Social theory Books

2124 products


  • A Cooperative Species

    Princeton University Press A Cooperative Species

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhy do humans, uniquely among animals, cooperate in large numbers to advance projects for the common good? Contrary to the conventional wisdom in biology and economics, this generous and civic-minded behavior is widespread and cannot be explained simply by far-sighted self-interest or a desire to help close genealogical kin. In A Cooperative SpecieTrade Review"The achievement of Bowles and Gintis is to have put together from the many disparate sources of evidence a story as plausible as any we're likely to get in the present state of behavioural sciences of how human beings came to be as co-operative as they are."--W.G. Runciman, London Review of Books "In A Cooperative Species, economists Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis update their ideas on the evolutionary origins of altruism. Containing new data and analysis, their book is a sustained and detailed argument for how genes and culture have together shaped our ability to cooperate... By presenting clear models that are tied tightly to empirically derived parameters, Bowles and Gintis encourage much-needed debate on the origins of human cooperation."--Peter Richerson, Nature "An outstanding book that presents an important contribution and quite simply raises the scientific standard associated with the difficult and contentious problem of how human altruism evolved."--Charles Efferson, Economic Journal "A Cooperative Species: Human Reciprocity and Its Evolution states a clearly articulated gene-culture coevolution explanation for why we are a cooperative species. It is a read that will stretch readers' minds a bit, and I think it is an eminently valuable read... I await with eagerness the next time Bowles and Gintis are out cooperating again."--Jonathan D. Springer, PsycCRITIQUES "[T]he authors' systematic and mathematical approach will appeal to any reader seriously interested in learning about alternative theories of adaptive altruism, and their treatment of cultural inheritance using population-genetic models is first-rate. Although this book will by no means settle the debate surrounding the evolutionary origin of altruism, it is a worthy addition and is well worth reading."--P. William Hughes, Journal of Economic Issues "Bowles and Gintis are clearly not short of ideas. The attention they draw to the role of conflict and coordinated punishment in the evolution of our cooperative and reciprocal species makes the book very much worth reading. Their focus on the evolution of human nature also paints a much richer picture of our behavior than traditional economics tends to do."--Journal of Economic Literature "Bowles and Gintis are not the first to claim that competition, conflict, and war between human groups is the foundation of cooperation and of society. However, their integration of this insight into evolutionary game theory stands to increase the accessibility of this powerful idea to a large number of scholars working in a dominant theoretical perspective that spans the social and biological sciences. This is one reason why I recommend their new book A Cooperative Species: Human Reciprocity and Its Evolution."--Noah Mark, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation "This book makes a strong case for returning as a discipline to this vexed theme. I can only hope we do so with the analytical ingenuity and empirical humility that Bowles and Gintis display."--Jacob G. Foster, American Journal of Sociology "Cooperative Species: Human Reciprocity and Its Evolution should be of interest to individuals across multiple disciplines. The book provides a compelling argument supported by multiple kinds of theoretical and empirical evidence. Although the book does use some technical language and examples in places, the explanation is sufficiently clear to make the main ideas and arguments of the book accessible to individuals who were not previously familiar with these technicalities."--Christopher M. Caldwell, Metapsychology Online "[This book] makes important contributions to our understanding of the nature and function of emotions in politics, including the evolution of emotion and cognition and their linkages to democratic governance... [It] should become [an] important resource for students of politics who have the requisite background in the behavioral sciences and wish to develop an integrated, life science perspective in their own work."--Michael S. Latner, Politics and the Life SciencesTable of ContentsPreface xi Chapter 1: A Cooperative Species 1 Chapter 2: The Evolution of Altruism in Humans 8 2.1 Preferences, Beliefs, and Constraints 9 2.2 Social Preferences and Social Dilemmas 10 2.3 Genes, Culture, Groups, and Institutions 13 2.4 Preview 18 Chapter 3: Social Preferences 19 3.1 Strong Reciprocity Is Common 20 3.2 Free-Riders Undermine Cooperation 22 3.3 Altruistic Punishment Sustains Cooperation 24 3.4 Effective Punishment Depends on Legitimacy 26 3.5 Purely Symbolic Punishment Is Effective 29 3.6 People Punish Those Who Hurt Others 31 3.7 Social Preferences Are Not Irrational 32 3.8 Culture and InstitutionsMatter 33 3.9 Behavior Is Conditioned on Group Membership 35 3.10 People Enjoy Cooperating and Punishing Free-Riders 38 3.11 Social Preferences in Laboratory and Natural Settings 39 3.12 Competing Explanations 42 Chapter 4: The Sociobiology of Human Cooperation 46 4.1 Inclusive Fitness and Human Cooperation 48 4.2 Modeling Multi-level Selection 52 4.3 EquilibriumSelection 57 4.4 Reciprocal Altruism 59 4.5 Reciprocal Altruism in Large Groups 63 4.6 Reputation: Indirect Reciprocity 68 4.7 Altruism as a Signal of Quality 71 4.8 Positive Assortment 72 4.9 Mechanisms and Motives 75 Chapter 5: Cooperative Homo economicus 79 5.1 Folk Theorems and Evolutionary Dynamics 80 5.2 The Folk Theorem with Imperfect Public Information 83 5.3 The Folk Theorem with Private Information 86 5.4 Evolutionarily Irrelevant Equilibria 87 5.5 Social Norms and Correlated Equilibria 89 5.6 The Missing Choreographer 90 Chapter 6: Ancestral Human Society 93 6.1 Cosmopolitan Ancestors 95 6.2 Genetic Evidence 99 6.3 PrehistoricWarfare 102 6.4 The Foundations of Social Order 106 6.5 The Crucible of Cooperation 110 Chapter 7: The Coevolution of Institutions and Behaviors 111 7.1 Selective Extinction 115 7.2 Reproductive Leveling 117 7.3 Genetic Differentiation between Groups 120 7.4 Deme Extinction and the Evolution of Altruism 121 7.5 The Australian Laboratory 123 7.6 The Coevolution of Institutions and Altruism 124 7.7 Simulating Gene-Culture Coevolution 126 7.8 Levelers and Warriors 130 Chapter 8: Parochialism, Altruism, andWar 133 8.1 Parochial Altruism and War 135 8.2 The Emergence of Parochial Altruism and War 138 8.3 Simulated and Experimental Parochial Altruism 142 8.4 The Legacy of a Past "Red in Tooth and Claw" 146 Chapter 9: The Evolution of Strong Reciprocity 148 9.1 Coordinated Punishment 150 9.2 Altruistic Punishment in a Realistic Demography 156 9.3 The Emergence of Strong Reciprocity 159 9.4 Why Coordinated Punishment Succeeds 163 9.5 A Decentralized Social Order 164 Chapter 10: Socialization 167 10.1 Cultural Transmission 168 10.2 Socialization and the Survival of Fitness-Reducing Norms 171 10.3 Genes, Culture, and the Internalization of Norms 173 10.4 The Internalized Norm as Hitchhiker 176 10.5 The Gene-Culture Coevolution of a Fitness-Reducing Norm 179 10.6 How Can Internalized Norms Be Altruistic? 180 10.7 The Programmable Brain 183 11Social Emotions 186 11.1 Reciprocity, Shame, and Punishment 188 11.2 The Evolution of Social Emotions 191 11.3 The "Great Captains of Our Lives" 192 12Conclusion: Human Cooperation and Its Evolution 195 12.1 The Origins of Human Cooperation 196 12.2 The Future of Cooperation 199 Appendix 201 A1 Altruism Defined 201 A2 Agent-Based Models 202 A3 Game Theory 207 A4 Dynamical Systems 209 A5 The Replicator Dynamic 212 A6 Continuation Probability and Time Discount Factor 213 A7 Alternatives to the Standing Model 214 A8 The Prisoner's Dilemma with Public and Private Signals 215 A9 Student and Nonstudent Experimental Subjects 217 A10 The Price Equation 218 A11 Weak Multi-level Selection 222 A12 Cooperation and Punishment with Quorum Sensing 223 References 225 Subject Index 251 Author Index 255

    1 in stock

    £25.20

  • The New Science of the Enchanted Universe

    Princeton University Press The New Science of the Enchanted Universe

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrade Review"A characteristically feisty final statement from one of the greatest anthropologists of the past century."---Jonathan Spencer, Science"Sahlins is perhaps one of the last great anthropological time travelers, unashamed of his vocation, and openly committed to immersing himself in ways of being that were not originally his own, or at least trying his hardest to do so. We may not see his like again."---Vincent P. Pecora, European Legacy"Sahlins makes his case forcefully, eloquently, and with passion. Right, wrong, partial, or not, The New Science of the Enchanted Universe is a feisty anthropological contribution that will be good to teach with within the academy and good to think with way beyond the narrow confines of anthropology."---David N. Gellner, Society

    1 in stock

    £27.00

  • Sad by Design

    Pluto Press Sad by Design

    Book SynopsisWe live in a time of engineered intimacy, toxic memes and online addiction. Can we ever break free?Trade Review'Dystopian ... a scathing indictment of a technology that transforms the very notion of self into a sharing platform.' -- Eva Illouz, author of 'Why Love Hurts: A Sociological Explanation''Sad by Design: on Platform Nihilism, despite the title, is not a sad book. It dissects our digital addictions with the dynamite power of critical theory. It's a savage journey into the heart of the digital self, and a wake-up call to break free of our own enslavement' -- Donatella Della Ratta, author of 'Shooting a Revolution: Visual Media and Warfare in Syria''Geert Lovink, who is expertly familiar with digital dynamics - technological as well as social - provides in this book a searing criticism of platform nihilism, considered above all as a perversion of computational design' -- Bernard Stiegler, author of 'The Age of Disruption: Technology and Madness in Computational Capitalism'Table of ContentsSeries Preface Acknowledgements Introduction: Society of the Social 1. Overcoming the Disillusioned Internet 2. Social Media as Ideology 3. Distraction and its Discontents 4. Sad by Design 5. Media Network Platform: Three Architectures 6. From Registration to Extermination: On Technological Violence 7. Narcissus Confirmed: Technologies of the Minimal Selfie 8. Mask Design: Aesthetics of the Faceless 9. Memes as Strategy: European Origins and Debates 10. Before Building the Avant-Garde of the Commons Notes Bibliography

    £22.49

  • University of Toronto Press Critical Futures

    Book SynopsisCritical Futures explores the evolving landscape of community-engaged research (CER) in a time of unprecedented social, political, and environmental crises. This collection brings together leading scholars, community researchers, and activists to examine the intersection of CER with social justice, decolonization, and transformation.The book explores the reimagining of CER and decolonizing research practices and offers case studies from the field. Through essays and contributions from a diverse group of scholars, the book highlights the need for ethical, equitable collaboration that transcends traditional academic hierarchies. It addresses topics including the role of solidarity in research, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CER, Indigenous and Two-Spirit community research, and the critical importance of addressing power dynamics in university-community partnerships.With a focus on justice and the creation of new collective possibilities, Critical Futures provides both theoretical frameworks and practical examples that inspire a rethinking of how community research can contribute to a more just and sustainable future. This collection is essential reading for anyone interested in the future of research that is rooted in social change and community engagement.

