The Age of Unequals with Richard Wilkinson

Richard Wilkinson’s work has shaped research on the social determinants of health for over thirty years. Recently, he co-authored the international best-seller The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better with Kate Pickett, a ground breaking book that has transformed our views on the interactions between income inequality and health. Dr. Wilkinson co-founded the Equality Trust to further public education about inequality and its consequences, and why reducing income disparity benefits all members of society.

Dr. Wilkinson has played a formative role in public awareness and policy development for thirty years. He began his academic career at the London School of Economics where he studied economic history and then transitioned to the field of epidemiology. He currently is Emeritus Professor of Social Epidemiology at the University of Nottingham, and an honorary professor at both the University College London and the University of York. He has written a dozen books and numerous research papers, and his work has been published in ten languages.

• Why Inequality Matters, a meeting with SFU Faculty of Health Sciences faculty members on how population health tends to be better in societies where income is more equally distributed.
• An Evening with Richard Wilkinson: The Age of Unequals, the feature lecture of the 2010 Bruce and Lis Welch Community Dialogue, attended by 350 public participants.
• Inequities and the Community Response, a video conference forum that included a presentation by Dr. Wilkinson and brief presentations from local community participants regarding their initiatives to reduce inequities.
• Meeting at the Carnegie Community Centre, a discussion with Dr. Wilkinson and community members on the impacts of inequities in Vancouver and the importance of civil society work in addressing inequities.

• A Visit with the Income Doctor, The Tyee (December 15, 2010)