Social theory Books

Book SynopsisMaps the demographic revolution that has taken hold of many countries around the globe in recent decades and explores the implications for the future development of the world's religions.Table of Contents Introduction 1. Fertility and Faith How Changes in Fertility Shape Religious Structures and Behavior Part 1 2. Europe's Revolution The Demographic Revolution Begins 3. Spiritual and Secular The Decline of Europe's Faith 4. The Revolution Goes Global New Patterns of Fertility and Faith Spread Rapidly around the World 5 The United States Between Two Worlds? Part 2 6. Africa High Fertility and Strong Faith 7. Two-Tier Islam Uneven Demographic Transitions 8. Go Forth and Divide Populism, Faith, and Fertility Conclusion 9. Living in a Low-Fertility World Can Religions Adapt to the New Society?

Read more less

Book SynopsisReassembling the Social is a fundamental challenge from one of the world''s leading social theorists to how we understand society and the ''social''. Bruno Latour''s contention is that the word ''social'', as used by Social Scientists, has become laden with assumptions to the point where it has become misnomer. When the adjective is applied to a phenomenon, it is used to indicate a stablilized state of affairs, a bundle of ties that in due course may be used to account for another phenomenon. But Latour also finds the word used as if it described a type of material, in a comparable way to an adjective such as ''wooden'' or ''steely''. Rather than simply indicating what is already assembled together, it is now used in a way that makes assumptions about the nature of what is assembled. It has become a word that designates two distinct things: a process of assembling; and a type of material, distinct from others. Latour shows why ''the social'' cannot be thought of as a kind of material or domain, and disputes attempts to provide a ''social explanations'' of other states of affairs. While these attempts have been productive (and probably necessary) in the past, the very success of the social sciences mean that they are largely no longer so. At the present stage it is no longer possible to inspect the precise constituents entering the social domain. Latour returns to the original meaning of ''the social'' to redefine the notion, and allow it to trace connections again. It will then be possible to resume the traditional goal of the social sciences, but using more refined tools. Drawing on his extensive work examining the ''assemblages'' of nature, Latour finds it necessary to scrutinize thoroughly the exact content of what is assembled under the umbrella of Society. This approach, a ''sociology of associations'', has become known as Actor-Network-Theory, and this book is an essential introduction both for those seeking to understand Actor-Network Theory, or the ideas of one of its most influential proponents.Trade ReviewThis book makes ANT accessible and therefore a great resource for any student wishing to learn the language and ways of ANT. * Gabrielle Durepos18/02/2009 *Table of ContentsPART I: HOW TO DEPLOY CONTROVERSIES ABOUT THE SOCIAL WORLD; PART II: HOW TO RENDER ASSOCIATIONS TRACEABLE AGAIN

Read more less

Book SynopsisProviding a thorough and comprehensive introduction to the study of photography, this second edition of Photography: The Key Concepts has been expanded and updated to cover more fully contemporary changes to photography. Photography is a part of everyday life; from news and advertisements, to data collection and surveillance, to the shaping of personal and social identity, we are constantly surrounded by the photographic image. Outlining an overview of photographic genres, David Bate explores how these varied practices can be coded and interpreted using key theoretical models. Building upon the genres included in the first edition documentary, portraiture, landscape, still life, art and global photography this second edition includes two new chapters on snapshots and the act of looking. The revised and expanded chapters are supported by over three times as many photographs as in the first edition, examining contemporary practices in more detail and equipping students with the analytiTrade Review"David Bate’s engaging book captures both the big picture and significant detail of photographic theory. An excellent starting point, it also rewards repeat reading. - Lucy Soutter, Royal College of Art, UK Managing to be simultaneously introductory and comprehensive, Photography: The Key Concepts ably guides the reader through the complexities of its chosen topic, examining photographic practice and discourse with equal acuity. Brought entirely up to date, this new edition is an excellent first stop in any student’s quest to understand the nature of the photographic experience. - Geoffrey Batchen, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand Using genre as a conceptual framework to understand both what photographs are and how they operate across a myriad of contexts, this revised and expanded edition has lost none of its theoretical rigor or real-world usefulness. This essential book will continue to be a mainstay of photography courses worldwide. - Erina Duganne, Texas State University, USA This new edition builds on the legacy of photographic theory and practice deftly presented in the first edition, while incorporating visual content and contemporary issues indicative of a more socially connected global age. Beautifully illustrated with relevant images, Bate makes vivid with great clarity the intellectual terrain upon which theory resides without losing sight of its application and relevance to practice now. - Angela Kelly, Rochester Institute of Technology, USA The second edition obviously benefits from a greater number of illustrations, and colour plates, making the publication more enticing and accessible but also allowing the text to be most beneficial and worthwhile. The additional chapters are of course important in terms of acknowledging a few of the dramatic developments in the medium in the years since Bate’s first manuscript. The prose is deeply engaging and Bate does not mince his words, providing thoughtful and wise insights to the medium, and also inspiring the reader not to be afraid to formulate and adopt their own point of view. - Jesse Alexander, Falmouth University and Open College of the Arts, UK A concise, engagingly written overview of the key debates and ideas in Photography Theory. A key text for undergraduate study. - Tracy Piper-Wright, University of Chester, UK"Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION1. PHOTOGRAPHY THEORY2. SNAPSHOTS AND INSTITUTIONS3. DOCUMENTARY AND STORYTELLING4. SEEING PORTRAITS5. THE COMPOSITION OF LANDSCAPES6. THE OBJECT OF STILL LIFE7. PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART8. GLOBAL PHOTOGRAPHY9. THE SCOPIC DRIVE10. HISTORY AND PHOTOGRAPHYBIBLIOGRAPHYINDEX

