Society and culture: general Books

Book SynopsisThe third edition of the highly-acclaimed Contemporary British Society is the only textbook to provide comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the social structure of modern Britain. Completely revised and updated, this new edition employs the very latest statistical information and empirical studies, and examines all the new arguments and debates concerning modern British society. Separate chapters explore the major areas of modern life in Britain - economic organization, employment, patterns of inequality, class, gender, ethnicity, family and households, education, health, media, deviance and politics. New to this edition are chapters on globalization, associations, and leisure. The emphasis throughout the book is on an accessible, user-friendly, and non-technical approach. It is written in a jargon-free and approachable style; there is extensive cross-referencing and frequent and clear summarizing of arguments; and numerous photographs, diagrams, grapTrade Review'The combination of theoretical sophistication and up-to-date empirical evidence makes this new edition of this highly successful textbook valuable to students and their teachers alike.' Professor Rosemary Crompton, City University 'The first two editions have established this as clearly the outstanding textbook on contemporary Britain. The third edition consolidates and advances this reputation. This book is highly readable and comprehensive in its coverage, and it makes such wide reference to recent research that it will be of interest not only to students but also to lecturers, researchers, and even the general public. This is an exemplary textbook in every respect.' Professor Mike Savage, Department of Sociology, Manchester University 'This is an admirable introduction to sociology and the understanding of contemporary British society. The authors have maintained the clarity and incisiveness of earlier editions while substantially revising the content. It provides a comprehensive coverage of developments in sociology and society over the last decade.' Stephen Hill, Professor of Sociology, London School of Economics 'Now in its 3rd edition, Contemporary British Society is starting to take-on the appearance of a standard A-level textbook, with many of the major specification areas now covered. The focus, however, is less upon superficial coverage of numerous topics and more upon the comprehensive coverage of a range of significant aspects of each specification area, written by a specialist in each field ... the book contains a mass of illustrative material (tables, diagrams, box-outs) that lightens the text and provides potentially useful interpretive material for teachers.' Sociology Central 'As cogent and accessible an account of the social structure of a particular modern society as could be required.' Times Higher Education SupplementTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. How to Use this Book. Maps. List of Plates. 1. Introduction. 2. Globalization. 3. Economic Organization. 4. Employment. 5. Patterns of Inequality and Social Mobility. 6. Social Classes. 7. Gender. 8. Ethnicity and Racism. 9. Families and Households. 10. Associations. 11. Leisure. 12. The Media. 13. The State and Politics. 14. Education. 15. Health. 16. Deviance, Crime and Control. Glossary. Bibliography. Index.

Read more less

Book Synopsis* Offer a concise introduction to this controversial and growing area of study and debate. * Explores the ways in which minorities are constructed through religion, race, language and ethnicity. * Draws on a range of contemporary examples from across the world.Trade Review"An agile and gripping work which adroitly moves from the evolution of church-state relations to political philosophy, international relations theory to affirmative action and finally to the development of international society in the twentieth century." Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism "This is an important book. At a time when western societies are becoming increasingly polarised between those who urge the virtues of milticulturalism and those who fear that our values are being undermined and our security threatened by the presence of minorities, we badly need a careful and clear-headed appraisal of minority rights and the dilemmas that they pose. Jennifer Jackson Preece is to be congratulated on providing us with just such an account." James Mayall, University of CambridgeTable of ContentsPreface. List of Abbreviations. 1. Understanding the ‘Problem Minorities. 2. Religion. 3. Race. 4. Language. 5. Ethnicity. 6. Beyond the ‘Problem of Minorities’?. Appendix A: Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging. to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. Appendix B: Selected Documents. References. