A New Social Atlas of Britain

by Danny Dorling

A New Social Atlas of Britain Daniel Dorling University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK This stunning and original atlas reveals in a totally new way the complex and unexpected geographical patterns of British society at the end of the twentieth century. Based on the 1991 census and other social data, Dan Dorling uses the powerful presentation of the population cartogram to display a completely fresh view of how Britain’s people work and live. The level of geographical detail revealed, drawn using local government wards, has never been attempted before in any map project. An introduction advises the reader on how to read the detailed maps and explains the necessity of using population cartograms which transform the shape of the country so that the patterns where most people live (in cities) are made visible nationally. Over 100 double-page spreads contain at least two maps made up from a mosaic of over 10000 areas each showing local as well as national distributions. Recurrent patterns can be seen to form between the geographies of different subjects as the social fabric of a nation is made visible. A New Social Atlas of Britain is essential reading for students and researchers in social studies, human geography, political studies and computer graphics, and also journalists and politicians, and all those interested in current affairs.

286 pages, Hardcover

First published August 30, 1995

About the author

Danny Dorling is a British social geographer researching inequality and human geography. He is the Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography of the School of Geography and the Environment of the University of Oxford.

Danny Dorling has lived all his life in England. To try to counter his myopic world view, in 2006, Danny started working with a group of researchers on a project to remap the world (www.worldmapper.org).
He has published with many colleagues more than a dozen books on issues related to social inequalities in Britain and several hundred journal papers. Much of this work is available open access and will be added to this website soon.

His work concerns issues of housing, health, employment, education and poverty. Danny was employed as a play-worker in children’s summer play-schemes. He learnt the ethos of pre-school education where the underlying rationale was that playing is learning for living. He tries not to forget this. He is an Academician of the Academy of the Learned Societies in the Social Sciences, Honorary President of the Society of Cartographers and a patron of Roadpeace, the national charity for road crash victims.

Reviews

[Sue Lyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have way through this book and it confirms me as a firm fan of Daniel Dorling. He is a great academic with a wonderful sense of humour and fun which he uses to make the reader laugh when so much of the content is so depressing. If you enjoyed the arguments in 'The Spirit Level' Dorling gives an in-depth understanding of Britain today. Am so enjoying this book.