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book SynopsisDoes charitable giving still matter but need to change? Philanthropy, the use of private assets for public good, has been much criticised in recent years. Do elite philanthropists wield too much power? Is big-money philanthropy unaccountable and therefore anti-democratic? And what about so-called “tainted donations” and “dark money” funding pseudo-philanthropic political projects? The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified many of these criticisms, leading some to conclude that philanthropy needs to be fundamentally reshaped if it is to play a positive role in our future. Rhodri Davies, drawing on his deep knowledge of the past and present landscape of philanthropy, explains why it’s important to ask what philanthropy is for because it has for centuries played a major role in shaping our world. Considering the alternatives, including charity, justice, taxation, the state, democracy and the market, he examines the pressing questions that philanthropy must tackle if it is to be equal to the challenges of the 21st century.Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. Philanthropy or Charity? 3. Philanthropy or Justice? 4. Philanthropy or the State? 5. Philanthropy or Democracy? 6. Philanthropy or the Market? 7. Conclusion: Where Next for Philanthropy?

Read more less

Book SynopsisA pioneering work in the field of political and moral theory, this volume explores the complex and varied meanings, contexts, forms, and languages of humiliation within an interdisciplinary framework.Table of ContentsACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ; PREFACE ; INTRODUCTION: THEORIZING HUMILIATION, GOPAL GURU ; SECTION I: FOREGROUNDING HUMILIATION AS CLAIM ; 1. Logic of Humiliation, Bhikhu Parekh ; 2. Humiliation: Politics and the Cultural Psychology of the Limits of Human Degradation, Ashis Nandy ; 3. Humiliation and Justice, Upendra Baxi ; 4. Understanding Humiliation, Sanjay Palshikar ; SECTION II: CONTEXTUALIZING HUMILIATION ; 5. Bereft of Being: The Humiliations of Untouchability, V. Geetha ; 6. Untouchability, Filth, and the Public Domain, Valerian Rodrigues ; 7. Humiliation in a Crematorium, Peter Ronald deSouza ; 8. Equality for What? Or the Troublesome Relation between Egalitarianism and Respect, Neera Chandhoke ; SECTION III: SOCIETY, ECONOMY, AND HUMILIATION ; 9. Political Economy of Humiliation: Tale of a Failed Strike, Suhas Palshikar ; 10. Against Untouchability: The Discourses of Gandhi and Ambedkar, Thomas Pantham ; 11. Rejection of Rejection: Foregrounding Self-respect, Gopal Guru ; BIBLIOGRAPHY ; NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS

Read more less

Book Synopsis"Of the several discussions of the American poverty theorists I have read, this is easily the best. Anyone interested in that debate should begin here." - Professor Lawrence M. Mead, New York University"...a compelling guide to the ideas that have shaped and seek to re-shape welfare provision. This is a student text that teachers will want to read first." - Professor Robert Walker, University of Nottingham* How do welfare benefits and services shape the attitudes, behaviour and character of claimants? Should entitlement be dependent upon good behaviour?* What are the major intellectual influences upon current welfare reforms in the UK and the US?* Is it possible to reform welfare in ways which tackle both social inequality and welfare dependency?This lucid and engaging book provides an introduction to the current debates about the future direction of welfare reform on both sides of the Atlantic. The first part outlines a range of different perspectives oTrade Review"...the book succeeds in shifting the analysis of welfare into the twenty-first century by offering well-focussed discussions of the moral debates of the new social policy and the prescriptive ways in which governments now seek to achieve compliance to their new designs." - Martin HewittTable of ContentsSeries editor's forewordAcknowledgementsList of abbreviationsIntroductionPart oneWelfare and equalityWelfare and self interestWelfare and paternalismWelfare and obligationWelfare as temporary supportPart twoEnding dependency? welfare reform in the United StatesA new deal for welfare? New Labour and the reform of welfare in BritainConclusionGlossaryBibliographyIndex.

