These essays not only describe the major changes in British society in recent years, but seek to understand and explain what is happening. They consider the wide variety of mechanisms that underlie these changes, in particular processes of social interaction. The ill-understood nature of these mechanisms may be a major reason why so much social reform has proved ineffective. By highlighting the complexities of the causal mechanisms, sociological research can make a major contribution to policy and public debate. While these papers do not claim that sociology will provide all the answers, they...

Parents play an important role in shaping the adult lives of their children. The way they use their time and money while children are growing up can have long-lasting consequences. In particular, the paid work done by fathers and mothers affects both the amount of income coming into the family and the time they have available to spend with their children.This report examines the links between parents' employment patterns while their children were growing up and what happens in those children's lives when they become young adults. This study focuses on a number of outcomes, notably:...