The Class Ceiling: Why It Pays to Be Privileged

Politicians continually tell us that anyone can get ahead. But is that really true? This important, best-selling book takes readers behind the closed doors of elite employers to reveal how class affects who gets to the top. Friedman and Laurison show that a powerful 'class pay gap' exists in Britain's elite occupations. Even when those from working-class backgrounds make it into prestigious jobs, they earn, on average, 16% less than colleagues from privileged backgrounds. But why is this the case? Drawing on 175 interviews across four case studies - television, accountancy, architecture, and acting - they explore the complex barriers facing the upwardly mobile. This is a rich, ambitious book that demands we take seriously not just the glass but also the class ceiling.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Policy Press
Published: 01/01/2019
ISBN: 9781447336068
Pages: 384
Weight: 1.25lbs
Size: 8.60h x 5.70w x 1.40d

Review Citations: Choice 08/01/2019