The British Class System

Professor Luke Hawksbee

British culture is notoriously concerned with socio-economic class. On the one hand, it is a country with an enduring monarchy and aristocracy, and the stereotypical Brit is defined as a 'gentleman'. On the other hand, it was the birthplace of the industrial working class and the trade union. How does one know one’s place in British society, and what does one do with that knowledge? In particular, how does the stratified education system produce an ‘establishment’ dominated not only by the wealthy but also the ‘posh’? This talk will examine the class system and its relationship to social power within a British context.

Speaker Bio:

Luke Hawksbee is a part-time PhD researcher in Sociology, as well as a visiting lecturer and undergraduate supervisor, at Cambridge University. His research is grounded in a political economy approach and currently relates primarily to financialisation, the pharmaceutical sector and public health. His teaching covers a range of topics within political economy, including class, capital, finance and public health. Luke is a member of King’s College, where he completed his MA and MPhil in Philosophy.

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