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Distributed for University of British Columbia Press

The Working Class and Politics in Canada

Emphasizes the power of the working class in Canada’s politics.

Working-class Canadians are often overlooked by politicians, policymakers, and political scientists. However, the working class accounts for a substantial share of Canada’s population, and class differences have enduring relevance for how people relate to politics. The Working Class and Politics in Canada argues that changing labor-market patterns, shifting electoral alignments, and increased socio-economic inequality make it essential to revisit the political importance of class.

The contributors to this essential volume re-examine the experience of workers in Canadian politics and society, considering the relationship between the working class and political science, political parties, voting patterns, and democratic engagement. How do class status and other aspects of identity—such as region, language, and gender—determine voting behavior? What happens to working-class representation when the country’s political institutions primarily reflect the priorities of affluent constituents?

Drawing on new data and original insights, The Working Class and Politics in Canada offers an up-to-date and much-needed assessment of class and its place in contemporary Canadian politics.

320 pages | 25 figures, 14 tables | 6 x 9 | © 2025

Political Science: Political Behavior and Public Opinion

Sociology: Social Organization--Stratification, Mobility


Reviews

"Engaging and sophisticated, theoretically dense, methodologically rich, and grounded in its analysis, The Working Class and Politics in Canada offers an innovative exploration of the multiple ways class, and its intersections of race and gender, is shaping modern politics on the left, right, and middle."

Charles Smith, Department of Political Science, St. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan

"This much-anticipated volume injects new empirical and theoretical insights into our understanding of class politics in Canada ”¦ It promises to be a valuable resource for scholars and students in the fields of Canadian politics, political science, and political sociology."

Jared Wesley, Department of Political Science, University of Alberta

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