The Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of national lockdowns has generated significant chan... more The Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of national lockdowns has generated significant changes in the citizenry's material realities. Although the efficacy of lockdown is yet to be determined, emerging evidence points to a rise in unintended harms, such as increased child abuse and neglect. Indeed, reported incidences of child abuse in many countries across the world have increased as at-risk children are confined to their dwelling for significant periods of time with a violent perpetrator. Drawing on recently developed theories that indicate a mediated causal link between childhood trauma and a commitment to violent behaviour in later life, particularly in young men, this article claims lockdown may be an unintended ‘violence generating mechanism’ that might potentially manifest itself in increased violent outbursts in the future. First, the article briefly outlines how lockdowns have impacted upon societies. It then explores the statistical upsurge in child abuse and neg...
This chapter extends the zemiological gaze into contemporary labour markets to contemplate harm w... more This chapter extends the zemiological gaze into contemporary labour markets to contemplate harm within the service economy. Data drawn from an ethnographic study of service work complements an ultra-realist framework and explores connections between the depth structures of neoliberal global capital, transformed working environments and subjectivity. Ultra-realism provides an explanatory frame for absences as well as presences; the absence of stability, protection and ethical obligation to the other characterise occupations organised around targets, productivity and affective labour. Under these conditions, systemic and subjective harms are visible, raising questions about both the normal functioning of a sector essential to the service of consumer capitalism and the working experiences of young people negotiating a path towards adulthood whilst engaged in stressful, insecure and low-paid work.
In recent years, labour markets have been characterised by stagnant wages, reduced incomes and gr... more In recent years, labour markets have been characterised by stagnant wages, reduced incomes and growing insecurity supplemented by the ongoing proliferation of outstanding payment obligations at almost all levels of economy and society. We draw upon current debates in social and economic theory to explore the disconnect between the deterioration of late capitalism’s distributive measures and the relative vitality of consumer cultures, suggesting that the latter relies substantially on immaterial, credit-based payment means to bridge the gap between the fundamental fantasy of ‘more and better’ and the decline of material productivity denoted by base rate of profit. We then use this disconnect as a breach-point for an in-depth interdisciplinary discussion of the substantive and ideological function of credit.
ABSTRACT Deindustrialization wrought socio-economic and cultural change throughout the UK, Wester... more ABSTRACT Deindustrialization wrought socio-economic and cultural change throughout the UK, Western Europe and the USA. Within some deindustrialized zones, multiple indices of deprivation rise significantly which presents complex and interrelated social problems including poverty, unemployment, poor quality private rented housing, complex physical and mental health problems, and crime. The austerity agenda further exacerbates these problems, cuts local support services, and further entrenches the myriad issues embedded in post-industrial communities. This paper draws on a funded research project in a deindustrialized town in the North East of England designed to measure the impact of migration on the settled community. The project found advantages to inward migration alongside increased community tension where poor neighbourhoods yet to recover from long-term deindustrialization saw a rapid increase of international migrants. These tensions represent competition for scarce resources amongst the fragmented multi-ethnic working class trying to get by in areas of “permanent recession”.
International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of both the Covid-19 pandemic an... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of both the Covid-19 pandemic and UK lockdown for the social, political and economic future of the UK. Drawing on primary data obtained during the lockdown and the theoretical concepts of transcendental materialism and the “event”, the paper discusses the strength of participants' attachment to the “old normal” and their dreams of a “new normal”.Design/methodology/approachThis paper utilises a semi-structured online survey (n = 305) with UK residents and Facebook forum debates collected during the lockdown period in the UK.FindingsThe findings in this paper suggest that while the lockdown suspended daily routines and provoked participants to reflect upon their consumption habits and the possibility of an alternative future, many of our respondents remained strongly attached to elements of pre-lockdown normality. Furthermore, the individual impetus for change was not matched by the structures and mechanisms holding ...
