From the ale-house drunks of the Victorian era to the obese benefit scroungers of today, civilization has consistently pinned blame and shame for any societal issues on the poorer classes. In reality, the recent dismantling of crucial welfare state sections by both the U.K. s Labour and Conservative governments has resulted in the emergence of a new, harshly disadvantaged layer of British society. Growing numbers of unemployed citizens have been deserted, their voices obscured. In Cut Out, journalist Jeremy Seabrook talks to these silenced communities in order to expose the cruel...

Deregulation, revenge evictions, corruption, and day-to-day instability: these are realities becoming ever more familiar for those of us who rent our homes or apartments. At the same time, house prices are skyrocketing and the promise of homeownership is now an impossible dream for many. This is the rent-trap, an inescapable consequence of market-induced inequality.
Samir Jeraj and Rosie Walker offer the first in-depth case study of the private rental sector in the United Kingdom, exploring the rent-trap injustices in a first-world economy and exposing the powers that conspire to oppose...

Musicians have often wanted to change the world, and many--from underground grime artists to mainstream pop icons--channel that desire through the political power of music. Music has a unique ability to unsettle the most fundamental political and social conventions--or, alternatively, to stabilize the status-quo.

Sound System is the story of one musician's journey to discover what exactly makes music so powerful. Years of touring, protesting, and performing have given Dave Randall an insider's view of the music industry, enabling him to shed light on the most tightly held secrets...

In 2010, young people across Britain took to the streets to defy a wave of government education cuts that slashed grants to college students and astronomically increased tuition fees. Education was no longer accessible for all, and students across the country refused to stand by silently. A well-publicized year of occupations and protests followed--ultimately, to little effect. The current government continues to threaten fresh budget cuts on higher education. What happened to the student revolt? And what can we learn from its failure?
Matt Myers tells the story of that momentous year...

A radical history of Turkey, from the end of the Ottoman Empire to the present day, rejecting traditional narratives of a 'clash of civilisations'

A radical history of Turkey, from the end of the Ottoman Empire to the present day, rejecting traditional narratives of a 'clash of civilisations'