Building the case for the study of the middle class: shifting our gaze from margins to centre

This article argues for the study of the middle class in Canada, an overlooked dimension of the scholarly works and public debates on income polarisation. The article includes four sections: (i) original empirical research, sharing snapshots into the status of Canada's middle class emphasising its changing economic performance; (ii) an exploration of the sociological and political functions of the middle class; (iii) an articulation of the avenues through which the middle class can be operationalised for study; and (iv) the implications of a deteriorating middle class, which suggests both a deepening of destructive effects of neo‐liberalism yet also highlights opportunities for resistance. Recommendations for social movements are highlighted. While the context of this article is the Canadian experience, the political consequences for this study spread beyond its borders, particularly in the north where the benefits of neo‐liberalism are accruing.