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJean Baudrillard, alternately provocative and astonishing, is one of the leading theorists of media and culture. Regarded by many as the chief prophet of postmodernism, his writings raise important issues about the changing nature of social and political life in our contemporary, media-saturated age. This book makes his most important writings available in a single volume. It includes selections from the entire range of his work, from his early writings on consumer culture and the political economy of the sign to his more recent work on desire, simulation and the ''hyperreal''. This new edition includes five new extracts from Baudrillard''s writings in the 1990s, including his writings on the Gulf War, on the internet and his autobiographical reflections. It also includes an updated introduction by Mark Poster which provides an extremely lucid overview of Baudrillard''s work. Jean Baudrillard: Selected Writings is an excellentTrade Review'Jean Baudrillard continues to be an illuminating thinker as we move into the new high-tech millennium that he has anticipated in his writings of the past decades. Mark Poster's collection contains key texts from the entire trajectory of Baudrillard's work. Featuring new translations and concluding with a recent interview, Selected Writings provides access to one of the most important writers of our time.' Douglas Kellner, University of California, Los AngelesTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Notes on the Translation. Introduction: Mark Poster. 1. The System of Objects. 2. Consumer Society. 3. For a Critique of the Political Economy of the Sign. 4. The Mirror of Production. 5. Symbolic Exchange and Death. 6. On Seduction. 7. Simulacra and Simulations. 8. Fatal Strategies. 9. The Masses: The Implosion of the Social in the Media. 10. Cool Memories. 11. The Gulf War Did Not Take Place. 12. The Illusion of the End. 13. The Perfect Crime. 14. Paroxysm: Interviews with Philippe Petit.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this book Rajneesh Narula examines the interdependence of globalization and technological innovation at two levels: first, between locations, by examining the role of cross--border initiatives in the innovation process; second, between corporate entities, by studying the dynamics of inter--firm R&D collaboration.Trade Review"New technologies have been the main fuel of globalization over the last quarter of a century. This fascinating book shows what the devices have been and, more importantly, how we can work with them to improve human affairs or the welfare of society at large." Professor Daniele Archibugi, Italian National Research Council, Rome "One of the best analyses of the interface between globalization and innovatory development – at both a firm and a country level – I have read. A well-crafted and closely reasoned monograph which deserves to be widely read by academic scholars and policy makers alike." John H. Dunning, University of Reading "A rare fusion of analytical clarity and illustrative readability both for the expert and the layman." Science and Public PolicyTable of ContentsList of Figures. List of Tables. List of Boxes. Abbreviations. Acknowledgements. Introduction. 1. Technology and Globalization as Concatenated Processes: A Brief Commentary on the Causes of Globalization. 2. Cross-border Interdependence between Locations: Learning Growth and Systems of Innovation. 3. Innovation Systems and 'Inertia' in R&D Location: Norwegian Firms and the Role of Systemic Lock-in. 4. Cross-border Interdependence between Firms: The Growth of Strategic Technology Partnering. 5. In-house, R&D, Outsourcing or Alliances? Some Strategic and Economic Considerations. 6. Technological Catch-up and Strategic Technology Partnering in Developing Countries. 7. Technology, Globalization and Policy Issues: Some Observations. Notes. References. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPolitical power is often viewed as the sole embodiment of a social powera , even while we recognize that social power manifests itself in different forms and institutional spheres.Trade Review"Poggi has produced a work that challenges the reader to re-examine their concepts of power. It will certainly be of deep interest to those academics of whatever discipline who are interested in power. It is a strong addition to the literature in this area and as such is highly recommended for final year undergraduates through to PhD students." Democratization "Forms of Power is a significant and original contribution to contemporary debates on power. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in power and/or Weberian social theory." Political Studies "This is an ambitious work that deals in an illuminating and comprehensive way with a notoriously difficult concept." American Political Science Review "This is a sustained restatement of a Weberian position in the light of recent empirical work on forms of social power. It is lucid, engagingly written, and sure to gain readers and attention." John Hall, McGill University, Montreal "Gianfranco Poggi has written a lucid and economical book on the major forms of social power: political economic and normative/ideological. His discussion of military power, treated as an aspect of political power, is a welcome innovation, as is his extensive use of untranslated Italian and German scholarship." Dennis H. Wrong, New York UniversityTable of ContentsPreface. Chapter 1: Homo Potens. Chapter 2: Power Forms. Chapter 3: Political Power. Chapter 4: Ideological/Normative Power. Chapter 5: Religious Power and the State. Chapter 6: Creative Intellectuals and the State. Chapter 7: Economic Power. Chapter 8: Business and Politics. Chapter 9: The Economic Costs of the State. Chapter 10: Military Power. Epilogue. Notes. Bibliography. