The Violence of Austerity
Published on 20. May 2017
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-0-7453-3746-3 (ISBN)
Description
Austerity, a response to the aftermath of the financial crisis, continues to devastate contemporary Britain.
In The Violence of Austerity, Vickie Cooper and David Whyte bring together the voices of campaigners and academics including Danny Dorling, Mary O'Hara and Rizwaan Sabir to show that rather than stimulating economic growth, austerity policies have led to a dismantling of the social systems that operated as a buffer against economic hardship, exposing austerity to be a form of systematic violence.
Covering a range of famous cases of institutional violence in Britain, the book argues that police attacks on the homeless, violent evictions in the rented sector, the risks faced by people on workfare schemes, community violence in Northern Ireland and cuts to the regulation of social protection, are all being driven by reductions in public sector funding. The result is a shocking expose of the myriad ways in which austerity policies harm people in Britain.
In The Violence of Austerity, Vickie Cooper and David Whyte bring together the voices of campaigners and academics including Danny Dorling, Mary O'Hara and Rizwaan Sabir to show that rather than stimulating economic growth, austerity policies have led to a dismantling of the social systems that operated as a buffer against economic hardship, exposing austerity to be a form of systematic violence.
Covering a range of famous cases of institutional violence in Britain, the book argues that police attacks on the homeless, violent evictions in the rented sector, the risks faced by people on workfare schemes, community violence in Northern Ireland and cuts to the regulation of social protection, are all being driven by reductions in public sector funding. The result is a shocking expose of the myriad ways in which austerity policies harm people in Britain.
Reviews / Votes
'An analytical masterpiece, describing what has happened to our communities as a result of austerity' -- John McDonnell MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer 'A dazzling collection of short essays which detail how state violence is unfolding in Britain on multiple scales and in myriad forms' -- Imogen Tyler, Professor of Sociology at Lancaster University, author of Revolting Subjects: Social Abjection and Resistance in Neoliberal Britain (Zed, 2013) 'In this brilliant book, Vickie Cooper and David Whyte bring together the arguments that break down the sick Tory Party political violence against the people of Britain. This book shows that there is only one response to the imposition of austerity as a crude and violent political strategy, and that is to turn our anger back against the Tories' -- Chunky Mark, Artist Taxi Driver 'This book leaves the reader in no doubt that government actions have the power to make or break lives and communities' -- Lynsey Hanley, The Guardian, and Author of Estates 'A well-written and shocking expose of the institutional violence of the state' -- Morning Star 'Eye opening ... enlightening and an education' -- The Canary 'An important book' -- CounterfireMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Library binding
Illustrations
4 b&w figures
Dimensions
Height: 222 mm
Width: 145 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
497 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7453-3746-3 (9780745337463)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Vickie Cooper | David Whyte
The Violence of Austerity
E-Book
05/2017
1st Edition
Pluto Press
€14.49
Available for download
Persons
Vickie Cooper is a Lecturer in Criminology at the Open University where she is Co-Director of HERC (Harm and Evidence Research Collaborative) and researches issues related to homelessness, criminal justice system, housing and eviction. She is the co-editor of The Violence of Austerity (Pluto, 2017).
David Whyte is Professor of Socio-Legal Studies at the University of Liverpool where he researches issues related to corporate violence and corporate corruption. He is the co-editor of How Corrupt is Britain? (Pluto, 2015) and The Violence of Austerity (Pluto, 2017).
David Whyte is Professor of Socio-Legal Studies at the University of Liverpool where he researches issues related to corporate violence and corporate corruption. He is the co-editor of How Corrupt is Britain? (Pluto, 2015) and The Violence of Austerity (Pluto, 2017).
Content
Acknowledgements
Introduction: The Violence of Austerity - Vickie Cooper and David Whyte
Part I: Deadly Welfare
1. Mental Health and Suicide - Mary O'Hara
2. Austerity and Mortality - Danny Dorling
3. Welfare Reforms and the Attack on Disabled People - John Pring
4. The Violence of Workfare - Jon Burnett and David Whyte
5. The Multiple Forms of Violence in the Asylum System - Victoria Canning
6. The Degradation and Humiliation of Young People - Emma Bond and Simon Hallsworth
Part II: Poverty Amplification
7. Child Maltreatment and Child Mortality - Joanna Mack
8. Hunger and Food Poverty - Rebecca O'Connell and Laura Hamilton
9. The Deadly Impact of Fuel Poverty - Ruth London
10. The Violence of the Debtfare State - David Ellis
11. Women of Colour's Anti-Austerity Activism - Akwugo Emejulu and Leah Bassel
12. Dismantling the Irish Peace Process - Daniel Holder
Part III: State Regulation
13. Undoing Social Protection - Steve Tombs
14. Health and Safety at the Frontline of Austerity - Hilda Palmer and David Whyte
15. Environmental Degradation - Charlotte Burns and Paul Tobin
16. Fracking and State Violence - Will Jackson, Helen Monk and Joanna Gilmore
17. Domicide, Eviction and Repossession - Kirsteen Paton and Vickie Cooper
18. Austerity's Impact on Rough Sleeping and Violence - Daniel McCulloch
Part IV: State Control
19. Legalising the Violence of Austerity - Robert Knox
20. The Failure to Protect Women in the Criminal Justice System - Maureen Mansfield and Vickie Cooper
21. Austerity, Violence and Prisons - Joe Sim
22. Evicting Manchester's Street Homeless - Steven Speed
23. Policing Anti-Austerity through the 'War on Terror' - Rizwaan Sabir
24. Austerity and the Production of Hate - Jon Burnett
Notes on Contributors
Index
Introduction: The Violence of Austerity - Vickie Cooper and David Whyte
Part I: Deadly Welfare
1. Mental Health and Suicide - Mary O'Hara
2. Austerity and Mortality - Danny Dorling
3. Welfare Reforms and the Attack on Disabled People - John Pring
4. The Violence of Workfare - Jon Burnett and David Whyte
5. The Multiple Forms of Violence in the Asylum System - Victoria Canning
6. The Degradation and Humiliation of Young People - Emma Bond and Simon Hallsworth
Part II: Poverty Amplification
7. Child Maltreatment and Child Mortality - Joanna Mack
8. Hunger and Food Poverty - Rebecca O'Connell and Laura Hamilton
9. The Deadly Impact of Fuel Poverty - Ruth London
10. The Violence of the Debtfare State - David Ellis
11. Women of Colour's Anti-Austerity Activism - Akwugo Emejulu and Leah Bassel
12. Dismantling the Irish Peace Process - Daniel Holder
Part III: State Regulation
13. Undoing Social Protection - Steve Tombs
14. Health and Safety at the Frontline of Austerity - Hilda Palmer and David Whyte
15. Environmental Degradation - Charlotte Burns and Paul Tobin
16. Fracking and State Violence - Will Jackson, Helen Monk and Joanna Gilmore
17. Domicide, Eviction and Repossession - Kirsteen Paton and Vickie Cooper
18. Austerity's Impact on Rough Sleeping and Violence - Daniel McCulloch
Part IV: State Control
19. Legalising the Violence of Austerity - Robert Knox
20. The Failure to Protect Women in the Criminal Justice System - Maureen Mansfield and Vickie Cooper
21. Austerity, Violence and Prisons - Joe Sim
22. Evicting Manchester's Street Homeless - Steven Speed
23. Policing Anti-Austerity through the 'War on Terror' - Rizwaan Sabir
24. Austerity and the Production of Hate - Jon Burnett
Notes on Contributors
Index