Sociology
and other academic writing
"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"
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Max Weber, Science as a Vocation, 1919
Books
Urban Sociology
Urban Politics: A Sociological Interpretation
Hutchinson 1979/Penguin 1980
ISBN 009 1369703
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Still one of the only community power studies to have been conducted in Britain. Who does run Croydon?
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"Particularly stimulating (even exciting)... a must for all concerned to understand political power at the local level" (Parliamentary Affairs)
"Interesting and rather brave study" (New Society)
Fascinating and enjoyable... an extremely impressive piece of work... beautifully written" (Public Administration)
Social Theory and the Urban Question
Hutchinson 1981 (second edition 1986)
ISBN 009 1644313
(US edition published 1981 by Holmes & Meier; trans and published in Germany in 1987 by Campus Stadium; in Italy in 1988 by Edizioni Lavoro; in South Korea in 1990; in China in 2015 by Jiansu Phoenix)
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One of the key books in the rennaissance of urban sociology.
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"An ambitious and challenging book... lucid and sophisticated" (International Journal of Urban & Regional Research)
"A fascinating and sophisticated review... I recommend it most highly" (Urban History Review)
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A Nation of Home Owners
Unwin Hyman 1990
ISBN 004 4454880
(due to be republished by Routledge in 2021)
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The social, economic and political significance of the spread of home ownership in 20th century Britain.
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"Original, stimulating, iconoclastic, occasionally irritating... spiced by a distinctive element of rebellious individualism" (Journal of Sociology)
"One of the most important books on housing in the last few years" (Sociology)
"Virtuoso and sometimes dazzlingly well-written" (Times Higher Education Supplement)
Other Topics
Capitalism: A Social Audit
(Open University Press 1995; trans and published in Romania 1997 by Dustyle; Chinese edn 2006 by McGraw-Hill Education Asia).
Has capitalism contributed to human wellbeing?
"Infuriating and compulsive" (Journal of Sociology)
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Privatization and Popular Capitalism
(Open University Press 1994 - with Colin Harris)
What impact did the Thatcher privatization programme have on customers, workers and voters?
"Fascinating reading" (Journal of Law and Society)
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Social Class and Stratification
(Routledge 1990)
Short introduction to thinking about class inequality
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Property, Paternalism and Power
(Hutchinson 1979 - co-author with Colin Bell, Howard Newby and David Rose)
A study of large-scale farmers and landowners in Eastern England
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The Survey Methods Workbook
(Polity Press 2004; Indian edn By Rawat Publications in 2014 - co-author with Alan Buckingham)
Hands-on, step-by-step guide to doing a social survey
"A core text" (Sociological Research Online)
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Introduction to British Politics
(Polity Press 1984; revised third edition 2000 - co-author with John Dearlove)
"A masterly sweep...a real book about politics" (Parliamentary Affairs)
"Adopts a lively and clear style and significantly cuts a path through woolly thinking" (Times Educational Supplement)
"Excellent... a sophisticated and comprehensive analysis" (Local Government Studies)
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Articles
In my years as an academic I wrote and published dozens of articles in journals and edited collections. Most are now forgotten and are of little contemporary interest, but occasionally I get approached by students or researchers who are having trouble accessing a specific paper from online sources and who ask if I can provide a PDF.
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I therefore provide below links to a handful of the more important or significant papers which people still sometimes wish to access. If the article you're looking for isn't listed below, contact me and I may be able to provide it.
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They Make The Rules: Political routines and the generation of political bias Policy & Politics vol.4 1975
Worlds Apart: Notes on the social reality of corruption
British Journal of Sociology vol.28, 1977 (with Steve Chibnall)
Domestic Property and Social Class
International Journal of Urban & Regional Research vol.2 1978
Beyond Housing Classes
International Journal of Urban & Regional Research vol 9, 1984
Privatisation and the Consumer
Sociology vol.24, 1990 (with Colin Harris)
Might Britain be a Meritocracy?
Sociology vol.29, 1995
Routes of Success: Influences on the occupational attainment of young British males
British Journal of Sociology vol.50, 1999 (with Rod Bond)
Reflections on the Meritocracy Debate in Britain
British Journal of Sociology, vol.53, 2002