The Making of a Left-Behind Class: Educational Stratification, Meritocracy and Widening Participation

Despite the high aspirations of young people from disadvantaged communities, they face barriers that are frustrating the realisation of their educational ambitions. This book analyses the ‘left-behind’ phenomenon and explains how denied educational equality undermines social cohesion and what we can do about it.

Fred Powell served as Professor of Social Policy and founding Head of the School of Applied Social Studies at UCC for 25 years, Dean of Social Science and latterly Student Ombudsman. He received the Richard Titmuss Book Award in 2018.

Margaret Scanlon is Research Coordinator for the Institute of Social Science in the 21st Century at University College Cork.

Patrick Leahy is Lecturer in the School of Applied Social Studies and Director of Postgraduate Youth Studies at University College Cork.

Hilary Jenkinson is a lecturer in the School of Applied Social Studies at University College Cork.

Olive Byrne is Head of Access at University College Cork.