    £26.99

  • Understanding Deviance A Guide to the Sociology

    Oxford University Press Understanding Deviance A Guide to the Sociology

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisAn indispensable guide to the sociological theories behind crime, it outlines the principal theories of crime and rule-breaking, discussing them chronologically. Placing each theory in its European and North American contexts, the authors confront major criticisms that have been voiced against each theory, and construct defences where appropriate. Thoroughly revised and updated in its 7th edition, this is the clearest and most authoritative guide to crime and deviance, written by three leading names in the field.Trade ReviewI would say that while lesser books go straight to the 'deviance' aspect, this book does much more by addressing the 'sociology', situating the subject historically, culturally, and academically. * Jo Buckle, Glasgow Caledonian University *An excellent introduction to the sociology of deviance; it covers all the main theories and some that are not typically included with rich and varied examples. * Dr Luca Follis, Lancaster University Law School *I regard Understanding Deviance to be a triumph, a major achievement - and its reading essential to a balanced understanding of the field. * Erich Goode, Emeritus Professor, State University of New York at Stony Brook *Table of Contents1: Theoretical contexts: the changing nature and scope of the sociology of crime and deviance 2: Sources of knowledge about crime and deviance 3: The Chicago school 4: Functionalism: the Durkheimian legacy 5: Anomie and strain theory 6: Culture and subculture 7: Symbolic interactionism 8: Phenomenology 9: Control theories 10: Radical criminology 11: Feminist criminology 12: Victimology 13: Public criminology: theory and policy 14: The metamorphosis of the sociology of crime and deviance

    1 in stock

    £48.99

  • Considering Class: Theory, Culture and the Media

    Haymarket Books Considering Class: Theory, Culture and the Media

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisConsidering Class: Theory, Culture and Media in the 21st Century offers the reader international and interdisciplinary perspectives on the importance of class analysis in the 21st century. Political economists, sociologists, educationalists, ethnographers, cultural and media analysts have contributed to this volume to provide a multi-dimensional account of current class dynamics.Table of ContentsList of IllustrationsNotes on Contributors i1 Introduction Deirdre O’Neill and Mike Wayne Part 1: Class Theory 2 Class and the Classical Marxist Tradition Joseph Choonara3 Social Class and Education Dave Hill4 Marxist Class Theory: Competition, Contingency and Intermediate Class Positions Jonathan Pratschke5 Class Segregation  Danny Dorling6 The ‘Secret’ of the Restoration: Increased Class Exploitation Maurizio Donato and Roberto Taddeo Part 2: Class and Culture 7 Exploitation, Oppression, and Epistemology Holly Lewis8 Peasants, Migrants and Self-Employed Workers: The Masks that Veil Class Affiliation in Latin America: The Argentine Case Marina Kabat and Eduardo Sartelli9 Capitalism, Class and Collective Identity: Social Movements and Public Services in South Africa Adrian Murray10 On Intellectuals Deirdre O’Neill and Mike Wayne11 The British Working Class Post-blair Consensus: We Do Not Exist Lisa Mckenzie12 From Class Solidarity to Cultural Solidarity: Immigration, Crises, and the Populist Right Ferruh Yilmaz13 Recovering the Australian Working Class Tony Moore, Mark Gibson and Catharine Lumby Part 3: Class and the Media 14 ‘Everything Changes. Everything Stays the Same’: Documenting Continuity and Change in Working Class Lives Anita Biressi15 Ghettos and Gated Communities in the Social Landscape of Television: Representations of Class in 1982 and 2015 Fredrik Stiernstedt and Peter Jakobsson16 Class, Culture and Exploitation: The Case of Reality tv  Milly Williamson17 Class Warfare, the Neoliberal Man and the Political Economy of Methamphetamine in Breaking Bad  Michael Seltzer18 ‘The Thing Is I’m Actually from Bromley’: Queer/Class Intersectionality in Pride (2014) Craig HaslopIndex

    1 in stock

    £27.00

  • Oneworld Publications The Power of Others: Peer Pressure, Groupthink,

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisTeenage cliques, jihadist cells, army units, polar expeditions, and football hooligans – on the face of it, each of these groups might seem exceptional, but the forces that bind and drive them can affect us all. In recent decades, psychologists have uncovered how and why our innate socialness holds huge sway over how we think and act, propelling us to both high achievement and unthinking cruelty. We are beholden to our peers, even when we think we’re calling the shots. This is the power of others. In this captivating work, science writer Michael Bond investigates the latest breakthroughs in social psychology to reveal how to guard against groupthink, build better teamwork, identify shared objectives, become more ethical, and survive moments of isolation. A fascinating blend of evolutionary theory, behavourial science, and remarkable case studies, The Power of Others will teach you to truly harness your collective self.Trade Review'Important and compelling. Bond drives home a fact that we all must accept – we are never alone. The people in our lives affect every aspect of our behaviour in ways that we are often not consciously aware of.' -- David McRaney, bestselling author of You Are Not So Smart'Accessible, captivating, and fun. Though we think of ourselves as free individuals, our choices are influenced by others – and the scary thing is that we don’t realise it.' -- William Poundstone, author of Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google?‘Easy to read [and] interesting’ * Press Association *

    Out of stock

    £9.49

  • The Origins of Unfairness

    Oxford University Press The Origins of Unfairness

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn almost every human society some people get more and others get less. Why is inequity the rule in these societies? In The Origins of Unfairness, philosopher Cailin O''Connor firstly considers how groups are divided into social categories, like gender, race, and religion, to address this question. She uses the formal frameworks of game theory and evolutionary game theory to explore the cultural evolution of the conventions which piggyback on these seemingly irrelevant social categories. These frameworks elucidate a variety of topics from the innateness of gender differences, to collaboration in academia, to household bargaining, to minority disadvantage, to homophily. They help to show how inequity can emerge from simple processes of cultural change in groups with gender and racial categories, and under a wide array of situations. The process of learning conventions of coordination and resource division is such that some groups will tend to get more and others less. O''Connor offers solutions to such problems of coordination and resource division and also shows why we need to think of inequity as part of an ever evolving process. Surprisingly minimal conditions are needed to robustly produce phenomena related to inequity and, once inequity emerges in these models, it takes very little for it to persist indefinitely. Thus, those concerned with social justice must remain vigilant against the dynamic forces that push towards inequity.Trade ReviewIn The Origins of Unfairness Cailin O'Connor makes a number of excellent contributions to our understanding of social norms, discrimination, and inequity. O'Connor blends formal ethods from game theory with philosophical discussion and socio-cultural commentary. This combination and the book's accessible style mean it will be of interest to scholars from many disciplines. * Aja Watkins & Rory Smead, Economics and Philosophy *Carefully and clearly argued ... a powerful statement about how unfairness between genders and races is likely to arise in a wide variety of actual conditions ... O'Connor insightfully warns us that when we think we have made moral progress in fighting oppression, there will inevitably be new forms of unfairness to recognize and struggle against * Ann Cudd, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Human groups across cultures and times have divided labor by gender. What explains this fact, along with related inequities in the division of resources? ... Cailin O'Connor illuminates this complicated story using evolutionary game-theoretic modeling. * William J. FitzPatrick, The Philosophical Review *

    1 in stock

    £22.56

  • The Origins of Unfairness

    Oxford University Press The Origins of Unfairness

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn almost every human society some people get more and others get less. Why is inequity the rule in these societies? In The Origins of Unfairness, philosopher Cailin O''Connor firstly considers how groups are divided into social categories, like gender, race, and religion, to address this question. She uses the formal frameworks of game theory and evolutionary game theory to explore the cultural evolution of the conventions which piggyback on these seemingly irrelevant social categories. These frameworks elucidate a variety of topics from the innateness of gender differences, to collaboration in academia, to household bargaining, to minority disadvantage, to homophily. They help to show how inequity can emerge from simple processes of cultural change in groups with gender and racial categories, and under a wide array of situations. The process of learning conventions of coordination and resource division is such that some groups will tend to get more and others less. O''Connor offers solutions to such problems of coordination and resource division and also shows why we need to think of inequity as part of an ever evolving process. Surprisingly minimal conditions are needed to robustly produce phenomena related to inequity and, once inequity emerges in these models, it takes very little for it to persist indefinitely. Thus, those concerned with social justice must remain vigilant against the dynamic forces that push towards inequity.Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: The Evolution of Inequity Through Social Coordination 1: Gender, Coordination Problems, and Coordination Games 2: Social Categories, Coordination, and Inequity 3: Cultural Evolution with Social Categories 4: The Evolution of Gender Part II: The Evolution of Inequity Through Division of Resources 5: Power and the Evolution of Inequity 6: The Cultural Red Queen and the Cultural Red King 7: Discrimination and Homophily 8: The Evolution of Household Bargaining 9: Evolution and Revolution 10: Conclusion

    1 in stock

    £30.59

  • The Oxford Handbook of Political Participation

    Oxford University Press The Oxford Handbook of Political Participation

    1 in stock

    a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

    1 in stock

    £173.99

  • The Eternal Recurrence of Crime and Control Essays in Honour of Paul Rock

    OUP Oxford The Eternal Recurrence of Crime and Control Essays in Honour of Paul Rock

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis book is a Festschrift in honour of Paul Rock, former Professor of Social Policy at the London School of Economics. The edited volume examines and builds on the central themes associated with Professor Rock's work - social and criminological theory, policy development and policy-making, and victims and victimology.Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION: PAUL ROCK ; POEM ON THE OCCASION OF PAUL ROCK'S RETIREMENT

    1 in stock

    £84.00

  • Chaos of Disciplines

    The University of Chicago Press Chaos of Disciplines

    Book SynopsisThis work presents analysis of the evolution and development of the social sciences. It reconsiders how knowledge actually changes and advances. Challenging the accepted belief that social sciences are in a perpetual state of progress, this work contends that there is a core set of principles.