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisPolitical power is often viewed as the sole embodiment of a social powera , even while we recognize that social power manifests itself in different forms and institutional spheres.Trade Review"Poggi has produced a work that challenges the reader to re-examine their concepts of power. It will certainly be of deep interest to those academics of whatever discipline who are interested in power. It is a strong addition to the literature in this area and as such is highly recommended for final year undergraduates through to PhD students." Democratization "Forms of Power is a significant and original contribution to contemporary debates on power. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in power and/or Weberian social theory." Political Studies "This is an ambitious work that deals in an illuminating and comprehensive way with a notoriously difficult concept." American Political Science Review "This is a sustained restatement of a Weberian position in the light of recent empirical work on forms of social power. It is lucid, engagingly written, and sure to gain readers and attention." John Hall, McGill University, Montreal "Gianfranco Poggi has written a lucid and economical book on the major forms of social power: political economic and normative/ideological. His discussion of military power, treated as an aspect of political power, is a welcome innovation, as is his extensive use of untranslated Italian and German scholarship." Dennis H. Wrong, New York UniversityTable of ContentsPreface. Chapter 1: Homo Potens. Chapter 2: Power Forms. Chapter 3: Political Power. Chapter 4: Ideological/Normative Power. Chapter 5: Religious Power and the State. Chapter 6: Creative Intellectuals and the State. Chapter 7: Economic Power. Chapter 8: Business and Politics. Chapter 9: The Economic Costs of the State. Chapter 10: Military Power. Epilogue. Notes. Bibliography. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisStuart Hall is the leading figure in cultural studies today -- no one else has had the same influence in the shaping of the field. This book is the first full--length study of Halla s work. It examines every aspect of his work and constitutes a major critical introduction and appraisal of Halla s contribution.Trade Review"This is a timely reminder of the impact of Stuart Hall's work ... Rojek is impressively complete in his assessment of Hall's contribution." Political Studies ReviewTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Introduction. Chapter 1 The ‘Absolute Cultural Hybrid’. Chapter 2 Representation and Ideology. Chapter 3 State and Society. Chapter 4 Culture and Civilization. Conclusion: ‘The Future Belongs to the Impure’. Notes. References. Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis* A highly accessible introductory textbook which provides the most up to date and comprehensive analysis of women in contemporary politics available today. * Examines women as participants in the political process as members of parliament, leaders, Cabinet members, electoral candidates and political activists.Trade Review"This invaluable textbook admirably fulfils its aim of bringing women into the analysis of contemporary politics. It is a must for students on politics courses." Times Higher Education Supplement "This excellent and much needed book provides a wealth of information about women's political behaviour and experiences. It challenges both the neglect of women in mainstream politics texts and women's actual absences from positions of political power. It will be an invaluable resource for politics courses which already study women; it should be compulsory reading for lecturers on those which currently don't." Valerie Bryson, University of Huddersfield "This clearly written, broad-ranging and accessible book offers a comprehensive account of the burning issues facing women in contemporary politics. Covering local, national and international arenas, Wendy Stokes provides well-selected and up-to-date data on women’s role in political parties, parliament, governments and international organizations. This will be an invaluable core textbook for all students of women and politics."Judith Squires, University of BristolTable of Contents List of Tables, p. vi Acknowledgements, p. viii Introduction, p. 1 Part 1, p. 20 1. Feminist Theory and Women's Political Activism, p. 21 2. Applying the Theory, p. 49 Part 2, p. 72 3. Voting and Elections: Background Information, p. 73 4. Getting and Using the Vote , p. 84 5. Women and Elections, p. 117 6. Quotas for Women in Parties and Parliaments, p. 152 Part 3 , p. 184 7. Political Parties: Background Information, p. 185 8. Women in Political Parties in the United Kingdom, p. 194 9. Political Parties Outside the United Kingdom, p. 222 10. Women's Parties, p. 253 Part 4, p. 275 11. Parliaments and Governments, p. 276 12. Women in Elected Assemblies in the United Kingdom, p. 286 13. Women in Elected Assemblies Outside the United Kingdom, p. 308 Part 5 , p. 344 14. Women in Sub-National