Precarity, Masculinities and Social Class

This chapter examines how precarious employment intersects with masculinities and social class in the UK youth labour market. It begins by exploring how deindustrialisation, austerity and the COVID-19 pandemic have dismantled stable employment pathways, particularly affecting low-skilled and FiF students. Drawing on autonomist and sociological perspectives, the chapter defines precarity as persistent job insecurity and outlines its structural drivers, including neoliberal policy, employer strategies and the UK&s;s finance-oriented economy. The discussion of masculinities critiques individualising &s;deficit&s; narratives that blame young men for their labour market struggles. Instead, the chapter highlights structural barriers such as skills mismatches, welfare sanctions and sectoral change, and shows how these forces shape young men&s;s employment experiences. The concept of inclusive masculinities is used to challenge outdated stereotypes, emphasising the adaptability and agency young men demonstrate in navigating uncertainty. Social class analysis provides a crucial lens for understanding how structural inequalities influence labour market outcomes. Limited access to employability capitals such as networks, internships and location-based opportunities reinforces spatial and social disparities, particularly in post-industrial cities like Glasgow and Liverpool where young men face persistent barriers shaped by long-term economic disadvantage. By linking macroeconomic shifts to lived experience, this chapter contributes to a more nuanced understanding of youth precarity in the UK&s;s structurally uneven economy.