This new edition of a widely-respected textbook examines welfare policy and racism in a broad framework that marries theory, evidence, history and contemporary debate. Fully updated, it contains:

• a new foreword by Professor Kate Pickett, acclaimed co-author of The Spirit Level

• two new chapters on disability and chronic illness, and UK education policy respectively

• updated examples and data, reflecting changes in black and minority ethnic demographics in the UK

• a post-script from a minority student on her struggle to make a new home in Britain

Suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in social policy, sociology and applied social sciences, its global themes of immigration, austerity and securitisation also make it of considerable interest to policy and welfare practitioners.

"A timely resource packed with theoretical and empirical advances in the understanding and framing of debates of race and ethnicity in contemporary society. Essential reading for students and practitioners alike." Nilufar Ahmed, Swansea University
"This is a welcome update, giving a readable, critical and grounded guide to a core field of social policy, which too often slips off the political and social science agendas." Norman Ginsburg, London Metropolitan University

Sangeeta Chattoo is a Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Health Sciences, and Associate Fellow, Science and Technologies Studies Unit, University of York (UK). She previously worked at the University of Western Australia and Leeds University. She has a long standing interest in inequalities and health, race, ethnicity, citizenship and social policy; family, kinship, gender and caring, and specialises in ethnographic and biographical methods. Her recent publications focus on genetics and embodiment of risk, state use of reproductive technologies and global governance of health, with a special focus on India.

Karl Atkin holds a personal research chair in the Department of Health Sciences, University of York, where he is also Head of Department. He is a medical sociologist with a particular interest in qualitative research in multi-disciplinary settings. Research interests include the experience of family carers; young people and identity; disability and chronic illness; and ethnicity and social disadvantage.

Gary Craig is a Visiting Professor at the Law School, Newcastle University and at the University of York. He has written very widely about ‘race’ and ethnicity and his other major current research interest is contemporary slavery where he co-convenes the Modern Slavery Research Consortium. He is currently working on books about social justice, organising against racism, and contemporary slavery in the UK.

Ronny Flynn is a retired academic and charity manager, currently living life as a grey nomad. From 2006 to 2010 she worked as Director of Health and Housing at the Race Equality Foundation in London, and was commissioning editor for their series of Better Health and Better Housing briefing papers. Prior to this, she worked at The Open University.