Government, p. 345 15. Women in Local Government in the United Kingdom, p. 353 16. Women in Sub-National Government Outside the United Kingdom, p. 382 Part 6, p. 409 17. Women and the European Union, p. 410 18. Women and the United Nations, p. 436 Conclusion, p. 455 Notes, p. 459 Bibliography, p. 468 Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis* A highly accessible introductory textbook which provides the most up to date and comprehensive analysis of women in contemporary politics available today. * Examines women as participants in the political process as members of parliament, leaders, Cabinet members, electoral candidates and political activists.Trade Review"This invaluable textbook admirably fulfils its aim of bringing women into the analysis of contemporary politics. It is a must for students on politics courses." Times Higher Education Supplement "This excellent and much needed book provides a wealth of information about women's political behaviour and experiences. It challenges both the neglect of women in mainstream politics texts and women's actual absences from positions of political power. It will be an invaluable resource for politics courses which already study women; it should be compulsory reading for lecturers on those which currently don't." Valerie Bryson, University of Huddersfield "This clearly written, broad-ranging and accessible book offers a comprehensive account of the burning issues facing women in contemporary politics. Covering local, national and international arenas, Wendy Stokes provides well-selected and up-to-date data on women’s role in political parties, parliament, governments and international organizations. This will be an invaluable core textbook for all students of women and politics."Judith Squires, University of BristolTable of ContentsList of Tables, p. vi Acknowledgements, p. viii Introduction, p. 1 Part 1, p. 20 1. Feminist Theory and Women's Political Activism, p. 21 2. Applying the Theory, p. 49 Part 2, p. 72 3. Voting and Elections: Background Information, p. 73 4. Getting and Using the Vote , p. 84 5. Women and Elections, p. 117 6. Quotas for Women in Parties and Parliaments, p. 152 Part 3 , p. 184 7. Political Parties: Background Information, p. 185 8. Women in Political Parties in the United Kingdom, p. 194 9. Political Parties Outside the United Kingdom, p. 222 10. Women's Parties, p. 253 Part 4, p. 275 11. Parliaments and Governments, p. 276 12. Women in Elected Assemblies in the United Kingdom, p. 286 13. Women in Elected Assemblies Outside the United Kingdom, p. 308 Part 5 , p. 344 14. Women in Sub-National Government, p. 345 15. Women in Local Government in the United Kingdom, p. 353 16. Women in Sub-National Government Outside the United Kingdom, p. 382 Part 6, p. 409 17. Women and the European Union, p. 410 18. Women and the United Nations, p. 436 Conclusion, p. 455 Notes, p. 459 Bibliography, p. 468 Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis* First book to trace systematically the relationship between key American social theorists and Freud's psychoanalyitc ideas. * Focuses on key social theorists and schools widely studied at Universities inside and outside the US, including Parsons, Chicago sociology, and Goffman.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments. Preface.. 1. An Uncertain Place: Freud in American Sociology. Introduction. The Intellectual Background. The Freudian Mirror. Freud's 1909 Visit to the United States. Freud among American Sociologists. Freud's Initial Reception in the American Journal of Sociology and the American Sociological review. Assessment.. 2. From Sumnerology to Cooley's Social Self. Proto-Symbolic Interactionism. Introduction. From Sumnerology to the Second Sumner. Sumner's Background. The First Sumner. The Second Sumner. The Manifest and Latent Second Sumner. Anti-Sumnerology and the Institutionalization of American Sociology. Three Strands of Cooley's Sociology. Colley's Cultural Theory. Colley As Proto-Symbolic Interactionist. Cooley's Methodology. Proto-Symbolic Interactionism and Freud.. 3. Symbolic Interactionism and Psychoanalysis: Blumer's and Goffman's Extension of Mead. Introduction. Mead's Social Behaviorism and Assessment of Psychoanalysis. Blumer's Opposition to Freud and Parsons. Goffman’s Understanding of Mental Illness. The Implications for Goffman's Sociology. The Interaction Order: Taxonomic Zoology. Tensions in Goffman's Account of the Self.. 4. Parson's Freud: The Convergence with Symbolic Ineractionism. Overview. Introduction. Parson's Action Theory. The Survival Test: AGIL. Integrating Freud into Sociological Theory. The Empirical Demonstration: the American University.. 5. Philip Rieff and the Moral Ambiguity of Freud. Introduction. Rieff's Textual Laboratory. Rieff's Sociology of Culture: A Culture Lost. Rieff's Sociology of Culture: A Culture Gained. Rieff's Sociology of Culture: A Culture Imagined.. 6. Sociologists as Analysts and Auto-Ethnographers: Hochschild, Chodorow, Prager, and After. Introduction. The Current Context. Hochschild, Chodorow, and Prager. The Analysis of Transference and MsA. Rethinking Transference. From Ethnographies of Concepts to Reflexive Ethnography. Concluding Thoughts. References. Index.

