Abstract: Sociologists have contributed relatively little to our understanding of rising inequality of earnings and income in the United States. The author considers both why that has been the case and the degree to which it matters. Suggestions are offered about how a comparative perspective can help to shed some light on developments in the United States.
Abstract: Poverty, income inequality, and the inequitable distribution of health invariably co-occur. The strength of the relationship between wealth and health holds even in countries with universal health care. A systematic literature review describes pathways from inequality of wealth to embodied diseases. The significance for social policy and social work practice is developed.