Read more less

Book Synopsis"...effectively demonstrates the enduring importance of 'classical' social movement theory...and provides a cutting edge critical review of recent theoretical developments. This is one of the most important general theoretical texts on social movements for some years." - Paul Bagguley, University of Leeds Why and how do social movements emerge? In which ways are social movements analysed? Can our understanding be enhanced by new perspectives? Making Sense of Social Movements offers a clear and comprehensive overview of the key sociological approaches to the study of social movements. The author argues that each of these approaches makes an important contribution to our understanding of social movements but that none is adequate on its own. In response he argues for a new approach which draws together key insights within the solid foundations of Pierre Bourdieu's social theory of practice.This new approach transcends the barriers which sTrade Review'...a clear and accessible overview of both classical and more recent theoretical approaches in social movement research. ...a well written book that makes a persuasive case for revisiting the work of classical social movement theorists, and a stimulating reflection on the applicability of Bourdieu theory of practice within social movement research. ...an important and thought-provoking contribution to the to the social movements literature' - Robert GibbTable of ContentsAcknowlegementsIntroductionSocial unrest, movement culture and identitythe symbolic interactionistsSmelser's value-added approachRational actor theoryResources, networks and organizationsOpportunities, cognition and biographyRepertoires, frames and cyclesNew social movementsSocial movements and the theory of practicea new synthesisBibliographyIndex.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe burgeoning terrain of Martin Luther King Jr. studies is leading to a new appreciation of his thought and its meaningfulness for the twenty-first-century world. This volume brings together an impressive array of scholars from various backgrounds and disciplines to explore the global significance of King - then, now, and in the future.Trade ReviewWe may need to understand the mission and the message of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. now more than ever before. Many try to define what he has meant to this country and the world but fall short. For those who yearn for his voice, this book provides an exceptional opportunity to hear from scholars who have studied him deeply and are keepers of his flame. This book is a chance to discover how King helped lead the fifty-year transformation of American society and the ways we can continue to demand respect for human dignity today.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis collection of original essays provides an innovative and multifaceted reflection on the impact and inspiration of the scholarship of eminent anthropologist Marilyn Strathern. A distinguished team of international contributors, all former students of Strathern, reflect on the impact of their relationship with their teacher and address the wider conceptual contribution of her work through their own writings. The essays provide an accessible entry into Strathern's scholarship for those new to her work and a rich source of material which mobilises and deploys her concepts, including new ethnographic examples and discussion of contemporary political issues, for those more familiar with her scholarship. The result is a collection that dissects, contextualises and reroutes concepts of relationality, inspiration and knowledge in novel and unpredictable ways. Recasting Anthropological Knowledge will prove invaluable to all students of anthropology and will be of interest to scholars acrossTrade Review'… this compilation of papers by her former Ph.D students indicates both the immense applicability of the key concepts and theoretical insights of Strathern, as well as the remarkable range of topics to which this anthropological knowledge may be applied.' Anthropological NotebooksTable of Contents1. Introduction: on recombinant knowledge and debts that inspire Jeanette Edwards and Maja Petrović-Šteger; 2. Writing the parallax gap: an itinerary Debbora Battaglia; 3. Too big to fail Annelise Riles; 4. 'Hybrid custom' and legal description in Papua New Guinea Melissa Demian; 5. Entomological extensions: model huts and fieldworks Ann Kelly; 6. Kinship and the core house: contested ideas of family and place in a Ghanaian resettlement township Thomas Yarrow; 7. Invisible families: imagining relations in families based on same-sex partnerships Aivita Putnina; 8. Knowledge in a critical mode: feminist expertise in design and planning Eeva Berglund; 9. Spools, loops and traces: on etoy encapsulation and three portraits of Marilyn Strathern Maja Petrović-Šteger; 10. Inspiring Strathern Adam Reed.