    £28.00

  • The Rise of the Masses

    The University of Chicago Press The Rise of the Masses

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisAn insightful examination of how intersecting individual motivations and social structures mobilize spontaneous mass protests. Between 15 and 26 million Americans participated in protests surrounding the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and others as part of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, which is only one of the most recent examples of an immense mobilization of citizens around a cause. In The Rise of the Masses, sociologist Benjamin Abrams addresses why and how people spontaneously protest, riot, and revolt en masse. While most uprisings of such a scale require tremendous resources and organizing, this book focuses on cases where people with no connection to organized movements take to the streets, largely of their own accord. Looking to the Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street, and the Black Lives Uprising, as well as the historical case of the French Revolution, Abrams lays out a theory of how and why massive mobilizations arise without the large-scalTrade Review“Skillfully drawing on and synthesizing an impressive range of theoretical perspectives, Benjamin Abrams has fashioned a highly original theory of spontaneous mass mobilization. As if that weren’t enough, he goes on to make a compelling, empirically informed case for the application of his affinity-convergence theory to four iconic mass movements, ranging from the French Revolution to the George Floyd Protests of 2020. Anyone interested in the dynamics of spontaneous mass action will want to read this book.” -- Doug McAdam, Ray Lyman Wilbur Professor of Sociology, Stanford University“Drawing on four diverse cycles of contention. . . . Abrams shows how much of the process of mobilization can be explained as the product of affinities and convergence on the part of unorganized groups—the 'masses' in his title—while their failures can be explained as their inability to create viable and robust structures around their affinities. His book should be read by social movement specialists and by general readers concerned with the current waves of mass mobilization alike. While the book is based on immense reading and research, it is Abrams's deep thinking that I admire most. A very readable and engaging book." -- Sidney Tarrow, author of Power in Movement“Social movements and revolutions are enormously consequential. Yet, their confounding and elusive mysteries are not fully understood. How do they burst forth, who brings them into being, and why do they fail or succeed? Do they spring from spontaneity or organization? The Rise of the Masses squarely confronts these fundamental questions through careful analysis, copious evidence, and enthralling narratives of historic movements. In so doing, Abrams illuminates how these engines of social change operate. This book is a rich fount of knowledge that should be widely read.” -- Aldon Morris, author of The Origins of the Civil Rights Movement"This book will be important reading for those interested in explaining mobilization generally and delving into how we can better understand more spontaneous mobilizations. In addition, it would be of interest to any scholars or publics interested in the four core cases of analysis. I found the book compelling, beautifully written, and convincing." -- Catherine Corrigall-Brown * Social Forces *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Theorizing Mobilization 1. What We Know about Mobilization, and What We Need To 2. Affinity-Convergence Theory Part II: The Egyptian Revolution, 2011 3. Egypt on the Eve of Revolution 4. The Anatomy of a Revolutionary Moment 5. The Fall and Fall of Revolutionary Egypt Part III: Occupy Wall Street 6. Globalizing the Revolution 7. Enter the Occupiers 8. The End of the Extraordinary Part IV: The Black Lives Uprising, 2020 9. From Tragedy to Uprising 10. Mass Mobilization for Black Lives Part V: The French Revolution, 1789 11. Mass Mobilization against the Ancien Régime 12. The Development of Revolutionary Mobilization Conclusion Acknowledgments Notes Index

    1 in stock

    £22.80

  • Zygmunt Bauman and the Theory of Culture

    McGill-Queen's University Press Zygmunt Bauman and the Theory of Culture

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisOne of the most influential intellectuals of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, sociologist and philosopher Zygmunt Bauman (19252017) made reflection on culture a fundamental part of his academic work. He published a substantial number of papers on the topic, and many of his concepts would go on to significantly influence the social sciences and humanities. Bauman began his theoretical studies on culture when working at the University of Warsaw and continued them all his life. Inspired by the many intellectual currents he encountered over his more than six decades of work, Bauman wrote on culture in the contexts of such issues as Marxism and socialism, modernity and the Holocaust, postmodernity and liquid modernity, and contemporary nostalgia. In Zygmunt Bauman and the Theory of Culture Dariusz Brzezinski uses the evolution of Bauman's theory of culture as a prism through which to offer a comparative analysis, putting Bauman's work in conversation with the writinTrade Review"In this first comprehensive and critical assessment of Bauman’s lifelong work on culture, Brzeziński includes Bauman’s Polish-language papers and books, as well as his works discovered only posthumously, presenting them to an international audience." Polish Sociological Review“Brzezinski has produced a valuable and original text which provides new resources for scholars interested in Bauman’s work. It is true to Bauman’s overall goal in his sociology which always sought a critical perspective which, in defamiliarizing the familiar, encouraged his readers to think afresh about what is and what could be. … Brzezinski shows how this key trait of Bauman’s sociology, expressed in his hyperbolizing texts, can be traced back to his earliest consideration of culture in the 1960s and forward into his final pieces. In doing so, he shows how the Bauman pre-exile should count in our consideration of his sociology.” European Journal of Social Theory“Brzeziński skilfully guides the reader through much material not published in English, together with some unpublished and difficult-to-obtain material.” European Journal of Cultural and Political Sociology

    3 in stock

    £27.90

  • Marxism Mysticism and Modern Theory

    Palgrave MacMillan UK Marxism Mysticism and Modern Theory

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisAcknowledgements - Notes on the Contributors - Introduction; S.Wolton - The Three Sources and Component Parts of Marxism; G.A.Cohen - Marxism and Social Construction; J.Heartfield - Uncertain Judgement: A Critique of the 'Culture of Crime'; A.Calcutt - Racial Identities: the Degradation of Human Constructions; S.Wolton - Marxism and Feminist Theory; E.Lee - The Return of the Sacred; L.Revell - Determined to be Different: Social Constructionism and Homosexuality; P.Ray - Political Internet? What a Wondrous Web we weave; K.Teare - IndexTable of ContentsAcknowledgements - Notes on the Contributors - Introduction; S.Wolton - The Three Sources and Component Parts of Marxism; G.A.Cohen - Marxism and Social Construction; J.Heartfield - Uncertain Judgement: A Critique of the 'Culture of Crime'; A.Calcutt - Racial Identities: the Degradation of Human Constructions; S.Wolton - Marxism and Feminist Theory; E.Lee - The Return of the Sacred; L.Revell - Determined to be Different: Social Constructionism and Homosexuality; P.Ray - Political Internet? What a Wondrous Web we weave; K.Teare - Index

    1 in stock

    £42.74

  • A Short History of Sociological Thought

    Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) A Short History of Sociological Thought

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisALAN SWINGEWOOD lectures in sociology at the London School of Economics. He is also the author of Cultural Theory and the Problem of Modernity.

    1 in stock

    £37.99

  • Bourdieu and Education

    Taylor & Francis Bourdieu and Education

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisSpecially selected by Diane Reay, this is a collection of innovative and thought-provoking recently published papers that 'use' Bourdieu to put theory into practice in order to understand and analyse educational problems. Bourdieu's work is renowned for its focus on inequalities and its centering of social justice. The contributions utilise a wide range of diverse concepts in Bourdieu's theoretical 'tool-kit', and address educational inequalities across different aspects of the educational system â from higher education and parental choice of schooling, to teachers' professional development and the PE classroom. Illuminating key aspects of Bourdieu's scholarship, they reveal how good Bourdieu is 'for thinking withâ; illustrate the merits of reflexivity, the move beyond binary ways of reading the social world; and demonstrate the significance of power in any analysis of education. The chapters in this book were all originally published as articles in TayloTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. The practical importance of Bourdieu’s analyses of higher education 2. How Bourdieu bites back: recognising misrecognition in education and educational research 3. Emotional Capital and Education: Theoretical Insights from Bourdieu 4. The power of one? Conditions which challenge managerial professional development practices 5. Using Bourdieu in practice? Urban secondary teachers’ and students’ experiences of a Bourdieusian-inspired pedagogical approach 6. Education and Cultural Capital: The Implications of Changing Trends in Education Policies 7. Fields and institutional strategy: Bourdieu on the relationship between higher education, inequality and society 8. Violent youth or violent schools? A critical incident analysis of symbolic violence 9. Bourdieu and the Social Space of the PE Class: Reproduction of Doxa through Practice 10. Mainland Chinese students at an elite Hong Kong university: habitus–field disjuncture in a transborder context 11. Cultural capital as whiteness? Examining logics of ethno-racial representation and resistance 12. Student retention in higher education: the role of institutional habitus

    1 in stock

    £37.04

  • Diagnostic Cultures

    Taylor & Francis Diagnostic Cultures

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisSome studies estimate that each year, around a quarter of the population of Western countries will suffer from at least one mental disorder. Should this be interpreted as evidence for the progress of psychiatry, a discipline that is now able to identify and treat mental illnesses that have always existed, or might it be the case that modern life somehow creates new conditions, or social pathologies? This book argues that in fact something more fundamental has been taking place in recent years: the development of diagnostic cultures. Taking account of the phenomenon of patients themselves ''pushing for'' pathologization - and acknowledging therefore that this is not simply a case of psychiatry pursuing an agenda of ''medicalisation from above'' - this volume examines the emerging trend towards interpreting our sufferings in terms of psychiatric conceptions and diagnostic categories. Drawing on new empirical case studies of psychological diagnoses, including depression and ADHD, and emplTrade Review"A captivating analysis of the ways that use of medical diagnoses to categorize human behavior has altered our inner experience and our everyday social lives." - Donald R. Marks and Larissa Redziniak in PsycCRITIQUES (2016)Table of ContentsList of FiguresAcknowledgementsIntroduction1. Introducing the Concept of Diagnostic Cultures2. Psychiatric Diagnoses as Epistemic Objects3. Languages of Suffering4. Psychiatric Diagnoses as Semiotic Mediators5. "Do More, Feel Better, Live Longer": Being a Psychiatric Subject6. Interpreting the Epidemics7. Towards a Comprehensive Understanding of Mental Disorder8. General ConclusionsBibliographyIndex

