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Why are there areas of severe deprivation in prosperous countries, and how can prosperity be shared more equally? Those are the questions the world-renowned development economist Paul Collier explores in his book, Left Behind: A New Economics for Neglected Places. He looks at areas that were once thriving – from the mining towns of South Yorkshire to the bustling city ports in Colombia – to explore widening inequality, but also to offer ideas of economic renewal.Matthew Xia directs the UK premier of Skeleton Crew by Dominique Morriseau at the Donmar Warehouse (from 28th June to 24th August 2024). Set in Detroit in 2008, the play follows a tight-knit group of workers in one of the city’s last surviving car factories as they struggle to come to terms with its inevitable closure. This is a story about the human cost of a global financial crisis and of enduring hope, against the odds.Joanna Kusiak calls herself a scholar-activist as she recounts the movement she was involved in that put people and community befo