Read more less

Book SynopsisResilience refers to the ability of individuals, groups and societies to withstand and recover from external shocks. This pioneering book-length comparative study examines resilience as it is experienced across different countries, such as the UK, US, France, Germany and EU. Furthermore it considers cases from policy sectors including national security, counterterrorism, civil protection, disaster risk reduction, critical infrastructure protection and overseas interventions. In doing so, Joseph provides an account of why it is that resilience has become such a popular policy topic, looking at its focus on complexity, the human and the role of resilient individuals and communities. Arguing that resilience has risen to prominence because it fits with a particularly Anglo-Saxon and neoliberal form of governance, Joseph discovers differing results across policy domains and national contexts, fomenting variations and tensions in the international discourse of resilience in policy-making.Trade Review'Resilience is highly popular among policy-makers. Joseph tours different policy domains to understand how this ambiguous concept works in practice. His findings will surprise academics and policy-makers. Highly recommended.' Arjen Boin, Universiteit Leiden'Jonathan Joseph has written a fascinating, cross national study of the interaction between systems of governance and understandings of resilience. He illuminates why the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany have adopted different policies in the areas of terrorism, disasters, and humanitarian intervention. Strongly recommended.' Daniel P. Aldrich, Northeastern University and author of Building Resilience'In this crisp and well-written study, Jonathan Joseph both provides a conceptual framework for the understanding of resilience ,and a series of case studies of the usage of the term. Situating the notion of resilience as a tool of governance made comprehensible through the Foucauldian notion of governmentality, he shows how it has been used in different contexts and by different state actors. This is an essential guide to one of the most protean of contemporary buzzwords.' Chris Brown, Emeritus Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science'Joseph's highly readable study of governance practices is packed with contemporary and in-depth empirical and conceptual insights. Highlighting the proliferation of resilience-thinking across key policy areas, the analytical focus is the importance of social, political and international context for understanding variations in governance strategies, practices and discourses. This book will be a must read reference for those concerned with the changing nature of contemporary governance regimes.' David Chandler, University of WestminsterTable of ContentsIntroduction: resilience in context; 1. The development of resilience; 2. Resilience in national security and counter-terrorism strategy; 3. Disasters, emergencies and infrastructure protection; 4. Resilience in development strategy and humanitarian intervention; 5. The Anglo-Saxon approach to resilience and the alternatives.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis ambitious two-volume handbook of social theory consists of forty original contributions. The researchers take stock of the state of social theory and its relationship to the canon, exploring such topics as the nature, purpose, and meaning of social theory; the significance of the classics; the impact of specific individual and theory schools; and more. Both volumes reflect a mixture of what intellectual historian Morton White distinguished as the ''annalist of ideas'' and the ''analyst of ideas,'' locating theoretical thought within the larger socio-historical context that shaped it - within the terrain of the sociology of knowledge. Exploring the contemporary relevance of theories in a manner that is historically situated and sensitive, this impressive and comprehensive set will likely stand the test of time.Trade Review'For the quality of its contributors (the highest) and the range of its contributions (the most diverse), there has never been a theory collection that comes anywhere close to the achievement of this Cambridge Handbook. Peter Kivisto deserves our recognition and our gratitude.' Jeffrey Alexander'Social theory is undergoing a period of rapid change and expansion, and Peter Kivisto has produced an accessible set of introductions to both classic and new topics, with a complement of star contributors. This will be an essential source for students as well as sociologists who need an understanding of the key issues and literatures as they stand today.' Stephen Turner, University of South Florida'A first rate resource featuring thoughtful articles on key thinkers and aspects of sociological theory. Taken together, the contributions offer a rare and comprehensive panorama opening up to all subfields within sociology.' Thomas Faist, Professor of Sociology, Bielefeld University'Social theory is a fascinating intellectual maze. The Cambridge Handbook of Social Theory provides all of us with a reliable map, a remarkable achievement. Systematic, precise and ecumenical, this is the guide we were waiting for.' Giuseppe Sciortino, Università di TrentoTable of Contents1. Rational choice theory and methodological individualism Karl-Dieter Opp; 2. Network theories Mark C. Pachucki and Ronald L. Breiger; 3. Cultural sociology Michael Strand and Lyn Spillman; 4. Identity Peter Burke; 5. Emotions theory Donileen R. Loseke and Margarethe Kusenbach; 6. Theorizing sex/gender: feminist social theory Shelley Budgeon; 7. Intersectionality as critical social theory Patricia Hill Collins; 8. Modernity Peter Wagner; 9. Realism Timothy Rutzou; 10. Globalization: not good, bad, or over Sheila Croucher; 11. Time/space Kevin Fox Gotham; 12. Social theory in the anthropocene: ecological crisis and renewal Robert J. Antonio and Brett Clark; 13. Embodiment Chris Shilling; 14. Sexualities Stephen Valocchi; 15. Multiculturalism Christian Joppke; 16. Risk Klaus Rasborg; 17. Trust and the variety of its bases Barbara A. Misztal; 18. Unity's within conflict: mapping biology's relevance to sociological theory Douglas A. Marshall; 19. Civil society Simon Susen; 20. Social movements: sequences vs. fuzzy temporality Kevin Gillan; 21. Immigration Ewa Morawska.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPresenting a ground-breaking revitalization of contemporary social theory, this book revisits the rise of the modern world to reopen the dialogue between anthropology and sociology. Using concepts developed by a series of ''maverick'' anthropologists who were systematically marginalised as their ideas fell outside the standard academic canon, such as Arnold van Gennep, Marcel Mauss, Paul Radin, Lucien Lévy-Bruhl and Gregory Bateson, the authors argue that such concepts are necessary for understanding better the rise and dynamics of the modern world, including the development of the social sciences, in particular sociology and anthropology. Concepts discussed include liminality, imitation, schismogenesis and trickster, which provide an anthropological ''toolkit'' for readers to develop innovative understandings of the underlying power mechanisms of globalized modernity. Aimed at graduate students and researchers, the book is clearly structured. Part I introduces the ''maverick'' anthropTrade Review'This book examines thinkers whose work has been fossilised, forgotten or rendered insignificant by subsequent misreadings and provides us with histories of those misreadings and elisions while saliently indicating the profound theoretical capital for social analysis that has been squandered by those practices.' Glenn Bowman, Emeritus Professor of Socio-Historical Anthropology, University of Kent'With their call for the removal of subject-based ownership of techniques, Arpad Szakolczai and Bjørn Thomassen offer a convincing and increasingly urgent argument that the social sciences are in need of radical rejuvenation. This is not in order to 'retain relevance' (or some similarly anodyne phrase) but to allow social scientists to do what they should do best and help address dynamic real-world issues.' Simon Underdown, Times Higher EducationTable of ContentsIntroduction: rethinking social theory with anthropology; Part I. Maverick Anthropologists: 1. Arnold van Gennep: liminal rites and the rhythms of life; 2. Gabriel Tarde and René Girard: imitation and the foundations of social life; 3. Marcel Mauss: from sacrifice to gift-giving or revisiting foundations; 4. Lucien Lévy-Bruhl and Colin Turnbull: participation, experience, and home; 5. Paul Radin: the trickster; 6. Gregory Bateson and Johan Huizinga: Schismogenesis and play; 7. Victor Turner: liminal experiences as the grounding of social theory; Part II. Rethinking Modernity and Its Sociology: 8. A reflexive political anthropology of sociology; 9. A reflexive political anthropology of modernity.