There has been considerable growth in the study of the professional and managerial service classes in recent years, and wide recognition of their significance in contemporary Western societies. This coherent and accessibly written text develops the debate on the "middle classes", assessing their
importance as a determining force in social structure and social change, and examining their significance for current thinking on class in general. Outstanding writers from very different traditions of social research consider common issues such as the relationship between class, gender and ethnicity, the extent and direction of social change, and the degree to which class is breaking down as a structuring force in society. Individual chapters arise out of vigorous debate and a variety of source material on the lifestyles of a significant group of the population, addressing topical questions in relation to the middle classes such as patterns of career mobility and migration, the impact of organizational change, attachment to the countryside as well
as to urban living, changing family life, political orientations and consumption patterns.

This authoritative and stimulating volume represents a comprehensive introduction for undergraduates, and an essential point of reference for researchers interested in stratification. Butler, Savage and the contributing authors summarize the issues and incorporate the results of new research, demonstrating that class analysis is still at the cutting edge of social science.
They provide a key text for students of sociology, social geography, cultural studies and contemporary British society, with broad appeal to those interested in how society is changing.