Understanding Poverty

PETE ALCOCK is Professor of Social Policy at the University of Birmingham, UK. He is the author of Social Policy in Britain (second edition) and co-editor of both The Blackwell Companion to Social Policy and International Social Policy. He has been Chair of the Social Policy Association and is now Chair of the editorial board of the Journal of Social Policy.

• PART I: THE CONTEXT OF POVERTY: What is Poverty?; Who is Poor?; The Causes of Poverty; International DimensionsPART II: DEFINITION AND MEASUREMENT: Defining Poverty; Measuring Poverty; The Dynamics of Poverty; Social Exclusion. PART III: SOCIAL DIVISIONS AND POVERTY: Gender and Poverty; Racism and Poverty; Age and Poverty; Disability and PovertyPART IV: THE POLICY FRAMEWORK: The Politics of Poverty; Social Security Policy; Developing Local AntiPoverty Action; Area-Based Initiatives; Poverty, Inequality and WelfareUseful WebsitesReferences.

'This third edition of Understanding Poverty will not disappoint the many lecturers who have recommended earlier editions as the main general introductory text on the subject. Once again Pete Alcock provides us and our students with a clear and comprehensive account of poverty and the policies developed to combat it.' - Ruth Lister, Professor of Social Policy, Loughborough University, and author of Poverty Reviews of the first edition: 'My students read this book and engage with it ... It has quickly become an important text.' - Angus Erskine, Lecturer in Social Policy, University of Stirling, UK 'This is an excellent book which can be strongly recommended for courses in social inequality or social policy.' - Reviewing Sociology