Read more less

Book Synopsis* First book to trace systematically the relationship between key American social theorists and Freud's psychoanalyitc ideas. * Focuses on key social theorists and schools widely studied at Universities inside and outside the US, including Parsons, Chicago sociology, and Goffman.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments. Preface.. 1. An Uncertain Place: Freud in American Sociology. Introduction. The Intellectual Background. The Freudian Mirror. Freud's 1909 Visit to the United States. Freud among American Sociologists. Freud's Initial Reception in the American Journal of Sociology and the American Sociological review. Assessment.. 2. From Sumnerology to Cooley's Social Self. Proto-Symbolic Interactionism. Introduction. From Sumnerology to the Second Sumner. Sumner's Background. The First Sumner. The Second Sumner. The Manifest and Latent Second Sumner. Anti-Sumnerology and the Institutionalization of American Sociology. Three Strands of Cooley's Sociology. Colley's Cultural Theory. Colley As Proto-Symbolic Interactionist. Cooley's Methodology. Proto-Symbolic Interactionism and Freud.. 3. Symbolic Interactionism and Psychoanalysis: Blumer's and Goffman's Extension of Mead. Introduction. Mead's Social Behaviorism and Assessment of Psychoanalysis. Blumer's Opposition to Freud and Parsons. Goffman’s Understanding of Mental Illness. The Implications for Goffman's Sociology. The Interaction Order: Taxonomic Zoology. Tensions in Goffman's Account of the Self.. 4. Parson's Freud: The Convergence with Symbolic Ineractionism. Overview. Introduction. Parson's Action Theory. The Survival Test: AGIL. Integrating Freud into Sociological Theory. The Empirical Demonstration: the American University.. 5. Philip Rieff and the Moral Ambiguity of Freud. Introduction. Rieff's Textual Laboratory. Rieff's Sociology of Culture: A Culture Lost. Rieff's Sociology of Culture: A Culture Gained. Rieff's Sociology of Culture: A Culture Imagined.. 6. Sociologists as Analysts and Auto-Ethnographers: Hochschild, Chodorow, Prager, and After. Introduction. The Current Context. Hochschild, Chodorow, and Prager. The Analysis of Transference and MsA. Rethinking Transference. From Ethnographies of Concepts to Reflexive Ethnography. Concluding Thoughts. References. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDisability: a Life Course Approach provides students and teachers with easy access to many of the most important current disability issues and debates. It provides a clearly focused account, and bridges some important gaps in the existing disability literature by including issues relevant to disabled people of all ages.Trade Review"Every now and again a book comes along that is both timely and useful. Priestley's Disability: A Life Course Approach is such a book...well researched and contains useful and interesting source materials for students...the book is important and should have wide appeal to students and academics in disability studies and related fields." SociologyTable of ContentsIntroduction. Chapter 1: Generating disability. Chapter 2: Birth rights. Chapter 3: Disability and childhood. Chapter 4: Transition? What transition?. Chapter 5: The myths and realities of adulthood. Chapter 6: Becoming older. Chapter 7: A matter of life and death. Conclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book provides a clear and concise introduction to the concept of consumption and to the wide--ranging debates about the nature and consequences of consumer society. Community and social class appear to be in irreversible decline.Trade Review"Written with unusual clarity and confidence, this small book packs a big intellectual punch. No one interested in new work in the sociology of consumption should be without it." Charles Lemert, Wesleyan University Table of ContentsAcknowledgements. 1. Consumption as a Key Concept. 2. Production and Consumption. 3. Consumer Society: Utopia or Dystopia?. 4. Living in Consumer Society. 5. McDonaldization and Disneyization. 6. Consumer Activism. References. Inndex.

