From religious leaders to heads of state, everyone is talking about economic inequality. But what form does this take in different countries? What impact does it have on society? And why does it matter to you?

This online course will explore these growing concerns about wealth and income inequality.

You’ll scrutinise claims that the baby boomer generation has had it all, while social and political changes have left younger generations struggling.

You’ll examine the causes and implications of growing economic inequalities and what individuals, communities and governments can do about them.

• What is meant by ‘inequality’ and how it is measured.
• Comparisons of inequality across countries, different groups of people and generations.
• Why inequality matters.
• Controversies around inequality.
• The causes, consequences, nature and impact of inequality, particularly with regard to housing and pensions.
• The implications of inequality for individual financial planning for home ownership and retirement saving.
• Potential actions that individuals, communities and wider society can take to reduce inequality.

Who will you learn with?

Jerome De Henau

Senior Lecturer in Economics at the Open University, working on impacts of public policy across various welfare regimes on gender and social inequalities and personal finance within households

 

Jonquil Lowe

Senior Lecturer in Economics and Personal Finance, The Open University. Also a freelance personal finance researcher, working with many UK consumer-facing organisations and author of over 25 books.

 

Who developed the course?

The Open University

The Open University (OU) is the largest academic institution in the UK and a world leader in flexible distance learning, with a mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas.

• Established1969
• LocationMilton Keynes, UK
• World rankingTop 510Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020