Clare Bambra – författare

This book makes a powerful case that neoliberalism, the dominant economic and social policy paradigm of the post-1980 world, is hazardous to our health. It describes the destructive effects on health and health inequalities of neoliberal policies including labour market deregulation, welfare state retrenchment, and austerity, drawing on cross-national examples particularly from the United States and the United Kingdom.

The book argues that a variety of adverse health outcomes, and in particular health inequalities, must be seen as ‘neoliberal epidemics’: neoliberal because they are associated with the rise of neoliberal politics; epidemics because they have been rapidly transmitted across borders at a rate seen in epidemics of biological contagions.

The health case against neoliberalism has strengthened dramatically in the decade since the first edition was published and this fully updated and expanded edition provides a comprehensive overview of the main issues. Articulating alternatives that protect the health of people and planet is more urgent than ever. Crucially, the authors argue that neoliberal epidemics require a political cure in the form of a revitalised and equity-oriented social democracy. 

Available Open Access under CC-BY-NC licence. How has austerity impacted on health and wellbeing in the UK? Health in Hard Times explores its repercussions for social inequalities in health.

The result of five years of research, the book draws on a case study of Stockton-on-Tees in the north-east of England, home to some of the starkest health divides. By placing individual and local experiences in the context of national budget cuts and welfare reforms, it provides a holistic perspective on countrywide inequalities.

Edited by a leading expert, this is an important book for anyone seeking to understand one of today’s most significant determinants of health.