Social Class in the 21st Century

Date: Monday 2 November 2015
Time: 6.30-8pm
Venue: Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speakers: Dr Niall Cunningham, Professor Fiona Devine, Dr Sam Friedman, Dr Daniel Laurison, Dr Lisa McKenzie, Professor Mike Savage, Dr Helene Snee, Dr Paul Wakeling
Chair: Professor Nicola Lacey

A fresh take on social class from the experts behind the BBC's 'Great British Class Survey'. Social class has re-emerged as a topic of enormous scholarly and public attention. In this new book, Social Class in the 21st Century, Mike Savage and the team of sociologists responsible for the Great British Class Survey report their definitive findings and propose a new way of thinking about social class in Britain today. The book presents the ideas and facts behind their new conceptualization of class: a new British class system composed of seven classes that reflect the unequal distribution of three kinds of capital: economic (inequalities in income and wealth); social (the different kinds of people we know) and cultural (the ways in which our leisure and cultural preferences are exclusive). This book looks beyond labels to explore how and why our society is changing and what this means for the people who find themselves in the margins as well as in the centre.

Niall Cunningham is Lecturer in Geography at Durham University.

Fiona Devine is Head of Manchester Business School and Professor of Sociology.

Sam Friedman (@SamFriedmanSoc) is Assistant Professor in Sociology at LSE.

Daniel Laurison (@Daniel_Laurison) is Post-doctoral Fellow in Sociology at LSE.

Lisa Mckenzie (@redrumlisa) is LSE Fellow in Sociology at LSE.

Mike Savage (@MikeSav47032563) is Martin White Professor of Sociology and Co-Director of the International Inequalities Institute at LSE.

Helene Snee (@HeleneSnee) is Lecturer in Sociology at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Paul Wakeling (@pbjwakeling) is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Education at the University of York.

Nicola Lacey is School Professor of Law, Gender and Social Policy, attached to the Departments of Law and Social Policy and to the Gender Institute at LSE.

The Department of Sociology at LSE (@LSEsociology) was established in 1904 and remains committed to top quality teaching and leading research and scholarship today.

The new International Inequalities Institute at LSE (@LSEInequalities) brings together experts from many LSE departments and centres to lead critical and cutting edge research to understand why inequalities are escalating in numerous arenas across the world, and to develop critical tools to address these challenges.

The LSE press release for the publication Social Class in the 21st Century can found found at Britain needs a new approach to class if inequalities are to be addressed.