Michael (Dunlop) Young (1915-2002) was a sociologist, social activist and politician, who was known for his Bethnal Green Studies. He was founder of the Institute of Community Studies, now a division of the Young Foundation. He was given a life peerage in 1978 and sat in the House of Lords as Baron Young of Dartington.

Tom Schuller was Senior Lecturer in Continuing Education at the University of Warwick at the time of publication. He had worked at OECD in Paris, the University of Glasgow and the Institute of Community Studies in London.