Peter Townsend (professor)
Encyclopedia
Peter Brereton Townsend (b. Middlesbrough
, 6 April 1928 - d. Dursley
7 June 2009) was a British
sociologist. The last position he held was Professor of International Social Policy at the London School of Economics
. He was also Emeritus Professor of Social Policy in the University of Bristol
, and was one of the co-founders of the University of Essex
. He wrote widely on the economics of poverty and was co-founder of the Child Poverty Action Group
. The Peter Townsend Policy Press Prize was established by the British Academy
in his memory.
in 1965, was its chair for 20 years and Life President from 1989. He also co-founded the Disability Alliance in response to the Thalidomide
scandal, and chaired it for 25 years.
instead of the amount of labour he promises to perform to get that paycheck. This sets up an inefficiency in the monetary exchange..
Townsend died of heart failure on 7 June 2009. He was survived by Corston and his five children.
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
, 6 April 1928 - d. Dursley
Dursley
Dursley is a market town in Gloucestershire, England. It is under the North East flank of Stinchcombe Hill , and about 6 km South East of the River Severn. The town is adjacent with Cam which, though a village, is a community of double the size...
7 June 2009) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sociologist. The last position he held was Professor of International Social Policy at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
. He was also Emeritus Professor of Social Policy in the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
, and was one of the co-founders of the University of Essex
University of Essex
The University of Essex is a British campus university whose original and largest campus is near the town of Colchester, England. Established in 1963 and receiving its Royal Charter in 1965...
. He wrote widely on the economics of poverty and was co-founder of the Child Poverty Action Group
Child Poverty Action Group
Child Poverty Action Group is a UK charity that works to alleviate poverty and social exclusion.The stated aims of the CPAG are:CPAG programs include:* Research and publish the latest facts and figures of family and child poverty in the UK...
. The Peter Townsend Policy Press Prize was established by the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
in his memory.
Career
Townsend was dedicated to studying "very carefully the life of the poorest and most handicapped members of society". He applied this consistently outside academia as well as within it. He was co-founder of the Child Poverty Action GroupChild Poverty Action Group
Child Poverty Action Group is a UK charity that works to alleviate poverty and social exclusion.The stated aims of the CPAG are:CPAG programs include:* Research and publish the latest facts and figures of family and child poverty in the UK...
in 1965, was its chair for 20 years and Life President from 1989. He also co-founded the Disability Alliance in response to the Thalidomide
Thalidomide
Thalidomide was introduced as a sedative drug in the late 1950s that was typically used to cure morning sickness. In 1961, it was withdrawn due to teratogenicity and neuropathy. There is now a growing clinical interest in thalidomide, and it is introduced as an immunomodulatory agent used...
scandal, and chaired it for 25 years.
Definition of relative poverty
- "Individuals, families and groups in the population can be said to be in poverty when they lack the resources to obtain the type of diet, participation in the activities and have the living conditions and the amenities which are customary, or at least widely encouraged or approved in the societies to which they belong. Their resources are so seriously below those commanded by the average family that they are in effect excluded from the ordinary living patterns, customs, and activities."
Townsend inefficiency
Townsend inefficiency is a possible property of monetary exchange. Rather than evaluating the utility he generated in production, one of the parties is evaluating the value of the money he gets in the transaction. In other words, a worker may only be looking at his paycheckPaycheck
Paycheck can also refer to:* Paycheck , short story by science fiction author Philip K. Dick* Paycheck , film adaptation of the Philip K. Dick short story starring Ben Affleck...
instead of the amount of labour he promises to perform to get that paycheck. This sets up an inefficiency in the monetary exchange..
Personal life
He was married three times: Ruth Pearce (1949) with whom he had four sons); Joy Skegg (1977) with whom he had one daughter; Jean Ann Corston, a Labour peer and former MP (1985) (one stepson, one stepdaughter) who was his partner since 1980.Townsend died of heart failure on 7 June 2009. He was survived by Corston and his five children.
Selected publications
- Child poverty in the developing world, Bristol: Policy Press 2003
- Better pensions: the state's responsibility, London: Catalyst Forum, 2003
- With Gordon, D. (eds.) World poverty: new policies to defeat an old enemy, Bristol: The Policy Press, 2002
- With Gordon, D. and Pantazis, C.The changing necessities of life, Working Paper 2 of the Poverty and Social Exclusion Survey, Townsend Centre for International Poverty Research, University of Bristol, Bristol, 2001
- With Gordon, D. (eds.) Breadline Europe: the measurement of poverty, Bristol: The Policy Press, 2000
- With et al. Poverty and social exclusion in Britain, York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2000
- With et al. Absolute and overall poverty in Britain in 1997: what the population themselves say, Bristol: Bristol Statistical Monitoring Unit, University of Bristol, 1997
- The international analysis of poverty, London and New York, Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1993
- Hard times: what prospects for European social policy?, Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 1992
- With Black, D. Inequalities in health: the Black Report and the health divide, 3rd ed. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1992
- Unfinished statistical business?, Bristol: Department of Social Policy and Social Planning, University of Bristol, 1992
- With Gordon, D. Unfinished statistical business on low incomes?: a review of new proposals by the Department of Social Security for the production of public information on poverty, Bristol: Statistical Monitoring Unit, Dept. Social Policy and Social Planning, University of Bristol, 1992
- Meaningful statistics on poverty 1991, Bristol: Dept. Social Policy and Social Planning, University of Bristol, 1991
- The poor are poorer, a statistical report on changes in the living standards of rich and poor in the UK 1979-1989, Bristol: SMU, Dept. Social Policy and Soc. Planning, University of Bristol, 1991
- With Phillimore, P. and Beattie, A. Health and deprivation: inequality and the North, London, New York: Croom Helm, 1988
- With Walker, R. and Lawson, R. Responses to poverty: lessons from Europe, London: Heinemann Educational Books, 1984
- With Walker, A. Disability in Britain: a manifesto of rights, Oxford: Martin Robertson, 1981
- With Bosanquet, N. Labour and equality: a Fabian study of Labour in power, 1974–79, London: Heinemann, 1980
- Poverty in the United Kingdom: a survey of household resources and standards of living, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1979
- With Lewis, P. Inflation and low incomes, London: Fabian Society, 1975
- With Bosanquet, N. (eds.) Labour and inequality: sixteen Fabian essays, London: Fabian Society, 1972
- The concept of poverty: working papers on methods of investigation and life-styles of the poor in different countries, London: Heinemann Educational, 1971
- The fifth social service: a critical analysis of the Seebohm Proposals, London: Fabian Society, 1970
- The family life of old people: an inquiry in East London, Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1963
- The last refuge: a survey of residential institutions and homes for the aged in England and Wales, London: Routledge and K. Paul, 1962
External links
- Partial list of published papers at www.archiveshub.ac.uk
- Tom Clark, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 2 April 2008, "Making Poverty History"; interview with Guardian Society - Pioneers of Qualitative Research: Peter Townsend