    Out of stock

    £39.99

  • Shades of Deviance

    Taylor & Francis Ltd Shades of Deviance

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisShades of Deviance is a turbo-driven guide to crime and deviance. It offers politically engaged, thought-provoking and accessibly written accounts of a wide range of socially and legally prohibited acts. This updated and revised edition is designed to be essential reading for general readers, undergraduate students in the fields of criminology and sociology, and those preparing to embark on degree courses in these fields. Written by field-leading experts from across the globe and designed for those who want a clear and exciting introduction to the complex areas of crime and deviance, this book provides short overviews of a wide range of social problems, harms and criminal acts, offering a series of cutting-edge and critical treatments of issues such as war and terrorism, incels and the alt-right, ecocide, trolling, hate crime and chemsex. A guide is also given to further readings and films to develop the reader's understanding of these issues. This new edition has beTrade ReviewAs with the first edition of this remarkable and indispensable book, this thoroughly revised second version pushes readers to broaden the way they think about deviance and social harm in modern societies—and to recognize the connections between the behaviors that often trouble us the most and the increasingly precarious and neglectful character of the contemporary global social order. Professor Elliott Currie, University of California, Irvine, USAA collection of fascinating insights into acts of deviance so wide and varied that conformity appears to an increasingly rare commodity. However, as the chapters in this volume attest, even as we become more diverse we are ever more policed. A book for our times.Professor Danny Dorling, University of Oxford Shades of Deviance is a thought-provoking collection bringing together short essays on a vast range of issues that are viewed in contemporary society as ‘deviant’, ‘harmful’, or ‘criminal’. Questioning the value of mainstream approaches which prioritise a focus on state defined problematic behaviours, this second edition collection includes 60 entries with new topics and authors covering low level issues such as yarnbombing to the more serious —such as terrorism and child soldiers. Written in a thoroughly engaging and accessible manner, this introductory text is a must read for all criminology students. Professor Christina Pantazis, University of BristolQuestions of deviance lie at the heart of criminological inquiry. The breadth and sociological curiosity that informs this book make it both a useful and highly enjoyable introduction to the topic. It will be a useful companion to students of criminology and several other social science disciplines. In fact, it creates a real danger that it will convert the latter into the former. Professor Katja Franko, University of OsloTable of ContentsPart I: Acts of transgression1 Crime Is Not Just for Criminologists Rowland Atkinson and Tammy Ayres 2 Begging Sabina Yasmin Rahman 3 Yarn Bombing Alyce McGovern 4 Spitting Ross Coomber 5 Street Racing and Joyriding Yunis Alam 6 Sex work Molly Dunn 7 Sadomasochism Thomas S. Weinberg 8 Public Sex Katharine Parker Part II: Subcultures and deviating social codes 9 Drugs, Substances and Intoxicants Tammy Ayres 10 Tattooing and Body Modification Kyla Bevin and James Treadwell 11 Incel Masculinity Sam Andrews and Anthony Ellis 12 Music and Subculture Víctor Ávila Torres 13 Chemsex Ford Hickson 14 Weapon Use Nicolas Florquin and Peter Squires 15 Graffiti Robert D. Weide 16 Parkour and Freerunning Thomas Raymen 17 Organised Fighting Sports Victoria E. Collins Part III: Changing technologies and harms 18 Online Fraud Kate Tudor 19 Hacking and Hacktivism Kevin F. Steinmetz 20 Lifestyle Medicines and Performance Enhancing Drugs Nick Gibbs 21 Robot Sex Corina Medley 22 Trolling and Online Abuse Emma A. Jane 23 Video Games Craig Kelly and Adam Lynes 24 Voyeurism and Trash Streaming Grace Gallacher Part IV: Social change and social problems 25 Domestic Violence and Abuse Jade Levell 26 Tourism Oliver Smith 27 Debt Mark Horsley 28 Sexual Deviance Katie McBride 29 Gambling Suzanne Baggs 30 Paedophilia Maggie Wykes 31 Pornography Samantha Keene 32 Stalking Laura Logan 33 Maritime Piracy Patricia Schneider 34 Drug Trafficking Zulia Orozco Reynoso Part V: Invisible and contested harms 35 Corporate Crime Mark Monaghan 36 Corruption Marina Zaloznaya 37 State Crime and Violence Diogo Azevedo Lyra, Carolina Christoph Grillo, Renato Coelho Dirk and Daniel Veloso Hirata 38 Tax Evasion Rowland Atkinson 39 Elder Abuse and Neglect Marie Beaulieu, Julien Cadieux Genesse and Kevin St-Martin 40 Fraud Jörg Wiegratz 41 Police Deviance Bill McClanahan 42 Consumption Rowland Atkinson Part VI: Hate, difference and culture 43 Gypsy Roma and Travellers Haley Read 44 Squatting Samuel Burgum 45 Hate Crime Tina G. Patel 46 Policing Politics and Protest Aidan O'Sullivan 47 Alt-Right Tanner Mirrlees Part VII: Questions of violence 48 Homicide Gabriel Feltran and Marcelli Cipriani 49 Terrorism Jacob Holzer 50 Animal Abuse Ruth McKie 51 School Violence Valéria Cristina de Oliveira 52 Child soldiers Tammy Ayres Part VIII: Harms in a global context 53 Ecocide Rob White 54 Environmental Activism Olivia Hasler 55 Gangs Dennis Rodgers 56 Human Trafficking and People Smuggling Daniel Briggs 57 Green Criminology Daan van Uhm 58 International Migration Mark Bushell 59 Slavery, Webcams and Human Trafficking Rosemary Broad 60 Urban Conflict Luana Motta 61 Waste Avi Brisman

    15 in stock

    £25.99

  • Growing Up and Out of Crime

    Taylor & Francis Ltd Growing Up and Out of Crime

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £37.99

  • Geographical Gerontology

    Taylor & Francis Ltd (Sales) Geographical Gerontology

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisUnderstanding where ageing occurs, how it is experienced by different people in different places, and in what ways it is transforming our communities, economies and societies at all levels has become crucial for the development of informed research, policy and programmes.This book focuses on the interdisciplinary field of study geographical gerontology that addresses these issues. With contributions from more than 30 leading geographers and gerontologists, the book examines the scope and depth of geographical perspectives, concepts and approaches applied to the study of ageing, old age and older populations. The book features 25 chapters organized into five parts that cover the field's theoretical traditions and intellectual evolution; the contributions of key disciplinary perspectives from population geography, social and cultural geography, health geography, urban planning and environmental studies; the scales of inquiry within geographical gerontology from the Trade Review"Geographical Gerontology: Perspectives, Concepts, Approaches takes a critical perspective by acknowledging and addressing the diversity of the aging experience. There is much discussion of understanding aging and differences among older adults by gender, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, location (e.g., urban vs rural), morbidity, and mental health. Focusing on these dimensions allows us to understand how and why older adults interact with space and place."- Marie Y. Savundranayagam, PhD, School of Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University London Ontario, CanadaTable of ContentsPreface Part I. Introduction 1. Introduction to geographical gerontology Mark W. Skinner, Gavin J. Andrews and Malcolm P. Cutchin 2 Space and place in geographical gerontology Gavin J. Andrews, Malcolm P. Cutchin and Mark W. Skinner Part II. Geographical perspectives on ageing 3. Health geographies of ageing Janine L. Wiles 4. Social and cultural geographies of ageing Christine Milligan and Anna Tarrant 5. Population geographies of older people Mark W. Rosenberg and Kathi Wilson 6. Planning and design of ageing communities Judith E. Phillips 7. Environment and ageing Keith Diaz Moore Part III. Geographical scales of inquiry 8. Global ageing David R. Phillips and Zhixin Feng 9. Ageing in low- and middle-income countries Andrea Rishworth and Susan J. Elliott 10. Urban ageing: new agendas for geographical gerontology Tine Buffel and Chris Phillipson 11. Rural ageing Mark W. Skinner and Rachel Winterton 12. Ageing communities Sarah A. Lovell 13. Household spaces of ageing Anne Martin-Matthews and Denise S. Cloutier 14. Embodiment and emotion in later life Rachel Herron Part IV. Key issues in geographical gerontology 15. Explaining the ageing in place realities of older adults Stephen Golant 16. Being in place Graham D. Rowles 17. Active relationships of ageing people and places Malcolm P. Cuthcin 18. Older persons, place and health care accessibility Neil Hanlon 19. Mobilities and ageing Anthony C. Gatrell 20. Constructions of old-age social exclusion Kieran Walsh 21. Employed ca

    1 in stock

    £37.99

  • Splintering Urbanism

    Taylor & Francis Splintering Urbanism

    1 in stock

    a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

    1 in stock

    £51.29

  • Difference

    Taylor & Francis Difference

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisDifference is one of the most influential critical concepts of recent decades. Mark Currie offers a comprehensive account of the history of the term and its place in some of the most influential schools of theory of the past four decades, including post-structuralism, deconstruction, new historicism, psychoanalysis, French feminism and postcolonialism. Employing literary case studies throughout, Difference provides an accessible introduction to a term at the heart of today's critical idiom.Table of ContentsSeries Editor’s Preface, Acknowledgements, 1 Introduction: Identity and difference, 2 Difference and reference, 3 Difference, 4 Different histories, 5 Cultural difference, 6 Difference and equivalence, GLOSSARY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, INDEX

    1 in stock

    £32.90

  • Theories Models and Concepts in Ancient History

    Taylor & Francis Ltd (Sales) Theories Models and Concepts in Ancient History

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisMorley's book offers the first accessible guide for students to show how theories, models and concepts have been applied to ancient history.Showing readers how they can use theory to interpret historical evidence for themselves, as well as to evaluate the work of others, the book includes a survey of key ideas and theories on a wide range of ancient historical topics including society and economy, the environment, gender and sexuality, and myth and rationality. Also including a helpful annotated guide to further reading on all the topics covered, students will not want to miss out on this essential guide to the ancient world.Trade Review'Succinct and stimulating.' - The Journal of Classics Teaching'Well written.' - Arctos'Succinct and stimulating.' - The Journal of Classics Teaching'Well written.' - Arctos'Morley has written a clear and thoughtful overview of the various theoretical approaches available to the aspiring historian' – PrudentiaTable of ContentsContents:1) Approaches2) Ancient and Modern3) The Limits of the Possible4) Class and Status5) A Sense of Identity6) Myth and ReasonAfterword: Speaking TheoryGuide to Further ReadingBibliographyIndex

    1 in stock

    £36.99

  • Culture Health and Disease Social and cultural influences on health programmes in developing countries International Behavioural and Social Sciences Classics from the Tavistock Press