ABSTRACT International migration has a consistently high profile within national and internationa... more ABSTRACT International migration has a consistently high profile within national and international politics with increased focus on measurement and quantification of migrant numbers, impact on services and contribution to local, regional and national economies. However, the absence of consistency within definitions, categorisations and measurement of international migration and migrant populations create challenges and barriers to both understanding the needs of migrant communities but also the provision of adequate services within specific geographical areas. This paper will present findings from a project designed to map the impact of migration on a settled community within a Local Authority (LA) in the North East of England. As the project encountered routine inconsistencies around definitions, categorisations and measurement of migration within the LA area, this paper demonstrates the complexity of trying to ‘measure’ migration on the ground and while consistency in measurement is key to accurate data, we conclude with an ethical question about the rationale for collecting data on migrant populations.
The Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of national lockdowns has generated significant chan... more The Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of national lockdowns has generated significant changes in the citizenry's material realities. Although the efficacy of lockdown is yet to be determined, emerging evidence points to a rise in unintended harms, such as increased child abuse and neglect. Indeed, reported incidences of child abuse in many countries across the world have increased as at-risk children are confined to their dwelling for significant periods of time with a violent perpetrator. Drawing on recently developed theories that indicate a mediated causal link between childhood trauma and a commitment to violent behaviour in later life, particularly in young men, this article claims lockdown may be an unintended 'violence generating mechanism' that might potentially manifest itself in increased violent outbursts in the future. First, the article briefly outlines how lockdowns have impacted upon societies. It then explores the statistical upsurge in child abuse...
This article explicates the harms associated with deindustrialization in Teesside in the North Ea... more This article explicates the harms associated with deindustrialization in Teesside in the North East of England in the context of neoliberalism. Drawing on in-depth qualitative interviews (n = 25), the article explores how ongoing industrial collapse, typified by Sahaviriya Steel Industries’ (SSI) closure in 2015, has generated various harms. First, the article examines industrialism’s socioeconomic security and stability. It then explores the negative impact of SSI’s closure in 2015, including a sense of loss and unemployment. Next, it demonstrates how the absence of economic stability produces harmful outcomes, namely insecurity, mental health problems and bleak visions of the future. The article concludes by casting industrial ruination as an impediment to human flourishing; the normal functioning of capitalism represents a “negative motivation to harm” that prevents the stability and security necessary for individual and collective flourishing.
International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 2020
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of both the Covid-19 pandemic ... more Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of both the Covid-19 pandemic and UK lockdown for the social, political and economic future of the UK. Drawing on primary data obtained during the lockdown and the theoretical concepts of transcendental materialism and the "event", the paper discusses the strength of participants' attachment to the "old normal" and their dreams of a "new normal". Design/methodology/approach-This paper utilises a semi-structured online survey (n 5 305) with UK residents and Facebook forum debates collected during the lockdown period in the UK. Findings: The findings in this paper suggest that while the lockdown suspended daily routines and provoked participants to reflect upon their consumption habits and the possibility of an alternative future, many of our respondents remained strongly attached to elements of pre-lockdown normality. Furthermore, the individual impetus for change was not matched by t...
This is an introduction to the articles submitted to the special issue of Trends in Organized Cri... more This is an introduction to the articles submitted to the special issue of Trends in Organized Crime on ‘Illegal Labour Practices, Trafficking and Exploitation’. The aim of the special issue is to draw together empirical research findings and theoretical accounts on the wider context to illegal labour and exploitation that has implications for identification, detection, prevention and regulation.
Purpose-This paper aims to explore 15 UK adult social care workers' experiences during the CO... more Purpose-This paper aims to explore 15 UK adult social care workers' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach-This paper's 15 open-ended interviews with adult social care workers are complemented by digital ethnography in COVID-19 social media forums. This data set is taken from a global mixed-methods study, involving over 2,000 participants from 59 different countries. Findings-Workers reported a lack of planning, guidance and basic provisions including personal protective equipment. Work intensification brought stress, workload pressure and mental health problems. Family difficulties and challenges of living through the pandemic, often related to government restrictions, intensified these working conditions with precarious living arrangements. The workers also relayed a myriad of challenges for their residents in which, the circumstances appear to have exacerbated dementia and general health problems including dehydration, delirium and lonelines...
The Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of national lockdowns has generated significant chan... more The Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of national lockdowns has generated significant changes in the citizenry's material realities. Although the efficacy of lockdown is yet to be determined, emerging evidence points to a rise in unintended harms, such as increased child abuse and neglect. Indeed, reported incidences of child abuse in many countries across the world have increased as at-risk children are confined to their dwelling for significant periods of time with a violent perpetrator. Drawing on recently developed theories that indicate a mediated causal link between childhood trauma and a commitment to violent behaviour in later life, particularly in young men, this article claims lockdown may be an unintended ‘violence generating mechanism’ that might potentially manifest itself in increased violent outbursts in the future. First, the article briefly outlines how lockdowns have impacted upon societies. It then explores the statistical upsurge in child abuse and neg...
This chapter extends the zemiological gaze into contemporary labour markets to contemplate harm w... more This chapter extends the zemiological gaze into contemporary labour markets to contemplate harm within the service economy. Data drawn from an ethnographic study of service work complements an ultra-realist framework and explores connections between the depth structures of neoliberal global capital, transformed working environments and subjectivity. Ultra-realism provides an explanatory frame for absences as well as presences; the absence of stability, protection and ethical obligation to the other characterise occupations organised around targets, productivity and affective labour. Under these conditions, systemic and subjective harms are visible, raising questions about both the normal functioning of a sector essential to the service of consumer capitalism and the working experiences of young people negotiating a path towards adulthood whilst engaged in stressful, insecure and low-paid work.
In recent years, labour markets have been characterised by stagnant wages, reduced incomes and gr... more In recent years, labour markets have been characterised by stagnant wages, reduced incomes and growing insecurity supplemented by the ongoing proliferation of outstanding payment obligations at almost all levels of economy and society. We draw upon current debates in social and economic theory to explore the disconnect between the deterioration of late capitalism’s distributive measures and the relative vitality of consumer cultures, suggesting that the latter relies substantially on immaterial, credit-based payment means to bridge the gap between the fundamental fantasy of ‘more and better’ and the decline of material productivity denoted by base rate of profit. We then use this disconnect as a breach-point for an in-depth interdisciplinary discussion of the substantive and ideological function of credit.
ABSTRACT Deindustrialization wrought socio-economic and cultural change throughout the UK, Wester... more ABSTRACT Deindustrialization wrought socio-economic and cultural change throughout the UK, Western Europe and the USA. Within some deindustrialized zones, multiple indices of deprivation rise significantly which presents complex and interrelated social problems including poverty, unemployment, poor quality private rented housing, complex physical and mental health problems, and crime. The austerity agenda further exacerbates these problems, cuts local support services, and further entrenches the myriad issues embedded in post-industrial communities. This paper draws on a funded research project in a deindustrialized town in the North East of England designed to measure the impact of migration on the settled community. The project found advantages to inward migration alongside increased community tension where poor neighbourhoods yet to recover from long-term deindustrialization saw a rapid increase of international migrants. These tensions represent competition for scarce resources amongst the fragmented multi-ethnic working class trying to get by in areas of “permanent recession”.
International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of both the Covid-19 pandemic an... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of both the Covid-19 pandemic and UK lockdown for the social, political and economic future of the UK. Drawing on primary data obtained during the lockdown and the theoretical concepts of transcendental materialism and the “event”, the paper discusses the strength of participants' attachment to the “old normal” and their dreams of a “new normal”.Design/methodology/approachThis paper utilises a semi-structured online survey (n = 305) with UK residents and Facebook forum debates collected during the lockdown period in the UK.FindingsThe findings in this paper suggest that while the lockdown suspended daily routines and provoked participants to reflect upon their consumption habits and the possibility of an alternative future, many of our respondents remained strongly attached to elements of pre-lockdown normality. Furthermore, the individual impetus for change was not matched by the structures and mechanisms holding ...
ABSTRACT International migration has a consistently high profile within national and internationa... more ABSTRACT International migration has a consistently high profile within national and international politics with increased focus on measurement and quantification of migrant numbers, impact on services and contribution to local, regional and national economies. However, the absence of consistency within definitions, categorisations and measurement of international migration and migrant populations create challenges and barriers to both understanding the needs of migrant communities but also the provision of adequate services within specific geographical areas. This paper will present findings from a project designed to map the impact of migration on a settled community within a Local Authority (LA) in the North East of England. As the project encountered routine inconsistencies around definitions, categorisations and measurement of migration within the LA area, this paper demonstrates the complexity of trying to ‘measure’ migration on the ground and while consistency in measurement is key to accurate data, we conclude with an ethical question about the rationale for collecting data on migrant populations.
The Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of national lockdowns has generated significant chan... more The Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of national lockdowns has generated significant changes in the citizenry's material realities. Although the efficacy of lockdown is yet to be determined, emerging evidence points to a rise in unintended harms, such as increased child abuse and neglect. Indeed, reported incidences of child abuse in many countries across the world have increased as at-risk children are confined to their dwelling for significant periods of time with a violent perpetrator. Drawing on recently developed theories that indicate a mediated causal link between childhood trauma and a commitment to violent behaviour in later life, particularly in young men, this article claims lockdown may be an unintended 'violence generating mechanism' that might potentially manifest itself in increased violent outbursts in the future. First, the article briefly outlines how lockdowns have impacted upon societies. It then explores the statistical upsurge in child abuse...
This article explicates the harms associated with deindustrialization in Teesside in the North Ea... more This article explicates the harms associated with deindustrialization in Teesside in the North East of England in the context of neoliberalism. Drawing on in-depth qualitative interviews (n = 25), the article explores how ongoing industrial collapse, typified by Sahaviriya Steel Industries’ (SSI) closure in 2015, has generated various harms. First, the article examines industrialism’s socioeconomic security and stability. It then explores the negative impact of SSI’s closure in 2015, including a sense of loss and unemployment. Next, it demonstrates how the absence of economic stability produces harmful outcomes, namely insecurity, mental health problems and bleak visions of the future. The article concludes by casting industrial ruination as an impediment to human flourishing; the normal functioning of capitalism represents a “negative motivation to harm” that prevents the stability and security necessary for individual and collective flourishing.
International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 2020
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of both the Covid-19 pandemic ... more Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of both the Covid-19 pandemic and UK lockdown for the social, political and economic future of the UK. Drawing on primary data obtained during the lockdown and the theoretical concepts of transcendental materialism and the "event", the paper discusses the strength of participants' attachment to the "old normal" and their dreams of a "new normal". Design/methodology/approach-This paper utilises a semi-structured online survey (n 5 305) with UK residents and Facebook forum debates collected during the lockdown period in the UK. Findings: The findings in this paper suggest that while the lockdown suspended daily routines and provoked participants to reflect upon their consumption habits and the possibility of an alternative future, many of our respondents remained strongly attached to elements of pre-lockdown normality. Furthermore, the individual impetus for change was not matched by t...
This is an introduction to the articles submitted to the special issue of Trends in Organized Cri... more This is an introduction to the articles submitted to the special issue of Trends in Organized Crime on ‘Illegal Labour Practices, Trafficking and Exploitation’. The aim of the special issue is to draw together empirical research findings and theoretical accounts on the wider context to illegal labour and exploitation that has implications for identification, detection, prevention and regulation.
Purpose-This paper aims to explore 15 UK adult social care workers' experiences during the CO... more Purpose-This paper aims to explore 15 UK adult social care workers' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach-This paper's 15 open-ended interviews with adult social care workers are complemented by digital ethnography in COVID-19 social media forums. This data set is taken from a global mixed-methods study, involving over 2,000 participants from 59 different countries. Findings-Workers reported a lack of planning, guidance and basic provisions including personal protective equipment. Work intensification brought stress, workload pressure and mental health problems. Family difficulties and challenges of living through the pandemic, often related to government restrictions, intensified these working conditions with precarious living arrangements. The workers also relayed a myriad of challenges for their residents in which, the circumstances appear to have exacerbated dementia and general health problems including dehydration, delirium and lonelines...
Without the remarkable explosion of the credit industry since the early 1990s it’s almost inconce... more Without the remarkable explosion of the credit industry since the early 1990s it’s almost inconceivable that late capitalism, in its neoliberal mode, could have maintained the vibrant and multifaceted consumer markets of the last few decades. Its capacity to create payment means by attaching contractual claims to prospective futures has allowed capitalism to transcend the decline of its material productivity, sustaining consumption against the upward concentration of wealth. In this chapter we consider both the source and the implications of that transcendence, tracing it from the rarefied confines of the financial industry into the lives of consumers to explore the implications of distributing payment means as a kind of ‘systemic luxury’ running counter to the material productivity of prevailing systems and processes.
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