Reimagining Manchester: A Future Beyond Austerity

Hi, I’m Dave and I’m a sociologist. Why do we feel the need to start conversations like this? Is what we do for eight-hours a reflection of who we really are?

I have been called a communist, a socialist, and a free-market (neo)Liberal by people questioning my positions on this thing we call ‘work’. But let’s be real, capitalism doesn’t work for the many (as intended). However, Universal Basic Income – the new buzzword floating around academic social policy & sociology - asks us to rethink the meaning of who we are.

So... Hi, I’m Dave, and I’m…?

In this talk, I introduce energy deprivation, its causes, and how it is experienced by refugee communities in England. I trace changes to asylum and housing policy, showing how injustices are created and perpetuated by pernicious anti-refugee government strategies. Such policies have led to the overrepresentation of new refugees in poor quality, insecure housing in marginalised urban areas. This can increase vulnerability to energy deprivation, which may manifest, for instance, as living in a cold, damp home. This in turn has impacts on social integration, health, education and job outcomes.

Austerity policies resulted in an erosion of a universal entitlement to careers advice for young people. Meanwhile they face an unpredictable and uncertain job market; alongside other shared generational challenges, eg., housing and education costs. Fiona has conducted recent research which highlights how resourceful young people can be in navigating uncertainty into and within work. Her research argues that more can be done by employers, policymakers, trade unions and educational institutions to support young people’s transitions into employment. Provision of timely careers advice can play a vital role in supporting young people into decent and meaningful work.