    1 in stock

    £185.00

  • On Anxiety

    Taylor & Francis Ltd (Sales) On Anxiety

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWe frequently hear that we live in an age of anxiety, from ''therapy culture'', the Atkins diet and child anti-depressants to gun culture and weapons of mass destruction. While Hollywood regularly cashes in on teenage anxiety through its Scream franchise, pharmaceutical companies churn out new drugs such as Paxil to combat newly diagnosed anxieties.On Anxiety takes a fascinating, psychological plunge behind the scenes of our panic stricken culture and into anxious minds, asking who and what is responsible. Putting anxiety on the couch, Renata Salecl asks some much-needed questions: Is anxiety about the absence of authority or too much of it? Do the media report anxiety or create it? Are drugs a cure for anxiety or its cause? Is anxiety about being yourself or someone else, and is anxiety really the ultimate obstacle to happiness? Drawing on vivid examples from films such as the X Files and Cyrano de Bergerac, drugs used on soldiers to combat Trade Review'Erudite and compelling, On Anxiety is essential reading for anyone interested in philosophy, psychology and the cultural phenomenon of anxiety today.' - SirReadAlot.org'A deft application of psychoanalytic insights to very everyday and quite familiar human situations ... a revealing and insightful way of looking at the contemporary world where they are imaginatively viewed through the lens of anxiety.' - Juliet Flower MacCannell, University of California'A deft application of psychoanalytic insights to very everyday and quite familiar human situations ... a revealing and insightful way of looking at the contemporary world where they are imaginatively viewed through the lens of anxiety.' - Juliet Flower MacCannell, University of CaliforniaTable of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction; Chapter 2 Anxiety at Times of War; Chapter 3 Success in Failure; Chapter 4 Love Anxieties; Chapter 5 Anxiety of Motherhood; Chapter 6 Can Testimony Offer a Cure for Anxiety?; Chapter 7 Conclusion;

    1 in stock

    £22.99

  • Economics and Sociology Routledge Library Editions The Economics

    Taylor & Francis Ltd Economics and Sociology Routledge Library Editions The Economics

    1 in stock

    a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

    1 in stock

    £240.00

  • Being and Nothingness

    Taylor & Francis Ltd Being and Nothingness

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrade Review"Sarah Richmond has now produced a meticulous, elegant translation…" - Jonathan Rée, London Review of Books"Sarah Richmond’s superb new translation…is supplemented by a wealth of explanatory and analytical material [and] a particularly detailed and insightful set of notes on the translation…The first translation of Being and Nothingness was a major academic achievement that has influenced thought across a range of disciplines for more than sixty years. This new edition has the potential to be at least as influential over the coming decades." - Jonathan Webber, Mind"The publication of this excellent new English translation of L’Être et le néant is a welcome addition to the library of Sartre scholarship … There is every chance that it will also attract non-specialist readers to Sartre’s early philosophy and will thus importantly contribute to keeping existentialist thought alive in a context and era chronically bereft of genuine philosophical enlightenment." - Sam Coombes, French Studies"Translating such a book is manifestly a labour of love—it was as much for Barnes as for Richmond, and generations of Anglophone Sartre scholars remain grateful to Barnes, even if, as I expect (and hope) it will, Richmond's careful, thoughtful, and thought‐provoking translation becomes the standard one for use by students as well as professionals." - Katherine J. Morris, European Journal of Philosophy"Sarah Richmond's marvellously clear and thoughtful new translation brings Sartre's rich, infuriating, endlessly fertile masterpiece to a whole new English-language readership." – Sarah Bakewell, author of At The Existentialist Café"Sartre’s philosophy will always be important. Being and Nothingness is not an easy read but Sarah Richmond makes it accessible in English to the general reader. Her translation is exemplary in its clarity." - Richard Eyre"Sarah Richmond's translation of this ground-zero existentialist text is breathtaking. Having developed a set of brilliant translation principles, laid out carefully in her introductory notes, she has produced a version of Sartre’s magnum opus that—finally!—renders his challenging philosophical prose comprehensible to the curious general reader and his most compelling phenomenological descriptions and analyses luminous and thrilling for those of us who have studied Being and Nothingness for years." - Nancy Bauer, Tufts University, USA"This superb new translation is an extraordinary resource for Sartre scholars, including those who can read the work in French. Not only has Sarah Richmond produced an outstandingly accurate and fluent translation, but her extensive notes, introduction, and editorial comments ensure that the work will be turned to for clarification by all readers of Sartre. All in all, this is a major philosophical moment in Sartre studies." - Christina Howells, University of Oxford, UK"A new translation of Being and Nothingness has been long overdue. Sarah Richmond has done an excellent job of translating and clarifying Sartre’s magnum opus, making its rich content accessible to a wider audience." - Dan Zahavi, University of Copenhagen, Denmark"With its scholarly introduction, up-to-date bibliography and numerous footnotes, Richmond's fluent and precise translation will be an indispensable tool even for scholars able to read Sartre in French." - Andrew Leak, University College London, UK"This fine new translation provides us with as crisp a rendering as possible of Sartre’s complex prose. Richmond’s introduction, and a panoply of informative notes, also invite readers to share with her the intricacies of the task of translation and assist in grasping many of the conceptual vocabularies and nuances of this vital text." - Sonia Kruks, author of Simone de Beauvoir and the Politics of AmbiguityTable of ContentsForeword Richard Moran, Translator’s Introduction Sarah Richmond, Introduction: In Search of Being, Part 1: The Problem of Nothingness, 1. The Origin of Negation, 2. Bad Faith, Part 2: Being-For-Itself, 1. The Immediate Structures of the For-Itself, 2. Temporality, 3. Transcendence, Part 3: Being-for-the-Other, 1. The Other’s Existence, 2. The Body, 3. Concrete Relations with the Other, Part 4: To Have, To Do and To Be, 1. Being and Doing: Freedom, 2. To Do and to Have, Conclusion, Index

    2 in stock

    £53.99

  • On Waiting Thinking in Action

    Taylor & Francis Ltd (Sales) On Waiting Thinking in Action

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis'This is a quite remarkable book, a pleasure to read. Not only is it clear and informative but also by turns witty, melancholic and insightful. The book is astonishingly erudite, but wears this learning so lightly and so charmingly that it is both easy and gripping to read.' Robert Eaglestone, Royal Holloway, University of LondonPenelope waits by her loom for Odysseus, Vladimir and Estragon wait for Godot, all of us have to wait: for buses, phone calls and the kettle to boil. But do we know what the checking of one's watch and pacing back and forth is really all about? What is the relationship between waiting and time? Is there an ethics of waiting, or even an art of waiting? Do the internet, online shopping and text messaging mean that waiting has come to an end?On Waiting explores such and similar questions in compelling fashion. Drawing on some fascinating examples, from the philosopher Henri Bergson's musings on a lump of sugar to Kate Croy waiting in Wings of the Dove to the writings of Rilke, Bishop, and Carver, On Waiting examines this ever-present yet overlooked phenomenon from diverse angles in fascinating style. On Waiting is the first book to present a philosophy of waiting. Philosophy/LiteratureTrade Review‘This is a quite remarkable book, a pleasure to read. Not only is it clear and informative but also by turns witty, melancholic and insightful. The book is astonishingly erudite, but wears this learning so lightly and so charmingly that it is both easy and gripping to read.’ - Robert Eaglestone, Royal Holloway, University of London'...a wonderfully-written book that truly sparkles.' - David Bissell, Time & Society Review of Books 'Harold Schweizer’s new volume, On Waiting, is a finely crafted, finely considered exploration. It addresses with both simplicity of expression and complexity of understanding one of the major facts of our lives—that much of it is spent waiting.' - Jacqueline Vaught Brogan, Journal of Modern Literature 'Being part of the purposively accessible Thinking in Action series, this is a relatively concise text. Yet Schweizer takes a series of challenging concepts and conveys them with extraordinary dexterity ... a wonderfully-written book that truly sparkles.' – David Bissell, Australian National University, Time & Society Review of Books'Harold Schweizer’s new volume, On Waiting, is a finely crafted, finely considered exploration. It addresses with both simplicity of expression and complexity of understanding one of the major facts of our lives—that much of it is spent waiting.' - Jacqueline Vaught Brogan, Journal of Modern Literature‘This is a quite remarkable book, a pleasure to read. Not only is it clear and informative but also by turns witty, melancholic and insightful. The book is astonishingly erudite, but wears this learning so lightly and so charmingly that it is both easy and gripping to read.’ – Robert Eaglestone, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK'Within these covers, Harold Schweizer has assembled a world of philosophical and literary musings on the time-tormented suspension of waiting. As we read his learned, lucid essay, an area of everyday experience swims into focus as if for the first time, the sentences on every page filled with an evocative, almost hypnotic charm. On Waiting is a deep plunge into the pleasure of thought.' – Wendy Steiner, University of Pennsylvania, USATable of Contents1. Nobody Likes to Wait 2. A Brief Theory of Waiting: Henri Bergson's Lump of Sugar 3. In the Waiting Room 4. Penelope's Insomnia 5. Lingering, Tarrying, Dwelling upon: Elizabeth Bishop's Poem 6. Waiting for Death: Ferdinand Hodler's Paintings of Valentine Gode-Darel 7. Waiting and Hoping: Raymond Carver's A Small, Good Thing

    1 in stock

    £23.99

  • Modern and Postmodern Social Theorizing

    Cambridge University Press Modern and Postmodern Social Theorizing

    1 in stock

    a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

    1 in stock

    £32.99

  • State in Society

    Cambridge University Press State in Society

    1 in stock

    a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

    1 in stock

    £24.99

  • Building Capitalism

    Cambridge University Press Building Capitalism

    1 in stock

    a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

    1 in stock

    £118.75

  • John Wiley and Sons Ltd Liquid Fear

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisModernity was supposed to be the period in human history when the fears that pervaded social life in the past could be left behind and human beings could at last take control of their lives and tame the uncontrolled forces of the social and natural worlds. And yet, at the dawn of the twenty-first century, we live again in a time of fear.Table of ContentsIntroduction: On the Origin, Dynamics and Uses of Fear 1 1 Dread of Death 22 2 Fear and Evil 54 3 Horror of the Unmanageable 72 4 Terrors of the Global 96 5 Setting Fears Afl oat 129 6 Thought against Fear (or, an inconclusive conclusion for those who may ask what might be done) 160 Notes 178 Index 186