Read more less

Book Synopsis* Clear, accessible introduction to the role of social movement in world politics * Offers an historical and comparative account of the development and impact of social movements ion the international order * Develops a new conception of international civil society and its role in international relations .Trade Review"Alejandro Colás takes a critical, and historically informed, look at the international spread of social movements, and of what is termed "civil society". Stressing that the components of civil society are in their very origins international, and that they have done much to shape the international system itself, Colás at the same time questions much prevailing analysis of the direction and impact of such groups. At once engaged and rigorous, this book will be of interest to students of international relations, politics and sociology, as much as it will challenge those who are engaged in international civil society itself." Fred Halliday, London School of Economics and Political Science “It is no exaggeration to say that International Civil Society is probably the best single IR volume on this topic. In a set of tightly-argued and well-written chapters, Colas seeks to bring some much needed rigour to the ongoing debates about what is more commonly dubbed global civil society, themselves a significant part of the larger debates about globalization.” MillenniumTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Chapter One: Introduction. Non-state Actors in International Relations. Chapter Two: Civil Society. The Challenge of the International. Chapter Three: Agencies and Structures in IR. Analysing International Social Movements. Chapter Four: International Society From Below. The Role of Civil Society in International Relations. Chapter Five: The Promises of International Civil Society. Global Governance, Cosmopolitan Democracy and the End of Sovereignty?. Conclusions: The Uses of International Civil Society. Bibliography. Notes. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is a brief introduction to the study of society, which may be read without any previous knowledge of the social sciences. Each chapter addresses a fundamental question about people in their various arrangements. The book begins by asking: what do people need from one another; what do they need to survive and how do these needs make them dependent upon others? Subsequent chapters deal with the ties that bind people, the expectations they entertain of one another, their means of distinguishing themselves from others, the ways they have of moulding and teaching the young, and what they believe, know and invent. De Swaan also explores the ways in which people organize their activities, from foraging bands of only a few dozen members to contemporary societies that can effectively co-ordinate a billion people or more. Human Societies traces this huge increase in the scale of social life which occurred as new forms of human co-ordination emerged: from reciprocal obligation and cTrade Review"As an introductory text, Human Societies stands out as an exemplary work of scholarship. Professor de Swaan's approach is grounded in the best tradition of historical and institutional sociology. His style is lucid and jargon-free. His analysis is cogent and engaging throughout. His coverage extends from the micro-concerns of human relationships to the macro-issues of social change and globalization." —Robert Pinker, London School of EconomicsTable of Contents1. What People Need From Each Other. 2. How People Are Connected To One Another. 3. What People Expect Of One Another. 4. How People Distinguish Themselves From One Another: Stratification. 5. How People Form One Another: Socialization and Civilization. 6. What People Believe, Know And Think: Orientation. 7. How People Attune Their Efforts To One Another: Competition and Coordination. 8. How People Perform Tasks Together: Collective Action. 9. How People Produce For Others and Exchange Goods: Division Of Labour, Market Formation and Payment. 10. How People Cooperate On The Basis Of Rules and Instructions: Organization. 11. How People Form States and States Form People: State Formation And State Intervention. 12. Globalization: Towards A Worldwide Society?. Further Reading. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is a major contribution to our understanding of the condition of the immigrant and it will transform the reader's understanding of the issues surrounding immigration. Sayad's book will be widely used in courses on race, ethnicity, immigration and identity in sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, politics and geography. an outstanding and original work on the experience of immigration and the kind of suffering involved in living in a society and culture which is not one's own; describes how immigrants are compelled, out of respect for themselves and the group that allowed them to leave their country of origin, to play down the suffering of emigration; Abdelmalek Sayad, was an Algerian scholar and close associate of the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu - after Sayad's death, Bourdieu undertook to assemble these writings for publication; this book will transform the reader's understandingTrade ReviewA brilliant excavation of the condition we usually describe as immigration. Sayad brings to light aspects of that condition typically camouflaged or neutralized by the language itself of most academic research on immigration. He juxtaposes to this language the apparent opacity of the language of immigrants’ lived experience and helps us see its transparence and what it communicates.’ – Saskia Sassen, author of Guests and AliensTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. A Note on Terminology. Preface. Sources. Introduction. 1 The Original Sin And The Collective Lie. 2 The Three Ages Of Emigration. 3 An Exemplary Immigration. 4 Nationalism And Emigration. 5 The Backlash On The Society Of Origin. 6 A Relationship Of Domination. 7 The Wrongs Of The Absentee. 8 The Immigrant: ‘Os For Life’. 9 Illness, Suffering And The Body. 10 The Weight Of Words. 11 ‘Naturalisation’. Appendix: Three Interviews About Identity. 12 Immigration And ‘State Thought’. 13 Recapitulation. Notes. References. Bibliography: The Writings Of Abdelmalek Sayad

Read more less

Book SynopsisWritten by Hans Joas, one of Europea s leading social theorists. Asks how contemporary social and political thought can come to terms with the ongoing proliferation of war and state violence. Draws on a wide range of material, from World War I and Vietnam to the Gulf War and the conflicts in the Balkans.Trade Review‘Though war remains central to society, it has been peripheral to recent sociological theory. Hans Joas helps remedy that with penetrating critiques of Marxian, realist and, especially, liberal views of war.’ Michael Mann, University of California “War and Modernity is a path-breaking book which explores in a very incisive way a subject which has not been systematically addressed in the social sciences, namely the relations between war and modernity. Contrary to the optimistic views which see war as a survival of “primitive” urges, Joas shows convincingly how war constitutes a basic component of modernity. The book is a distinct contribution.” S.N. Eisenstadt, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem "...International Relations scholars should find the analysis of some familiar issues from a different angle illuminating, and they will find some important discussions and reconstructions of social thought in the context of war...much of value to be found in this volume" Bryan Mabee "A valuable contribution to the reflection of sociology on war and violence." American Journal of SociologyTable of ContentsPreface vii Introduction: Wars and Values 1 Part I The Modernity of War 27 1 The Dream of a Modernity without Violence 29 2 The Modernity of War: Modernization Theory and the Problem of Violence 43 3 Ideologies of War: The First World War as Reflected in the Contemporary Social Sciences 55 Part II After War 83 4 After the War: Democracy and Anti-Communism in Berlin after 1945 85 5 After the Cold War: The Collapse of the German Democratic Republic (with Martin Kohli) 95 6 Sprayed and Betrayed: The Experience of Violence in the Vietnam War and its Consequences 111 Part III War and Violence in Social Theory 123 7 Between Power Politics and Pacifist Utopia: Peace and War in Sociology Theory 125 8 Is There a Militarist Tradition in Sociology? 141 9 Sociology after Auschwitz: Zygmunt Bauman’s Work and the Problems of German Self-Understanding 163 10 War the Risk Society? 180 11 War the Teacher? 180 12 Action Theory and the Dynamics of Violence 187 Notes 197 Bibliography 225 Name Index 242 Subject Index 246

Read more less

Book SynopsisProvides an invaluable introduction to the concerns and controversies surrounding disability and disability studies. The arguments presented in this book have important political and policy implications for both disabled and non--disabled people. Contains contributions from established figures, as well as newcomers to the field.Trade Review"This edition is edited by the three people who have done more than anyone to establish disability studies as an academic discipline in the UK ... This collection provides a good overview of where disability studies has come from." Tom Shakespeare, Times Higher Education Supplement "Disability Studies Today is a welcome introduction to an expanding field which examines the experience of disability and knowledge about people with disabilities. It covers key issues and reflects the present, ongoing debates as the field matures. Scholars from around the world in a number of disciplines ? sociology, cultural studies, geography, history, policy studies, philosophy history, and others ? are focusing on the rich