Fragmenting Societies? addresses a number of key themes in the debate about the nature of contemporary capitalist society. David Thorns poses the question as to whether present changes are creating a more fragmented society. Through a comparative historical analysis of Australia, New Zealand and Britain he examines the restructuring of the workforce, the shifts towards more flexible work practices, rising unemployment, the growth of individualism, regional and local diversity, and the creation of new social formations. Thorns challenges both the more economistic versions of the New...