    1 in stock

    £16.14

  • Bootlegging

    SAGE Publications Ltd Bootlegging

    1 in stock

    a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

    1 in stock

    £168.00

  • Contested Natures

    SAGE Publications Ltd Contested Natures

    1 in stock

    a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

    1 in stock

    £153.00

  • SAGE Publications Ltd Animals and Modern Cultures

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisThe dramatic transformation of relationships between humans and animals in the 20th century are investigated in this fascinating and accessible book. At the beginning of this century these relationships were dominated by human needs and interests, modernization was a project which was attached to the goal of progress and animals were merely resources to be used on the path towards human fulfilment. These relationships are increasingly being subjected to criticism and a new field of interest in human-animal relationships has opened up. We are now urged to be more sensitive and compassionate to animal needs and interests, to understand their mindedness and how their lives and ours are entangled.This book focuses on social change and animals, it is concerned with how humans relate to animals and how this has changed and why. Moreover, it highlights, through chapters on companion animals, hunting and fishing, animal leisures such as birdwatching and wildlife parks, and the meat and livestock industries, how attitudes and practices towards animals vary widely according to social class, ethnicity, gender, region and nation.Table of ContentsIntroduction `Good To Think with′: Theories of Human-Animal Relations in Modernity From Modernity to Postmodernity The Zoological Gaze Pets and Modern Cultures Naturalizing Sports Hunting and Angling in Modernity Animals and the Agricultural Industry From Farming to Animal Protein Production Animal Foodways Animal Rites

    Out of stock

    £999.99

  • Profiles in Contemporary Social Theory

    SAGE Publications Ltd Profiles in Contemporary Social Theory

    1 in stock

    a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

    1 in stock

    £60.00

  • Classical Sociological Theory

    SAGE Publications, Inc Classical Sociological Theory

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis is an eminently lucid, readable, and comprehensive survey of classical sociological theory. Adams and Sydie provide thoughtful summaries and assessments of the works of dozens of social thinkers.By significantly broadening the cannon and devoting special attention to call, gender, and race, they bring theory up to date even as they take seriously the rich legacy of the past. I have never read a more exciting introduction to the theories of our discipline.--Mustafa Emirbayer, University of Wisconsin, Madison A concise, yet surprisingly comprehensive theory text, given the range of ideas, historical context, and theorists discussed. Unlike other books of the type, Classical Sociological Theory focuses on how the pivotal theories contributed not only to the development of the field, but also to the evolution of ideas concerning social life.Trade Review"This is an eminently lucid, readable, and comprehensive survey of classical sociological theory. Adams and Sydie provide thoughtful summaries and assessments of the works of dozens of social thinkers….By significantly broadening the cannon and devoting special attention to call, gender, and race, they bring theory up to date even as they take seriously the rich legacy of the past. I have never read a more exciting introduction to the theories of our discipline." -- Mustafa EmirbayerTable of ContentsPreface A Note to Students SECTION I. THE EUROPEAN ROOTS OF SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY 1. The Origins of Sociological Theory The Contours of Sociological Theory The Philosophical Precursors of Sociology Final Thoughts on the Philosophical Precursors References 2. Theorizing After the Revolution Claude-Henri, Comte de Saint-Simon (1760-1825) Auguste Comte (1798-1857) Harriet Martineau (1802-1876) Final Thoughts References SECTION II. CONSERVATIVE THEORIES 3. Evolutionism and Functionalism Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) William Graham Sumner (1840-1910) Final Thoughts References 4. Society as Sui Generis Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) Final Thoughts References SECTION III. RADICAL THEORY 5. Radical Anticapitalism Karl Marx (1818-1883) and Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) Final Thoughts References 6. Marxism Extended V.I. Lenin (1870-1924) Rosa Luxemburg (1871-1919) Final Thoughts References SECTION IV. SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF COMPLEXITY AND FORM 7. Social Action and Social Complexity Max Weber (1864-1920) and Marianne Weber (1870-1954) Final Thoughts References 8. The Sociology of Form and Content Georg Simmel (1858-1918) Final Thoughts References SECTION V. SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF POLITICS AND ECONOMICS 9. Political Sociological Theories Vilfredo Pareto (1848-1923) Robert Michels (1876-1936) Final Thoughts References 10. Economic Sociological Theories Thorstein Veblen, (1857-1929) Joseph Schumpeter, (1883-1950) Final Thoughts References SECTION VI. OTHER VOICES IN SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIZING 11. Society and Gender Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) Beatrice Potter Webb (1858-1943) Final Thoughts References 12. Sociological Theory and Race W.E.B. Du Bois (1868-1963) Final Thoughts References 13. Society, Self, and Mind Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929) George Herbert Mead (1863-1931) Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) Final Thoughts References 14. Final Thoughts on Classical Sociological Theory Nineteenth-Century Sociological Theory Early Twentieth-Century Sociological Theory Other Theoretical Issues Sociological Theory by the 1930s References Credits Index

    1 in stock

    £144.40

  • The Later Foucault

    SAGE Publications Ltd The Later Foucault

    1 in stock

    a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

    1 in stock

    £57.00

  • Markets Hierarchies and Networks

    SAGE Publications Ltd Markets Hierarchies and Networks

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis interdisciplinary reader provides a distinctive introduction to the way social, political and economic life is coordinated. It brings together three quite different models of coordination - markets, hierarchies and networks - and places them into a comparative framework, presenting a comprehensive and insightful overview of social coordination. The articles dealing with each model explore the characteristics of that coordinating mechanism, outlining key theoretical issues and drawing on various empirical examples. The final section shows how these models can be compared and contrasted. It also assesses the respective strengths, weaknesses and limitations of each model.Markets, Hierarchies and Networks is a set book on The Open University course D212 Running the Country.Trade Review`In summary, it can be recorded that this is a substantial book: substantial in a number of respects. First it has much of substance to it - it covers a lot of ground. Second, as most papers in the book are closely argued, it covers that ground in some depth - there are few opportunities for the reader to coast here! It is also substantial in that, whether because of the inherent nature of the subject matter or the way it is exposed, its sparks ideas along the way and raises many more questions than it answers. Finally, it is substantial in the way the editors touch upon issues which are central to epistemology, the sociology of knowledge, and the philosophy of science.′ - Systems PracticeTable of ContentsIntroduction - Jennifer Frances et al PART ONE: MARKETS Introduction - Rosalind Levaci[ac]c On Markets - Alfred Marshall Markets and Government - Rosalind Levaci[ac]c An Overview Socialism, Planning, and the Market - Hans Breitenbach, Tom Burden and David Coates Market Process versus Market Equilibrium - Israel M Krizner Markets and Managerial Hierarchies - Tony McGuinness Creating the Single European Market - Dennis Swann Which Internal Market? The NHS White Paper and Internal Markets - Penelope M Mullen PART TWO: HIERARCHIES Introduction - Jeremy Mitchell In Praise of Hierarchy - Elliott Jaques Legal Authority in a Bureaucracy - Max Weber Models of Bureaucracy - David Beetham Survival Inside Bureaucracy - Guy Benveniste Market, Capitalism, Planning and Technocracy - Giovanni Sartori New Directions for Industrial Policy in the Area of Regulatory Reform - John Vickers PART THREE: NETWORKS Introduction - Grahame Thompson Network Analysis - David Knoke and James H Kuklinkski Basic Concepts Neither Friends nor Strangers - Edward H Lorenz Informal Networks of Subcontracting in French Industry Beyond Vertical Integration - The Rise of the Value-Adding Partnership - Russell Johnston and Paul R Lawrence Policy Networks and Sub-Central Government - R A W Rhodes Taking and Giving - Pnina Werbner Working Women and Female Bonds in a Pakistani Immigrant Neighbourhood Community, Market, State - and Associations? The Prospective Contribution of Interest Governance to Social Order - Wolfgang Streeck and Philippe C Schmitter PART THREE: COMPARISON BETWEEN MODELS Introduction - Grahame Thompson Markets, Bureaucracies and Clans - William G Ouchi Interorganizational Relations in Industrial Systems - Jan Johanson and Lars-Gunnar Mattsson A Network Approach Compared with the Transactions-Cost Approach Neither Market nor Hierarchy - Walter W Powell Network Forms of Organization Price, Authority and Trust - Jeffrey L Bradach and Robert G Eccles From Ideal Types to Plural Forms Spontaneous (′Grown′) Order and Organized (′Made′) Order - Frederick von Hayek

    1 in stock

    £56.00

  • World of the Right

    Cambridge University Press World of the Right

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisArgues that the rise of radical right-wing movements is not merely a series of nationalist projects, but a global phenomenon. Focusing on the radical Right's ideological critique of globalisation and their strategies to change political 'common sense', this book develops an innovative analysis of its possible consequences for global order.