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhy do authoritarian regimes survive? How do dictators fail? What role do political institutions play in these two processes? Many of the answers to these questions can be traced to the same source: the interaction between institutions and preferences. Using Egypt as a case study, Professor Mahmoud Hamad describes how the synergy between judges and generals created the environment for the present government and a delicate balance for its survival. The history of modern Egypt is one of the struggle between authoritarian governments, and forces that advocate for more democratic rights. While the military has provided dictatorial leaders, the judiciary provides judges who have the power to either support or stymie authoritarian power. Judges and Generals in the Making of Modern Egypt provides a historically grounded explanation for the rise and demise of authoritarianism, and is one of the first studies of Egypt''s judicial institutions within a single analytical framework.Trade Review'Mahmoud Hamad's Judges and Generals in the Making of Modern Egypt constitutes a well-told and well-argued story of how political institutions, especially courts whose independence should define their function, can be manipulated and coopted by autocratic forces. This insightful analysis provides a road map for comprehending the power of courts to legitimize authoritarian regimes and the limits of judicial empowerment.' Mary L. Volcansek, Executive Director, Center for Texas Studies at Texas Christian University'The book is a fascinating account of the role of the judiciary in modern Egyptian politics. As well as being of interest to those wanting to understand more about the particular history of the judiciary in Egypt, Judges and Generals in the Making of Modern Egypt provides more generalizable insights into the ways in which a degree of judicial independence can lend credibility to non-democratic governments. In particular it persuasively argues that the judiciary can be useful for an autocratic regime in providing an institutional foundation as a base for its longer-term survival. This book is an important point of reference for anyone interested in the relationship between judges and politicians in the context of non-democratic regimes.' Kate Malleson, Queen Mary, University of LondonTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. The historical legacies and the institutional culture of the Egyptian judiciary; 3. Nasser's Egypt: charisma, populism, and the attacks on judicial independence; 4. The years of Sadat: crisis, regime survival, and the awakening of judicial activism; 5. Judicial politics under Mubarak: judges and the fall of the Pharaoh; 6. The scaf, the courts, and Islamists: judges and the political transition; 7. Mursi and the judiciary: the self-fulfilling prophecy; 8. Patricians and plebeians: the chief justice paves the road to the general; 9. Old wine in a new bottle: Ssisi, judges, and the restoration of the ancien régime; References; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDrawing upon unique and unprecedented survey data, this book shows how and why Brexit has changed British politics. Recommended reading for anyone wanting to better understand the political reality of Britain in the age of Brexit.Table of ContentsPart I. The Short Term: 1. Welcome to Brexit Britain; 2. Getting Brexit done; 3. Political paralysis – The 2017 general election; 4. The collapsing party system – The 2019 European elections; 5. The Johnson break through – The 2019 general election; Part II. The Long Term: 6. Time and the fragmenting party system; 7. Space and the fragmenting party system; 8. Who is responsible? The dynamics of accountability; Part III. The Future: 9. A disaster or a damp squib? The economic effects of Brexit; 10. Brexit Britain, Covid Britain – The political fallout.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCitizens, parties, and movements are increasingly contesting issues connected to globalization, such as whether to welcome immigrants, promote free trade, and support international integration. The resulting political fault line, precipitated by a deepening rift between elites and mass publics, has created space for the rise of populism. Responding to these issues and debates, this book presents a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of how economic, cultural and political globalization have transformed democratic politics. This study offers a fresh perspective on the rise of populism based on analyses of public and elite opinion and party politics, as well as mass media debates on climate change, human rights, migration, regional integration, and trade in the USA, Germany, Poland, Turkey, and Mexico. Furthermore, it considers similar conflicts taking place within the European Union and the United Nations. Appealing to political scientists, sociologists and international relations schTrade Review'It's hard to be balanced in so contentious a debate as that between the claims of cosmopolitanism and place-based communities. The Struggle Over Borders succeeds admirably. It not only goes beyond ideological oppositions but brings empirical evidence to bear on clarifying a world that is always more complicated than polar oppositions suggest. A very helpful book.' Craig Calhoun, Arizona State University'This is an important addition to the burgeoning literature on the new fault line that pits proponents ('cosmopolitans') and opponents ('communitarians') of globalization against each other. This five country study goes beyond confirming common wisdom by painting a much richer and more encompassing picture of the political repercussions of globalization than previous accounts.' Hanspeter Kriesi, Stein Rokkan Chair of Comparative Politics, European University Institute, Florence'This magnificent study of the new fault line between cosmopolitans and communitarians offers crucial insight in the nature of democracy under globalization. A first-class interdisciplinary team at the Social Science Center in Berlin brings to bear rich data on elites, masses, and media in five countries. This is the first major study to illuminate the divide across diverse Western societies from Turkey to the United States. A superb study with a sobering bottom line: globalization has generated multiple fissures that fundamentally challenge democracy.' Liesbet Hooghe, W. R. Kenan Distinguished Professor of Political Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel HillTable of Contents1. Cosmopolitanism and communitarianism: how globalization is reshaping politics in the twenty-first century Ruud Koopmans and Michael Zürn; Part I. Domestic Impacts: 2. Why are elites more cosmopolitan than masses? Oliver Strijbis, Céline Teney and Marc Helbling; 3. Mass opinions: globalization and issues as axes of contention Bernhard Weßels and Oliver Strijbis; 4. Mapping policy and polity contestation about globalization: issue linkage in the news Pieter de Wilde; Part II. Supranational and Cross-level Analyses: 5. Who is the most frequent traveller? The cosmopolitanism of national, European, and global elites Oliver Strijbis; 6. Globalization conflict in international assemblies: cleavage formation beyond the state? Pieter de Wilde, Wiebke Junk and Tabea Palmtag; 7. Who are the cosmopolitans and the communitarians? Claims-making across issues, polity levels and countries Ruud Koopmans; Part III. Conclusion: Conclusion. The defects of cosmopolitan and communitarian democracy Wolfgang Merkel and Michael Zürn.