Peter Saunders personal website
Sociologist
(Professor Emeritus, University of Sussex, England)
Social policy researcher
(Distinguished Fellow of the Centre for Independent Studies, Australia; Professorial Research Fellow at Civitas, London)
Writer
(Fiction, non-fiction and journalism)
Consultant
(specialising in social policy issues)
Media commentator and public speaker
"Brash, brilliant and cannot be ignored"
Times Higher Education Supplement
"Devastating"
The Sunday Times
"That rare beast - a sensible sociologist"
Daily Mail
"The most prominent liberal intellectual in Australia"
Sydney Morning Herald
"The antithesis of an Ivory Tower intellectual"
ABC Radio National
"Saunders uses spare and stylish English to mow down paddocks of sacred cows"
The Australian
"Ideas wrecker"
The Guardian
The need for an independent voice in social research...
In our universities, where there should be open debate and pluralism, there is political orthodoxy and intellectual conformity. Nine out of 10 UK sociology professors describe their politics as left wing and just 3% vote Conservative*. This ideological uniformity underpins the social policy advice academic 'experts' offer to politicians and the public. My aim as an independent researcher is to subject the claims of the academic establishment to critical scrutiny. Offering an alternative perspective based in classical liberal values of individual responsibility and personal liberty, I am interested in exploring practical solutions to pressing social problems that do not entail more government spending, or more control of our lives by the state.
* Survey of sociology professors reported in A. H. Halsey, A History of Sociology in Britain, 2004
I used to be a sociologist, but I'm alright now...
ABC Radio National special programme, recorded in 2008, sets out my thoughts on sociology, politics, and more. See also:
Ideological bias and closed minds in academic sociology. Sociological Research Online, 2011
On Twitter
Follow me on Twitter for notifications of new publications, events and media
Follow @Saunderspeter
Beware privileged hirelings and petty prophets:
'Who is to answer the question: What shall we do, and how shall we arrange our lives?.. Only a prophet or saviour can give the answers. If there is no such man, then you will certainly not compel him to appear on this earth by having thousands of professors, as privileged hirelings of the state, attempt as petty prophets to take over his role' (Max Weber, Science as a Vocation, 1919)
Latest:
Single parents' benefits
The Australian government wants single parents claiming welfare to start looking for PT work when their children reach 8. It's a sensible policy - and one I advocated (and was villified for) 10 years ago.
InCISEe, 7 May
Read
Deserving versus undeserving poor
New research on evolved moral instincts explains why It feels right for welfare policy to distinguish the ‘deserving’ from the ‘undeserving’, and why leftists are wrong to insist we shouldn’t. Ideas@TheCentre 4 May
Read article
Thirty reasons why Britain is always the odd-one-out in Europe
A combination of unbroken tradition and robust individualism has made Britain a very distinctive European country. Here are just 30 examples of EU/UK divergence. Policy Magazine, vol 28, no.1
Download article
Recent books:
The Rise of the Equalities Industry
Traces the way sensible measures in the 1960s to outlaw blatant racial discrimination have evolved into an irrational and illiberal legislative mess. Published by Civitas, Nov 2011.
"A brilliant book" Professor Kenneth Minogue
"Makes startling reading...ought to be required reading for every employer" Minette Marrin, The Sunday Times
Buy a copy
Read The Sunday Times report 27 November
Read Daily Telegraph report 28 November
When Prophecy Fails
New edition of my critique of The Spirit Level's claim that income equality promotes social harmony. Includes an extended appendix reviewing Wilkinson and Pickett's responses to their critics. Published by the Centre for Independent Studies, Sep 2011.
"A thorough debunking" (David Aaronovitch, The Times)
Order a copy or buy download
See also: 'Backlash begins over 'must-read' poverty bible', The Sunday Times 11 September
Other recent work:
On equality
'Are equal societies better societies?' - chapter in book edited by Gary Johns, Right Social Justice: Better Ways to Help the Poor (Connorcourt, April 2012)
Buy a copy
The MacPherson Inquiry's charge of 'institutional racism' undermined faith in the police yet was based on a misinterpretation of stop and search statistics: BBC news, 3 January 2012
View clip
Discussion of UK Equalities laws with former Labour Home Secretary Jacqui Smith on London's LBC Radio, 23 December: Listen
Singling out so-called 'hate crimes' for more serious punishment breaks the principle of legal equality. The Black Roses debate, BBC Radio 4 panel discussion, 24 August
Listen to extracts
On The Spirit Level
Extended radio interview with ABC National in Australia discussing the flaws and errors in Wilkinson and Pickett's Spirit Level claims (19 September) - listen
Article published in The Australian, 9 September, explains why Ed Miliband was ill-advised to tell his Shadow Cabinet to read Wilkinson and Pickett's flawed diatribe.
Read
Presentation to the Centre for Independent Studies (Sydney), outlining my critique of Wilkinson and Pickett's book (6 June)
View presentation
View Q&A session
Has social mobility really come to a halt?
Contributor on Polly Toynbee's 2 programmes about class and social mobility, The Class Ceiling, BBC Radio 4, 1 & 8 September
Listen to extracts
Debate with Matthew Syed on the importance for success of talent versus effort, BBC Radio 4 Today programme (11 May)
Listen
Success reflects hard work and talent more than class background. BBC News 24 interview with Huw Edwards, 5 April
View
The government's gloomy message on social mobility undermines people's motivation. Sky News interview with Kay Burley, 5 April
View
Welfare reform
'Father Figures': Report published by Policy Exchange (March 2012) explains how Britain can learn from the USA and Germany, where absent fathers claiming benefits make much bigger financial contribututions to the costs of raising their children.
Download free copy of the report
Read Daily Mail report, 14 March
Read The Guardian report, 14 March
The government's welfare reform package is focused on 'making work pay', but carrots alone are not enough to get people off benefits and into work. InCISe blog comment, 30 December 2011
Read
'Those who can work must not be paid to sit at home'
Article in The Australian (1 July 2011) on the case for Work for the Dole programmes
Read
No Rights Without Responsibility, Policy Exchange research paper, written with Matt Oakley, explains why the government's plan to reform welfare to 'make work pay' is not enough. Published 20 May 2011.
"To be commended" (Daily Express).
"Bold and brilliant" (Daily Mail)
Download a free copy