Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book originates in a gathering of French and British academics in Aix-en-Provence in March 1997, the purpose of their coming together was to hear and discuss a number of papers on aspects of inequality in France and the United Kingdom. There is a number of examples of the non transferability of policy concepts between the different political and policy milieu in Britain and France, some emerging from theoretical discussion of inequality, others from analyses of policy in social work and the field of ethnic relations and yet others from discussion of the manner in which inequality and particularly poverty are perceived in the two countries. Spicker sets his sights on another concept that plays a key role in policy but in this case, to a much greater extent in France than in Britain.