Michael Long

Co-Author of "Holiday Hunger in the UK: Local Responses to Childhood Food Insecurity"

January 10, 2022

Michael Long has published five books and over 80 journal articles and book chapters primarily in the areas of environmental sociology, green criminology, food insecurity and quantitative methodology. He has received funding from the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the British Academy, among others for his research. Michael is currently the co-editor (with Andrew Fullerton) of The Sociological Quarterly.

The book begins by outlining the history and scope of holiday hunger – the condition that occurs when a child’s household is, or will become, food insecure during the summer holidays. The decline of the U.K. welfare state and the rise of neoliberalism have created a situation where up to three million children in the U.K. face food insecurity during the summer months when there are extra financial pressures on the working poor and when free school meals are not available. This book details the level of childhood and household food insecurity in the U.K. and describes one of the main responses to holiday hunger – holiday clubs. These clubs are locally organised and funded and provide a place for children to go to eat nutritious meals for free during the school holidays. Highlighting the benefits of holiday clubs that often extend beyond food provision, this book also discusses the challenges that they face now and in the future. The book concludes with recommendations for food insecurity policy and the role of government in fighting holiday hunger.

URL: https://library-dep.okstate.edu/news/celebratingbooks/2022-honorees/michael-long

Last Updated: 9 February 2022