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe human species is very young, but in a short time it has acquired some striking, if biologically superficial, variations across the planet. As this book shows, however, none of those biological variations can be understood in terms of discrete races, which do not actually exist as definable entities. Starting with a consideration of evolution and the mechanisms of diversification in nature, this book moves to an examination of attitudes to human variation throughout history, showing that it was only with the advent of slavery that considerations of human variation became politicized. It then embarks on a consideration of how racial classifications have been applied to genomic studies, demonstrating how individualized genomics is a much more effective approach to clinical treatments. It also shows how racial stratification does nothing to help us understand the phenomenon of human variation, at either the genomic or physical levels.Trade Review'DeSalle and Tattersall provide a brilliant and comprehensive refutation of the folk concept of human races. Anyone who thinks that there are natural categories of people that correspond to zoological subspecies will have their worldview blown to bits!' Jonathan Marks, Department of Anthropology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte'Understanding Race explains to the reader in accessible terms all the misconceptions that continue to plague both lay people and professionals concerning race. First, the authors establish for the reader the fundamental mechanisms of evolution that are responsible for the variation within all species; then they explain how people thought about variation before there was a science to correctly explain it. The book guides the reader through how racial thinking changed as our understanding of evolution, as well as the technology to understand genetic variation, improved. The authors end by drawing attention to ongoing misconceptions concerning biological variation and social definitions of race in a variety of arenas, including medicine. If you don't read my books, you should read theirs; and in the best of all worlds you should read both.' Joseph L. Graves, Jr, Professor of Biological Sciences, North Carolina A&T State UniversityTable of Contents1. The evolutionary background; 2. Race before evolutionary theory; 3. Race after Darwin; 4. Race in the era of genetics and genomics; 5. Variation in genomes, and how humans took over the world; 6. Clustering and treeing; 7. Race in medicine and complex phenotypic studies; 8. Human adaptations; 9. Race, science and pseudoscience.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book opens with an identification of the characteristics that define contemporary social movements, including: a blurring and overlapping of taxonomical categories, an evolution towards a post-post-political stage, a great variety and hybridisation of organisational structures, an extension of activism to new social and cultural dimensions as the postmodern worldview and agendas become hegemonic, a trend to become global through the reticulated architecture of the space of flows and a capacity for action enhanced by the use of new communication technologies. Following this, the authors examine the interrelationship between data privacy, data governance, and ethics management in light of recent data privacy legislation, particularly focusing on how online activities that compromise personal data have led to the creation of new regulations that are designed to protect individual privacy rights. The current tendency in sociology to favour the naturalising of discriminations is highlighted, beginning with the example of the axiological discrimination between experts and the groups they themselves stratify. This process prioritises the "normal" and moralism. The final study applied the "exit, voice, loyalty and neglect" framework to investigate how the perceived impact of poor housing management, self-efficacy belief and sense of community influence residents' responses to poor housing management in Hong Kong.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book contains five chapters centred around the topic of social capital, defined as the networks of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively. Chapter One advances the understanding of social capital creation by Indian Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), and argues about its importance and value, both for the HEIs and the community. Chapter Two looks at bridging and bonding social capital in the context of mobile online gaming, and how in-game international communities can facilitate accumulation of cross-cultural social capital. Chapter Three analyses the role of social trust in the social progress of 238 European regions. Chapter Four examines how social capital may favour the development of a successful and sustainable circular economy business model, particularly in the forestry sector. Lastly, Chapter Five examines the nature of camp and its use in Old Navy advertising and how camp uniquely resonates with queer audiences.Table of ContentsPreface; Social Capital Creation by Higher Education Institutions: Fostering Partnerships for Common Goals; Bonding and Bridging Social Capital in an International Video Game Guild; Social Trust and Social Progress: A European Regional Perspective; Sustainability in the Forest Bioeconomy: How Social Capital May Favour the Development of Circular Economy Business Models; Camp Clothing: Launching Old Navy and Enlisting the Gay Sensibility; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLooking for an answer of social science: being able to maintain political independence; without loosing genuine political orientation and responsibility; and at the same time maintaining a sophisticated balance of holistic orientation on the one side and discrimination on the other side is, of course, on the one hand bound to the objective conditions of society; on the other hand -- and even more so -- scientists have to accept their responsibility of (re-)gaining independence in terms of looking for valid answers to assess development and to change them where necessary rather than fulfilling ''expectations of the development'' by simply maintaining the status quo. In this regard, the present contributions reach a high level of expertise in their independence of judgements. This is of particular interest, as they cover a huge variety of topics and areas, not least coming from different disciplinary backgrounds and as well looking at different aggregate levels.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book explores the biography, issues and legacy of French social theorist and philosopher Michel Foucault. Arguably, Foucault was the greatest scholar of the 20th century and has left a huge legacy. The issues that emanate from his work will be discussed and evaluated especially in relation to applied social science as a discipline of study as well as empirical examples from contemporary social research. In particular, the book explores examples drawing from helping professions to illuminate the legacy of Michel Foucault and his influential concepts and theories.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis innovative book locates the historical emergence of post-modernism and what it is a reaction against. One of the key theorists of post-modernism, is Jean Baudrillard. He has had an enormous impact on contemporary social theory and social philosophy. This text locates his key concepts, locates empirical examples and importantly maps out the key influences of Baudrillard''s work. There is critical engagement with Baudrillard''s post-modernism in an assessment of its strengths and weaknesses.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Heideggerian study of the sociology of being human, with reflections on anxiety and boredom as revelatory of the essential homelessness of human being.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOccupy, Commons and other social experiments show: New collectivities are invented and tested. Gesa Ziemer enriches this debate through the insight that in the process, the reinterpretation of old forms of joint action can play an essential role. By looking at complicities in art, science and economy, ongoing collectivization is exposed. Complicity means the committing of an act together, so the definition of criminal law. But for a long time now the concept has also been targeted at legal collective actions - mainly in innovative environments. Individuals act jointly in an intensely affective way - albeit only temporarily, bindingly in common - but still individually, inventively - and at the same time in a goal-oriented manner.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe "return of great power competition" between (among others) the US, China, Russia and the EU is a major topic in contemporary public debate. But why do we think of world politics in terms of "competition"? Which information and which rules enable states and other actors in world politics to "compete" with one another? Which competitive strategies do they pursue in the complex environment of modern world politics? This cutting-edge edited collection discusses these questions from a unique interdisciplinary perspective. It offers a fresh account of competition in world politics, looking beyond its military dimensions to questions of economics, technology and prestige.

