Social Class in Europe: New Inequalities in the Old World

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Over the last ten years - especially with the 'no' votes in the French and Dutch referendums in 2010, and the victory for Brexit in 2016 - the issue of Europe has been placed at the centre of major political conflicts. Each of these crises has revealed profound splits in society, which are represented in terms of an opposition between those countries on the losing and those on the winning sides of globalisation. Inequalities beyond those between nations are critically absent from the debate. Based on major European statistical surveys, the new research in this work presents a map of social classes inspired by Pierre Bourdieu's sociology. It reveals the common features of the working class, the intermediate class and the privileged class in Europe. National features combine with social inequalities, through an account of the social distance between specific groups in nations in the North and in the countries of the South and East of Europe. The book ends with a reflection on the conditions that would be required for the emergence of a Europe-wide social movement.

Reviews

Three sociologists analyse the European social structure, looking at the implications of the economic and political integration that has taken shape on the continent. Their approach provides new opportunities for the study of inequalities. The book seeks to provide an overview of inequalities between socioeconomic groups with regard to working conditions, income, education, cultural practices and international mobility. In doing so, it establishes itself as a highly valuable resource on account of the large number of statistics it provides. The abundance of studies cited across a wide range of fields and the concrete illustrations of the phenomena described also make it a useful reference work for all those interested in matters of social classes and inequalities in Europe. -- Milan Bouchet-Valat * booksandideas.net *

Author Bio

Cdric Hugre, sociologist, studies social and educational inequalities in France and in Europe. He has written Sociologie des classes populaires (with Ph. Alonzo in 2010), a book that offers an overview of the scholars that created the "working class" category in France.

Etienne Pnissat, sociologist, works on social classes and trade unionism. He has edited several books published by Agone, including Rprimer et domestiquer. Stratgies patronales (2013) et Porte-parole, militants et organisations (2015).

Alexis Spire, sociologist, works on inequalities and tax compliance. He has published 8 books, four of them single authored, including Etrangers la carte, (Grasset, 2005) and Rsistance l'impt, attachement l'Etat, (Seuil, 2018) about social classes and taxation policies.