Looking Upstream to Explain Social Harm

This book critically examines the complex relationships between inequality, democratic forms, and social harm, asking what successful countries have in common — and why others struggle. It explores how in recent years, research into the causes of social problems has urged us to consider the broader political, economic, and social forces at play. Many policymakers, however, continue to focus on short-term solutions or demand greater personal responsibility from their citizens while downplaying the role of upstream factors like inequality and democracy. This book offers a fresh and methodologically innovative analysis of how inequality, governance styles, and other factors such as globalisation, social protection, and national income intersect to shape societies. Contributing to the fields of inequality, political sociology, and comparative social research, this volume also provides a powerful pedagogical tool by demonstrating how to replicate and extend existing empirical studies in a more complex contemporary landscape.