Read more less

Book SynopsisImmanuel Wallerstein's world-systems theory can help to better understand and describe developments of the 21st century. The contributors address the possibilities to reread Wallerstein's theoretical thoughts and ideas that are related to different disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. The presented interdisciplinary approach of this anthology thereby intends to highlight the broader value of Wallerstein's ideas, even almost five decades after the famous sociologist and economic historian first expressed them.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIs it possible to work with sound in sociology rather than being about sound? Can there be a "sonic sociology"? Rémy Bocquillon reflects on the process-oriented character of sociology as an experimental science by including aesthetic practices of sounding and listening as constitutive for the making of sociological theory. Following new materialist and speculative philosophies, this study is thus a combination of sociological theory, philosophical thought and aesthetic practices, not understood as discrete fields of inquiry, but co-constituting each other. It also features an audio chapter, "feeding-back" the sonic experimentations at the core of the research in new and engaging ways.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGiven the increasing centrality of identity to contemporary politics, James Skellys book provides a critical and useful analysis of the dominant and problematic conceptual bases for self and identity. Inspired in part by his lawsuit against the US Secretary of Defense while serving as an active duty military officer, Skelly argues that our use of language in the construction of identities is unwitting, unreflective, and has engendered horrific consequences for tens of millions of humans. In contrast, he demonstrates our need to overcome sectarian modes of thinking and to engage in much deeper forms of solidarity with others by foregrounding a species identity. This book offers not only an academic reflection on the concept of identity but one that delves into the nature of the self and identity by drawing on Skelly's concrete experience of attempting to present a self-identity opposed to war in the face of the political, psychological, religious, and legal arguments put forth in a year-long legal battle with the United States government. One consequence is that Skelly argues that to create a new and more pacific human sensibility we must help ourselves and others to gain sovereignty over our social worlds and the definition of 'who we are', by arming individuals with the tools necessary to overcome the definitions and categorisations we are subjected to in the construction of traditional notions of 'identity'.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book tells the stories of social justice warriors who are quietly powering the country''s progress by being agents of real change. Words Mahatma Gandhi lived by-such as ''India lives in villages and to serve the poor we will have to serve in the villages'' or that ''truth may get troubled but it never gets defeated''-are their moral compass. They have shown by personal example how adopting Bapu''s ideology as a way of life can be personally enriching and socially beneficial. The people in this book mostly work away from the spotlight. Through entirely Gandhian ways, they have proved that his methods, such as satyagraha, still help effect real change and progress for the people most in need. Many have won awards and recognition, but largely their stirring stories have remained untold-a gap that Being the Change seeks to fill.

Read more less

Book SynopsisText in Arabic. Social responsibility is a fundamental pillar of building a society and maintaining stable community life. Without it, public life becomes chaos, the law of the jungle prevails, philanthropy is non-existent, and selfishness and individualism dictate the behaviour and actions of individuals. Professor Hala Al-Saeed takes readers on an enriching journey to explore social responsibly in all its many facets based on extensive field experience and a review of academic literature on the concept.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNever before have we attempted to measure as much as we do today. Why are we so obsessed with numbers? What can they really tell us?Trade Review‘A great antidote to cynicism, and a sharply witty reminder of what is important in life.’ Independent ‘Wonderfully subversive.’ Guardian.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the 1960s, Stanley Milgram carried out a series of experiments in which human subjects were given progressively more painful electro-shocks in a careful calibrated series to determine to what extent people will obey orders even when they knew them to be painful and immoral. This book deals with Milgram's persuasive explanation of his methods.Trade Review“Milgram’s experiments on obedience have made us more aware of the dangers of uncritically accepting authority.” — Peter Singer, New York Times Book Review “Stanley Milgram’s experiments on obedience to malevolent authority seemed to me to be the most important social psychological research done in this generation….The quality of exposition in the book I s so high that it qualifies as literature as well as science.” — Roger Brown, Harvard University “This well-designed and brilliantly executed research study, reported in an unusually fascinating and very readable style, reveals the elusive and sometimes shocking conditions under which men obey authority regardless of the morality involved.” — Library Journal “A major contribution to our knowledge of man’s behavior. It establishes firmly in the front rank of social scientists in this generation.” — Jerome S. Brunner, Oxford University “One of the most significant books I have read in more than two decades of reviewing.” — Robert Kirsch, Los Angeles Times “The classic account of the human tendency to follow orders, no matter who they hurt or what their consequences.” — Michael Dirda, Washington Post Book World “Milgrim’s experiment-based analysis is a model of systematic, sequential, patient pursuit of answers to a significant social problem. His investigations accomplish what we should expect of responsible social science: to inform the intellect without trivializing the phenomenon.” — Henry W. Reicken, Science

