level results applications to university is in the news, this time as a promise from Labour that it would introduce such a scheme. Norman Gowar, co-author of English Universities in Crisis, highlights how this change would improve participation. Arguments against are familiar and seem feeble: lack Read More

What is life like for families who are stuck in problem debt? Why do they fall into a spiral of debt in the first place, and why is it so hard to escape? This podcast tells Stella’s story, about debt and isolation, and the impact that debt has across the whole family. This is the Read More

What matters most in how poverty shapes children’s wellbeing and development? How can data inform social policy and approaches to improving outcomes for poorer children? What makes evidence useful? Young Lives has contributed powerful findings on the multiple impacts of poverty on the young. Using life course analysis from the Young Lives study of 12,000 Read More

Does the practice of hiring nannies and au pairs challenge inequalities in and between families, or does it reproduce them? Sara Eldén and Terese Anving, the authors of the first book in the Sociology of Children and Families series, Nanny Families: Practices of Care by Nannies, Au Pairs, Parents and Children in Sweden, answer this Read More

Extra-curricular activities are crucial for nurturing children’s ‘softer’ skills outside the classroom. However, our recent Social Mobility Commission report highlights a dearth of opportunities for young people in some communities, meaning many will spend the next six weeks with little to do. Extra-curricular activities have made it onto the government’s agenda in recent months. Activities Read More

It is that time of year again when we are out at conferences, meeting our authors, editors, readers and making new connections. At these events, we’re often asked about becoming Bristol University Press and where Policy Press now fits. When we launched Policy Press (PP) in 1996, our very first conference was the Social Policy Read More

Can financial systems restore social and economic justice in societies? This short video, adapted from Good Finance by Vedat Akgiray, introduces the book and begins to explore ways in which our current concept of finance can be revised for the good of society. Good Finance, by Vedat Akgiray is available on the Policy Press website. Order here Read More

Sharing means saving future generations; if we offer better education, children can grow up to be good human beings, making a positive contribution to the world. When my best friend was 11, he dropped out of school to work. He spent his money on drinking, gambling and smoking. I was lucky, my father encouraged me to study. …Read more