    1 in stock

    £21.84

  • Contemporary Social Theory

    Taylor & Francis Ltd Contemporary Social Theory

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisNow in its third edition, Anthony Elliott's comprehensive, stylish and accessible introduction continues to be the indispensable guide to social theory. Fully revised and updated, the book examines the major theoretical traditions from the Frankfurt School to posthumanism, and from feminism and post-structuralism to globalization theory and beyond.Classical debates in social theory are given careful appraisal, as are the major contemporary theorists including Jurgen Habermas, Judith Butler, Anthony Giddens, Pierre Bourdieu, Julia Kristeva, Slavoj Žižek, Manuel Castells, Ulrich Beck, Zygmunt Bauman, Shoshana Zuboff and Bernard Stiegler. This edition includes a new chapter on the digital revolution, with consideration of how digital technologies in general and artificial intelligence in particular are reshaping societies.Like its predecessors, the third edition of Contemporary Social Theory combines stylish exposition with reflective social critique and original Trade ReviewPraise for previous editions‘This is the best contemporary social theory text currently on the market. It is highly accessible, explaining ideas in the clearest possible language without compromising depth and complexity. Accordingly, it is a book that would work well for students at all levels. Undergraduates with no background in social theory will be able to easily engage with this text, and this is something that cannot be said of any other contemporary social theory textbook that considers the range of theorists and complexity of ideas that this book does. More advanced students, including professional social theorists, will find that Elliott provides great clarity on some of the most difficult, yet most influential, ideas in contemporary social thought.’Professor Ann Branaman, Florida Atlantic University, USA‘It is very hard to write an outstanding introduction to any subject and particularly hard to do so for a subject as demanding as contemporary social theory. Anthony Elliott succeeds superbly. His book offers a reliable guide to the big debates in social theory while never glossing over the difficult questions.’Professor David Held, previously of the London School of Economics, UK‘Magnificent. Elliott visits a vast range of theorists and shows how they reveal the beautiful complexity of everyday social life. He makes social theory relevant and meaningful, simple, sexy and exciting.’Tom Inglis, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University College Dublin, Ireland‘No one I know is better able than Anthony Elliott to get to the heart of complex theories, then to write of them clearly yet critically. Contemporary Social Theory is exceptional for the range of the authors presented. Students and teachers will treasure this exciting travel guide through the thickets of social theory today.’Charles Lemert, Andrus Professor of Sociology at Wesleyan University and author of Thinking the Unthinkable, USA‘This is an amazingly fluent analysis of contemporary social theory. It should be widely read for its careful and insightful dissection of the main theories and of their particular strengths and weaknesses. It will be a must-read on many "theory" courses around the world.’John Urry, previously Distinguished Professor, Department of Sociology, Lancaster University, UK‘Intelligent and lucid, Anthony Elliott’s introduction to contemporary social theory provides a remarkably complete overview of thinkers and themes. In exploring the organizing question – what is society? – he skilfully guides the student through a galaxy of major figures, including such luminaries as Bauman, Butler, Chodorow, Foucault, Giddens, Habermas, Lacan and Lemert. Incorporating many valuable pedagogical aids, Elliott makes social theory highly accessible. Contemporary Social Theory bristles with insights into our troubled world.’Professor Bryan S. Turner, Australian Catholic University, Australia‘This is quite simply the best introduction to contemporary social theory that I have read. Profound and subtle in its judgements, yet very easy to read, Anthony Elliott has done much more than rehearse familiar debates or identify key thinkers. He has brought contemporary social theory to life by placing it within everyday experiences, troubles and dilemmas. And he has done so with a remarkable breadth of theoretical virtuosity covering everything from sexuality to globalization, language to political institutions and governance. This book will be invaluable to students and teachers alike.'Emeritus Professor Robert Holton, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland‘Anthony Elliott is without question one of the leaders in the younger generation of sociologists. Contemporary Social Theory provides an overview of various recent sociological theories and is an essential text for anybody interested in sociological theories, including Japanese students and faculty.’Professor Masataka Katagiri, Rissho University, Japan‘Here is the latest example of what Anthony Elliott does best: he brings his readers in on the key social, personal and political issues of our time. Always readable and interesting, Contemporary Social Theory: An Introduction includes a wide range of modern social thought, from structuralism, to feminism, to globalization, and engagingly demonstrates these theories’ relevance in our own lives. As importantly, Elliott provides us a way to think critically, making the reader a more thoughtful reader of social theory as well as a participant in contemporary social debates. A book that is stimulating to both teacher and student alike and that enlivens the classroom experience.’Professor Jeffrey Prager, Sociology, UCLA, USA‘Anthony Elliott has written a wide-ranging and appealing book, setting new standards for introductory texts in social theory. Contemporary Social Theory is clear in style and accessible in presentation. It is sure to stimulate students and beginners in the field whilst proving of considerable interest to their teachers. It will also strike sparks with those with a professional research interest in social theory.’Professor Paul du Gay, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark‘Extraordinary in scope, Contemporary Social Theory takes the reader on a world tour of social theory since the Second World War and offers the student clear and accessible guidance around what are often complex and obscure theoretical edifices. More than this, Anthony Elliott provides not just description but evaluation and critique, and the originality of his mind will make this a pleasure to read for all thoughtful people engaged with the politics of living.’Professor Paul Hoggett, University of the West of England, UK‘The renewal of the teaching of social theory can now take place! For in Anthony Elliott’s scholarly, thorough and limpid volume, teachers of theory have the perfect support text, one guaranteed to bring students fully into the exciting drama that it lays out: the drama of contemporary social life as social theorists from the Frankfurt School to Giorgio Agamben have mapped it out.’Professor John Lechte, Macquarie University, Australia‘Social theory gives us the building blocks to make sense of our lives and explore how they link to the processes which shape what we can do and how we live. But it takes a master of the craft to turn the blocks into a building in which it is possible to live and flourish. This book shows that Anthony Elliott is a master of the craft.The house that is built within the pages of this comprehensive book is one of many rooms, in which all students will find a place in which they can think and, moreover, in which they will be given in an exceptionally accessible and well-informed style the resources which that thinking needs if it is going to succeed.I have little doubt that thanks to its encyclopaedic spread, authoritative content and keen eye for the excellent illustration, this book will be valued highly by everyone who wants or needs to think – and live – with social theory. And ultimately that means all of us.’Professor Keith Tester, formerly of the University of Portsmouth, UK‘Elliott provides a sweeping survey that is both accessible and sophisticated. Organized in thematic chapters that make excellent use of vignettes from the lives of everyday people to draw the reader into the issues, Elliott elegantly summarizes the main points of each theorist’s work, provides some discussion that stretches the reader’s understanding, and rehearses the main criticisms. The book weaves together the disparate strands of social theory, including psychoanalysis, feminism, (post)structuralism and critical theory alongside the issues of globalization and postmodernity. This book will set the agenda for many university courses in contemporary social theory.’Professor Douglas Ezzy, University of Tasmania, Australia‘Here, in his new introductory text, Elliott returns with new insights to some of the classics of social theory and charts a path through the most interesting and important contemporary social theorists. I can think of few writers better equipped to carry off this task and Elliott has done it here magnificently. Elliott combines his deep knowledge of social theory, his lightly worn erudition and an engaging style that is a pleasure to read. The personal stories that begin most chapters are a highlight and manage to bring home what is at stake in the theories and ideas that follow. What he has achieved here should win over a generation of new students to social theory.’Anthony Moran, La Trobe University, Australia‘Covering an impressive range of theories and theorists, and presenting them in an accessible and elegant fashion, reading Anthony Elliott’s text is an ideal way to navigate the often complex terrain of modern social thought.’Professor David Inglis, University of Helsinki, Finland‘This is the best introduction to social theory we are ever likely to need. The writing is crystal clear, the arguments are complex but accessible and this is likely to become the best friend of every sociology undergraduate. This book has been especially written for those who want to know why social theory is so important to understanding the world right now. At last, we finally have a book we can recommend to our students with confidence.’Nick Stevenson, University of Nottingham, UKTable of Contents1. The textures of society 2. The contemporary relevance of the classics 3. The Frankfurt School 4. Structuralism 5. Post-structuralism 6. Theories of structuration 7. Contemporary critical theory 8. Feminism and post-feminist theory 9. Postmodernity 10. Networks, risks, liquids 11. Globalization 12. The digital revolution: posthumanism and beyond Afterword: social theory today and towards 2050

    1 in stock

    £35.99

  • The Routledge International Handbook of MorethanHuman Studies

    Taylor & Francis Ltd The Routledge International Handbook of MorethanHuman Studies

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis volume provides a state-of-the-art overview of the field of more-than-human studies, bringing together contemporary and essential content from leading authors across the discipline. With attention to the intellectual history of the field, its developments and extensions, its applications and its significance to contemporary society, it presents empirical studies and theoretical work covering long-established disciplines, as well as new writing on art, history, politics, planning, architecture, research methodology and ethics. An elaboration of the various dimensions of more-than-human studies, The Routledge International Handbook of More-than-Human Studies constitutes essential reading for anyone studying or researching in this field.Table of Contents1 The Separation? Part 1 Foundations 2 In the Thick of Things and the Politics of Becoming 3 When Species Meet 4 A Circumpolar Night’s Dream 5 Planetary Multiplicity and the Much More-than-Human Earth 6 A Multispecies Ontological Turn? 7 Politics, Space and the More-than-Human Condition 8 The 'Shuffle of Things' and the Distribution of Agency 9 The Technical and the Political 10 The More-than-Human City Part 2 Elaboration 11 Airports, Affect and Arctic Futures - More-than-Human Thinking of Connectivity and Dwelling12 Meeting and Mingling with Microbes: A More-than-Human Georgraphy of Hygiene, Holobionts and Hospitality 13 More-than-Human Reflections on Anthropause 14 The Virtual Animal in the Digital Anthropocene: Empowered or Subjugated? 15. Living with Unruly Waste Matter: On More-than-Human Relations 16. We Have Never Built Back Better: Using STS to Account for the Many Failures of Disaster Recovery 17. The More-than-Human Home 18. Wrapping Things Up: Making Plastic into a Political Material 19. Histories in, of and for More-than-Human Worlds 20. Making Time for, and with Honeybees 21. The Long Horizon: Temporal Imaginaries in the More-than-Human Arts 22. The Cosmopolitics of Urban Planning in a More-than-Human World Part 3 Methods 23. Nine Methodological Principles for the Posthumanities 24. Knives, the More-than-Human and Speculative Fabrication with/for the Cthulucene 25. The More-Than-Human Micropolitics of the Research Assemblage 26. Towards a More-than-Human Participatory Research 27. More-than-Human Ethics Part 4 Tracks 28. Walking into the Sunset…

