Routledge Wealth and Poverty in Close Personal Relationships: Money Matters

At a time of global and domestic economic crisis, the financial aspects of domestic and familial relationships are more important and more strained than ever before. The focus of this book is on the distribution of wealth and poverty in traditional and non-traditional familial relationships. The volume takes an interdisciplinary approach to explore the way in which money matters are structured and governed within close personal relationships and the extent to which they have an impact on the nature and economic dynamics of relationships. As such, the key areas of investigation are the extent to which participation in the labour market, unpaid caregiving, inheritance, pensions and welfare reform have an impact on familial relationships. The authors also explore governmental and legal responses by investigating the privileging of certain types of domestic relationships, through fiscal and non-fiscal measures, and the differential provision on relationship breakdown. The impact of budget and welfare cuts is also examined for their effect on equality in domestic relationships. Review The interdisciplinary expertise assembled in this collection allows insightful and nuanced exploration into the economic dynamics of intimate personal relationships, providing a wealth of entry points into thinking about how money matters in domestic relationships, across a range of family forms and from diverse perspectives. The essays will engage, challenge and inform as they parse tough issues with a shared commitment to critical inquiry, equality, and economic fairness. Margot Young, Professor, Faculty of Law, UBC   In an era of increasing austerity, and an increasing privatization by the state of economic responsibility within the "family", this book is essential reading for scholars, students and others concerned about economic inequality and intra household economics. With its combination of theoretical and empirical contributions from a variety of disciplines, it provides a comprehensive and highly relevant contribution to one of the most important legal and sociological issues of the 21st century. Claire Young LL.B., LL.M. Professor Emerita, Faculty of Law, The University of British Columbia. About the Author Susan Millns is Professor of Law and Head of the Law School at the University of Sussex. Her research lies in the area of European Human Rights Law and European Constitutional Law. She has a particular interest in feminist legal studies and gender equality and has written extensively on gender and public law issues. Simone Wong is a Reader in Law at the University of Kent. In addition to being a member of Lincoln’s Inn in the UK, she has been called to the Bar in Malaysia, Singapore and Australian Capital Territory. Prior to her joining Kent in 1998, Simone had practised in Malaysia (1986-1989) and Singapore (1990-1994). She teaches Banking Law as well as Equity & Trusts. Her research interests are primarily in Equity, Trusts, Cohabitation and other Domestic Relationships, and Banking.