Birkbeck's Centre for British Political Life host Orwell Prize Nominated Journalist Emily Kenway on 8 November
Join us on the 8th of November as Birkbeck’s Centre for British Political Life will host Orwell Prize Nominated Journalist Emily Kenway as she talks about her new book: "Who Cares? The Hidden Crisis of Care-Giving and How We Solve it". A ground-breaking book lifting the lid on the hidden side of the 'care crisis' - helping us reimagine our world to put caregiving at its heart. When Emily Kenway found herself in the painful position of caring for her cancer-stricken mother, her life was changed forever. Though she was lonely, she was far from alone: around the world, millions of people are quietly caring for unwell, elderly or disabled loved ones. For many, this is a full-time job, saving economies billions. But the human cost remains largely ignored. Why are caregivers mostly women? As families shrink, how can we provide care? Can care robots be the answer? And what does death anxiety have to do with all this? Through unflinching investigation, Who Cares asks vital questions about why we have a 'care crisis' at both a global and individual level. Deftly blending memoir with forensic research and the voices of caregivers from as far afield as Norway, Nepal and Nebraska, Who Cares is an essential read for anyone who has ever cared for, or will receive care from, another person - which is to say, for everyone.
‘An impassioned call to action’ Sunday Times ‘Vitally important’ Jon McGregor ‘Striking, honest and intimate’ Dazed ‘A compassionate hybrid of memoir and manifesto’ New Statesman ‘A book we all must read’ Silvia Federici Book your place 👇 👇 👇
📅 Wednesday 8 November 2023 ⏰ 6:00pm - 9:00pm 💻Online
Book your place, don't miss out! Emily Kenway is a writer, researcher and former carer. After spending around a decade working on social justice campaigns and policy, her first book, The Truth about Modern Slavery (Pluto Press, 2021), showed how exploitation has been politically reframed and why, and was described as a 'powerful treatise' by the Guardian. Her second book, 'Who Cares: the Hidden Crisis of Caregiving and How We Solve It' (Hachette, 2023) was a finalist for the Orwell Prize for Political Writing 2023 and has been widely acclaimed in the national press. She is currently completing a PhD at the University of Edinburgh, and sits on the boards of the charity National Ugly Mugs, which fights violence against sex workers and Common Wealth think tank which works on democratising ownership of the economy.