    1 in stock

    £204.25

  • The Dance of Innovation

    Taylor & Francis Ltd The Dance of Innovation

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisFew of us, amidst our daily chores and responsibilities, consider how mundane infrastructuresfrom electrical grids to sewage systemshave developed over millennia in ways that enable everything we cherish, from democracy to technological innovation to individual liberty. But what drives the evolution of this infrastructure? And why is infrastructure so critical to human flourishing? In this book, the most innovative and interdisciplinary study of cultural evolution ever produced, new concepts are explored, new histories are brought into contact and new ground-breaking insights are defended. What makes creativity unique in human societies is not only our capacity to generate and modify our diverse individual intuitions about the social and physical world, but also our capacity to form and leave groups fluidly in a dancing rhythm of oscillation across the expanse of history. This book walks the reader carefully through these processes, with clear concepts and an approachable writing styleTrade Review"The Dance of Innovation: Infrastructure, Social Oscillation, and the Evolution of Societies is a very impressive work. The fusion-fission dynamic integrates a lot of complex processes into a workable model. I don’t think I’ve seen an analysis of social change with this kind of scope, integrating the evolution of material and cultural infrastructures along with the evolution of humans both physically and mentally. The continuities in mechanisms from infrahuman life-forms are striking. The book reminds me somewhat of the work of [classical sociologists], but with 150 more years of scientific knowledge accumulated, and a superior theoretical arsenal. "Randall Collins, Professor of Sociology Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania, is a world-renowned sociologist"The Dance of Innovation: Infrastructure, Social Oscillation, and the Evolution of Societies is unlike any book written in recent history in sociology. It advances a critical idea that is often lost in sociology – the central force of infrastructures. Human institutional systems and, indeed, all dimensions of the social and economic world do not exist nor function without viable infrastructures. Everything that humans do in building up societies is linked to technologies or knowledge about how to build infrastructures, that is, the sustaining foundations of human societies that allow their dynamic processes to operate and evolve. Another central idea is an old one but stated in a novel new way – the notion of oscillations around patterns of fission and fusion. Societies and, indeed, all social systems at all levels of human organization, are built up only to disintegrate at some point in time as nothing lasts forever. Such has always been true for human social evolution but has been particularly the case over the last 10,000 years where infrastructures have allowed humans to build large, complex societies filled with disintegrative tendencies, thus accelerating oscillation of patterns of social organization on a much more rapid and grand scale. This book is one of the most original contributions to sociological analysis in many decades; and even though it is highly theoretical, it is written in such an informal style that it is a pleasure to read."Alexandra Maryanski, Research Professor of the Graduate Division in Sociology, University of California, Riverside"Sociologists need to incorporate an evolved human actor into their models of emergent social processes, and McCaffree does so here, admirably so. He notes that it is the distinctly human evolved capabilities for cooperation and symbolic communication that enable humans to create social groups of a size not seen in the animal world. At the same time the constant dissolution and recombination of those social groups is an important source of knowledge innovation and cultural change. McCaffree particularly highlights the important role of the development of both the knowledge and structures of physical infrastructure (the infrastructure that supplies vital functions such as the supply of clean water) in making the mass societies of the modern world possible."Rosemary Hopcroft, Department of Sociology, University of North CarolinaTable of ContentsIntroduction1. Humans’ Genetic Unity and Ape Ancestry2. Fission-Fusion Oscillation as the Central Sustaining Mechanism of Organismality, Part 13. Fission-Fusion Oscillation as the Central Sustaining Mechanism of Organismality, Part 24. Intuitive Information Processing5. On the Important Distinction Between “Tools” and “Infrastructure”6. The Tools and Infrastructure of Fossil Fuel Societies7. Cities Drive the Metabolism of Societies8. An “Oscillation-Infrastructural” Theory of Cultural Evolution

    1 in stock

    £35.99

  • Taylor & Francis Ltd Making Sense of Expertise

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisCurrent debates about experts are often polarized and based on mistaken assumptions, with expertise either defended or denigrated. Making Sense of Expertise instead proposes a conceptual framework for the study of expertise in order to facilitate a more nuanced understanding of the role of expertise in contemporary society.Too often different meanings of experts and expertise are implied without making them explicit. Grundmann's approach to expertise is based on a synthesis of approaches that exist in various fields of knowledge. The book aims at dispelling much of the confusion by offering a comprehensive and rigorous framework for the study of expertise. A series of in-depth case studies drawn from contemporary issues, including the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, provide the empirical basis of the author's comprehensive approach.This thought-provoking book will be of great interests to students, instructors and researchers in a range of fieldTrade Review"This book is a sophisticated attempt to provide a theory of expertise that defines it as a category in the social and organizational worlds. it engages a variety of literatures that are segregated from one another, which students should be exposed to. The discussions of different traditions in the expertise literature, in different chapters, serves any reader well." Stephen Turner, author of The Politics of Expertise (Routledge, 2013), and Distinguished University Professor of Philosophy and Director of Center for Social & Political Thought, University of South Florida, USA"In this book Grundmann offers new theoretical insights into the nature and operation of expertise in society. He combines his theoretical framework with an empirical application to highly relevant examples, making fascinating discoveries along the way. He is analytically sharp and applies his insights to cases that are highly relevant in current debates, such as Covid-19, Climate Change, or Artificial Intelligence. He manages to resolve the confusion surrounding the role of expertise in these debates. The reader is rewarded with new insights, based on a ground-breaking approach." Nico Stehr, author of Knowledge Capitalism (Routledge, 2022) and Emeritus Karl Mannheim Professor of Cultural Studies, Zeppelin University, GermanyTable of ContentsIntroduction Part I 1. A General Concept of Expertise 2. Expertise in STS 3. The Power of the Professions 4. Predicting the Future 5. The Politics of Knowledge 6. Expertise and Economics 7. Discussion and Conclusion Part II 8. The IPCC: A Chameleon of Expertise 9. COVID, Expertise, and Society: Stepping out of the Shadow of Epidemiology 10. The Challenge to Professional Expertise Part III 11. Conclusion 12. Afterword

    15 in stock

    £33.99

  • Social Theory ReWired

    Taylor & Francis Social Theory ReWired

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis third edition of Social Theory Re-Wired is a significantly revised edition of this leading text and its unique web learning interactive programs that allow us to go farther into theory and to build student skills than ever before, according to many teachers. Vital political and social updates are reflected both in the text and the online supplements. System updates to each section offer an expanded set of contemporary theory readings that focus on the impacts of information/digital technologies on each of the textâs five big themes: 1) the Puzzles of Social Order, 2) the Social Consequences of Capitalism, 3) the Darkside of Modernity, 4) Subordinated/Alternative Knowledges, and 5) Self-Identity and Society. New to this edition: The big ideas/questions thematic structure of the text as well as the connections between classical and contemporary theorists continues to be popular with instructors. This feature is enhanced in the new edition An expTrade Review"Longhofer and Winchester have produced the best social theory textbook on the market today. Comprehensive, clever, and well-organized, this new 3rd edition provides instructors with plenty of resources to engage undergraduate students both online and in the classroom. Highly recommended!" -- Manfred B. Steger, Professor of Sociology, University of Hawai'i-Manoa and author of What Is Global Studies? (Routledge, 2017). "No other social theory reader brings together the essential excerpts of the classics with this diversity of contemporary extensions in quite the same way as Social Theory Re-wired. Students appreciate the accessible examples of theory applied to social problems. The online learning resources offer valuable study support. By the semester’s end, my students are knowledgeable of the canon and skilled in constructing their own evidence-based arguments." -- Selina Gallo-Cruz, Associate Professor of Sociology, Syracuse University "Social Theory Re-wired, by Winchester and Longhofer, provides a well-selected sample of the ‘classics’ while also encouraging instructors and students to expand their understanding of what theory (and sociology) can be. Their section introductions are accessible and encourage the use of the readings to better understand the complexities of the contemporary moment—everything from social media re-shaping the way we dance to viruses re-shaping society. This reader will help breathe new life into my Sociological Theory course." -- Kyle Green, Associate Professor of Sociology, SUNY, Brockport Table of ContentsPreface I. EMERGENCE THROUGH CONVERGENCE: The Puzzles of Social Order Introductory Essay: "The Virus that Changed Our World" Classical Connections Emile Durkheim, The Rules of Sociological Method Emile Durkheim, The Division of Labor in Society Emile Durkheim, Suicide Emile Durkheim, The Elementary Forms of Religious Life Contemporary Extensions Harold Garfinkel, Studies in Ethnomethodology Bruno Latour, Mixing Humans and Nonhumans Together: The Sociology of a Door-Closer Mark Granovetter, The Strength of Weak Ties Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann, The Social Construction of Reality System Update Manuel Castells, "Materials for an Exploratory Theory of the Network Society" II. NETWORKS OF CAPITAL: Dimensions of Global Capitalism Introductory Essay: "The Redditors Who Took Down a Giant (Sort Of)" Classical Connections Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, The German Ideology Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Manifesto of the Communist Party Karl Marx, Capital Karl Marx, "Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844" Contemporary Extensions Immanuel Wallerstein, "The Rise and Future Demise of the World Capitalist System" Cedric Robinson, Black Marxism Pierre Bourdieu, "The Forms of Capital" Pierre Bourdieu, Distinction Raka Ray and Seemin Qayum, Cultures of Servitude System Update Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism III. PATHWAY TO MELTDOWN: Theorizing the Dark Side of Modernity Introductory Essay: "Do You Ever Get the Feeling You’re Being Watched?" Classical Connections Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism Max Weber, "Basic Sociological Terms" Max Weber, "The Types of Legitimate Domination" Max Weber, "Bureaucracy" Contemporary Extensions Herbert Marcuse, One–Dimensional Man Jurgen Habermas, Toward a Rational Society Michel Foucault, Discipline and Punish Zygmunt Bauman, Modernity and the Holocaust System Update David Graeber, "Of Flying Cars and the Declining Rate of Profit" IV. SHIFTING THE PARADIGM: Excluded Voices, Alternative Knowledges Introductory Essay: Classical Connections W.E.B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex Contemporary Extensions Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks Edward Said, Orientalism Dorothy Smith, The Conceptual Practices of Power Patricia Hill Collins, Black Feminist Thought Julian Go, Postcolonial Thought and Social Theory System Update Ruha Benjamin, Race After Technology V. RISE OF THE AVATAR: Connecting Self and Society Introductory Essay: "Through the Looking Glass of TikTok" Classical Connections George Herbert Mead, "Self" Georg Simmel, "The Metropolis and Mental Life" Georg Simmel, "The Stranger" Contemporary Extensions Erving Goffman, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life Judith Butler, Gender Trouble Stuart Hall, "Cultural Identity and Diaspora" Anthony Giddens, Modernity and Self-Identity System Update Sherry Turkle, "Always-On/Always-On-You: The Tethered Self" Glossary Index

    1 in stock

    £199.50

  • Art and Enchantment

    Taylor & Francis Art and Enchantment

    1 in stock

    This book concerns the experience of enchantment in art. Considering the essential characteristics, dynamics and conditions of the experience of enchantment in relation to art, including liminality, it offers studies of different kinds of artistic experience and activity, including painting, music, fiction and poetry, before exploring the possibility of a life oriented to enchantment as the activity of art itself. With attention to the complex relationship between wonder in art and the programmatic disenchantment to which it is often subject, the author draws on the thought of a diverse range of philosophers, sociological theorists and artists, to offer an understanding of art through the idea of enchantment, and enchantment through art. An accessible study, richly illustrated with experience â both that of the author and others â Art and Enchantment will appeal to scholars and students of sociology, anthropology, philosophy, and anyone with interests in the nature of aesthetic expe

    1 in stock

    £35.99

  • The Ruins of Capitalism and Possibilism

    Taylor & Francis The Ruins of Capitalism and Possibilism

    1 in stock

    a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

    1 in stock

    £137.75

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