Explaining the persistence of inequality in the cultural and creative industries

Join us for a lecture by Mark Taylor (Sheffield Methods Institute, University of Sheffield) on the persistence of inequalities in the cultural and creative industries. Mark’s talk will be followed by a discussion, chaired by Jon Ward (University of Leeds).

Abstract
The workforces in the creative industries are highly unequal, with disproportionate numbers of white people, people from middle class backgrounds, and men, particularly in more senior roles. The workforces in the creative industries are also some of the most left-wing and liberal of any occupational sector. Combining the analysis of a survey of around 2500 creative workers with analysis of 237 interviews (including 32 with senior men), we show that narratives of talent, hard work, and ambition are dominant, with a particular focus on luck among the most senior people.  This session will consider the policy implications of such narratives and what might need to change to create a more equal workforce.

Mark Taylor is a sociologist with interests in social stratification and inequality, the sociology of culture, particularly music, and the life course, with methodological interests  in survey research, social network analysis, and geographic information systems. Before arriving at Sheffield, Mark worked at the Universities of Manchester and York, and studied at Oxford, where he received his DPhil under the supervision of Tak Wing Chan

This event is hosted by the University of Leeds' Centre for Cultural Policy. The University’s research in cultural policy studies is diverse and internationally-recognized. As a research hub for the interdisciplinary field of cultural policy studies, the Centre for Cultural Policy is a new centre dedicated to exploring and expanding the breadth of multi- and inter-disciplinary research in the field of cultural policy, regionally, nationally and internationally.

You can book your tickets to this event on Eventbrite.