Read more less

Book SynopsisFinding ways to understand the nature of social change and social order-from political movements to market meltdowns-is one of the enduring problems of social science. A Theory of Fields draws together far-ranging insights from social movement theory, organizational theory, and economic and political sociology to construct a general theory of social organization and strategic action. In a work of remarkable synthesis, imagination, and analysis, Neil Fligstein and Doug McAdam propose that social change and social order can be understood through what they call strategic action fields. They posit that these fields are the general building blocks of political and economic life, civil society, and the state, and the fundamental form of order in our world today. Similar to Russian dolls, they are nested and connected in a broader environment of almost countless proximate and overlapping fields. Fields are mutually dependent; change in one often triggers change in another. At the core of the Trade ReviewIn this bold and sweeping new work, Fligstein and McAdam make the first global contribution to sociological field theory since Bourdieu's Distinction. Finding order and turbulence not only in the semi-autonomous fields that others have investigated, but also in the complex interplay of social movements and the state, Fligstein and McAdam produce a vision that is theoretically insightful, empirically generative and will re-energize the quest for a fundamental grasp of the dynamics of large-scale social interaction. * John Levi Martin, University of Chicago *In this much-anticipated book, Neil Fligstein and Doug McAdam bring their rich and influential strands of scholarly work together to develop a provocative account of how skilled individuals upset established routines and build new political and organizational fields. The core of their argument emphasizes on how people deploy resources, build connections, and forge new practices. In so doing, they place agency in a new and analytically tractable light. This signal accomplishment will be essential reading to all political and organizational scholars. * Walter W. Powell, Stanford University *In A Theory of Fields, Neil Fligstein and Doug McAdam provide a powerful synthetic approach to the analysis of interconnected "strategic action fields" that anchor interaction and meaningful membership. This conceptual language breaches distinctions among political, economic, and other sociologies to advance a compelling general approach to the most basic sociological questions of order and change. Fligstein and McAdam have accomplished the difficult task of grappling with fundamental issues of social theory while advancing a program of social research that should both engage advanced scholars and inspire those earlier in their careers. * Elisabeth S. Clemens, University of Chicago *A Theory of Fields is certainly an abundant repertoire of good reasons for using the concept of field as a versatile tool for social research. * Angelo Salento, Sociologica *Table of ContentsChapter 1: The Gist of It ; Introduction - The Central Elements of the Theory - ; Other Perspectives - Conclusion ; Chapter 2: Micro-Foundations ; Introduction - Meaning and Membership - The Collective as Existential Refuge - ; Social Skill - Social Skill in Action - The Scope of the Theory - ; Institutional Politics - Social movements - Markets and the Economy - ; The Nonprofit Sector - Conclusion ; Chapter 3: Macro Implications ; Introduction - The <"Embeddedness>" of Strategic Action Fields - ; An Excursus on Formal Organization and Bureaucracy - The State ; as a system of strategic action fields - The Impact of State Fields on ; Non-state strategic action fields - The Dependence of States and State ; Fields on Non-state strategic action fields - Internal Governance Units - ; Higher Education and the Professions - Conclusion ; Chapter 4: Change and Stability in Strategic Action Fields ; Introduction - Current Debates - The Emergence of Strategic Action Fields ; - Sustaining a Settlement - Settlements and Ruptures - Reestablishing - ; Field Stability - The Relationship between Social Skill and the State of ; the Strategic Action Field - Social Skill and the Emergence of Fields - Social ; Skill and the Reproduction of Fields - Social Skill and the Transformation of ; Fields - Conclusion ; Chapter 5: Illustrating the Perspective ; Introduction - The Civil Rights Struggle, 1932-1980 - Setting the Stage - ; The Field of Racial Politics - Destabilizing Changes - The Episode of Contention ; and the Rise of the Civil Rights Movement - A New Settlement - The Declining ; Salience of the Cold War Dynamic - The Revenge of the Dixiecrats and the End ; of the New Deal Electoral Regime - The Rise of Black Power and the Rupture in ; the Movement strategic action fields - The Institutionalization of the Civil Rights ; Movement and Its Impact on Other Strategic Action Fields - Summing up - The ; Transformation of the U.S. Mortgage Market, 1969-2010 - The Dominant Strategic ; Action Fields of the Mortgage Market, 1934-1987 - Changes that Destabilized the ; Mortgage Market, 1969-1987 - Settlement and the new Strategic Action Field - The ; Rise of the Industrial model of the MBS market, 1993-2007 - The Causes of the ; Crisis - The Impact of the Strategic Action Field based on the Industrial model on ; other strategic action fields - Conclusion ; Chapter 6 Methods ; Introduction ; The Roadmap ; How to Tell if a Strategic Action Field Exists ; Emergence, Stability, and Crisis, Part 1 ; The Problem of the State in Relation to Strategic Action Fields ; Emergence, Stability, and Crisis, Part 2 ; Social Skill, Strategic Action, and the Question of Entrepreneurship ; Considering Different Philosophies of Science and Methodological Strategies ; A Positivist Approach to Strategic Action Fields ; Realist Approaches to Strategic Action Fields ; The Problem of Empiricism ; Conclusion ; Chapter 7 A Theory of Strategic Action Fields ; So what is new here? ; The Problem of the Accumulation of Knowledge in the Social Sciences ; The Surprising Discovery of Fields ; Toward a Collaborative Program of Theory and Research on Fields ; Bibliography

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book SynopsisPrior to the 1960s, when African Americans had little access to formal political power, black popular culture was commonly seen as a means of forging community and effecting political change. But as Richard Iton shows in this provocative and insightful volume, despite the changes brought about by the civil rights movement, and contrary to the wishes of those committed to narrower conceptions of politics, black artists have continued to play a significant role in the making and maintenance of critical social spaces. Iton offers an original portrait of the relationship between popular culture and institutionalized politics tracing the connections between artists such as Paul Robeson, Lorraine Hansberry, Richard Pryor, Bob Marley and Erykah Badu and those individuals working in the protest, electoral, and policy making arenas. With an emphasis on questions of class, gender and sexuality-and diaspora and coloniality-the author also illustrates how creative artists destabilize modern notions of the proper location of politics, and politics itself. Ranging from theatre to film, and comedy to literature and contemporary music, In Search of the Black Fantastic is an engaging and sophisticated examination of how black popular culture has challenged our understandings of the aesthetic and its relationship to politics.Trade ReviewA fascinating history and analysis of the nexus of black popular culture and activism from the Jazz Age to the hip-hop era...a timely reminder of the significant influence African American artists and entertainers have had on the political front--not necessarily in enacting laws, but in the symbolic impact of words and actions. * Los Angeles Times *By interweaving many complex issues, In Search of the Black Fantastic moves across the disciplines with ease--politics, history, sociology, American studies, and African American studies--thereby representing one of the most thorough examinations of post-war black culture. * Political Science Quarterly *Iton's work possesses the depth of wide reading in modernist theory and the breadth of wide-open eyes and ears for the popular... challenging, illuminating and groundbreaking. For both lay reader and academician, it may well 'compel a revision of our notions of the political. * Publishers Weekly *A fresh, meticulously well researched study...The book is grounded in a solid historical base, surveying the dilemmas faced by black artists from the Cold War to the present...I strongly recommend In Search of the Black Fantastic to serious scholars of black literature and culture. By so perceptively engaging the relationship between popular art and the politics of marginalized people, it helps to clear the way to a truer, deeper understanding of an important subject which rarely gets such penetrating analysis. * African American Review *Brimming with ideas... In Search of the Black Fantastic offers thought-provoking insights throughout its 400 pages and will certainly stimulate further work in numerous areas of African American history. * American Historical Review *Table of ContentsNOTES;; ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS;; INDEX

Read more less