theoretical, political, and policy implications which are being presented. Disabled and non-disabled people are contributing to this discussion as are activists in the field. This text is essential to the understanding of the field of disability studies for newly emerging scholars, activists, established figures, and especially for students who are studying disability." David Pfieffer, University of HawaiiTable of ContentsContributors. Chapter 1.Introduction: Colin Barnes, Mike Oliver and Len Barton. Chapter 2.American Pragmatism, Sociology and the Development of Disability studies: Gary Albrecht. Chapter 3.Disability Theory: Key Ideas, Issues and Thinkers: Carol Thomas. Chapter 4.Disability and the Body: Bill Hughes. Chapter 5.Theorizing Divisions and Hierarchies: Towards Commonality or Diversity: Ayeshea Vernon and John Swain. Chapter 6.History, Power and Identity: Anne Borsay. Chapter 7.Work, Disabled People and European Social Theory: Paul Abberley. Chapter 8.Shooting for the Moon - Disability and Politics at the Millennium: Phil Lee. Chapter 9. Academic Debates and Political Advocacy: the US Disability Movement: Harlan Hahn. Chapter 10 Globalisation and Disability: Chris Holden and Peter Beresford. Chapter 11.Disability and Globalising the Concept of Human Rights: Marcia Rioux. Chapter 12 Re-viewing Disability Research: Geof Mercer. Chapter 13. Disability, the Academy and the Inclusive Society: Colin Barnes, Mike Oliver and Len Barton. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this important new book, Montserrat Guibernau answers a series of compelling questions about the future of national identity. It will be essential reading for advanced students and professional scholars in sociology, politics and international relations.Trade Review"Guibernau paints a broad panorama of national identities and their political mobilization in North America and Western Europe and argues for a “cosmopolitan nationalism” that reconciles moral universalism with a sense of national belonging. The Identity of Nations is an important and thoughtful contribution to current debates on multiculturalism, the rise of the radical right and the relation between national, European and global identities." Rainer Bauböck, European University Institute, Florence "Montserrat Guibernau brings together a vast experience of the study of nationalism and national identity. Since her original work on Nations without States, based upon her experience of her native Catalonia, she has gone on to study these topics in a variety of situations, especially in the United Kingdom and Canada. This book brings together her perceptive conclusions." John Rex, University of Warwick "The Identity of Nations is a trenchant analysis of the nature of national identity and contemporary challenges to its continued primacy by a scholar with impeccable credentials." Walker Connor, Middlebury CollegeTable of ContentsDetailed Contents vi Acknowledgements ix Introduction 1 1 What is National Identity? 9 2 National Identity, Devolution and Secession 33 3 The Impact of Migration on National Identity 58 4 On European Identity 89 5 Rethinking American Identity 119 6 Reactions to the End of ‘Pure’ National Identities 138 7 National Identity versus Cosmopolitan Identity 159 Conclusion 189 Notes 197 References and Bibliography 210 Index 226

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn The Network Society, Darin Barney provides a compelling examination of the social, political and economic implications of network technologies and their application across a wide range of practices and institutions.Trade Review"This is a flawless book. It shows what a changing world we live in, is academically sound and is also a good read." MIT Leonardo reviewsTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. 1. Network Society. 2. Network Technology. 3. Network Economy. 4. Network Politics. 5. Network Identity. 6. Conclusion. References. Index.

Read more less

Book Synopsis* The first ever reader on masculinities * Examines masculinities from various cultural, national and social perspectives * Covers all the key themes: Power, Sexuality, Public Men, Private Men, Masculinity in Crisis.Trade Review'Stephen Whitehead and Frank Barrett have put together an excellent collection of contemporary research, theory and debate about men, masculinities, and men's place in the gender order. Everyone who studies these questions, or who is taking action on practical issues that involve problems about masculinity (as many contemporary issues do), will find this book a great resource.' R.W Connell (author of The Men and the Boys, Gender and Power and Masculinities)Table of ContentsAcknowledgements. Publisher's Note. The Sociology of Masculinity: Stephen Whitehead and Frank Barrett. Part I: Defining and Locating Masculinities:. Introduction. 1. The Social Organisation of Masculinity: Bob Connell. 2. Masculinities: Arthur Brittan. 3. Postmodernism and the Interrogation of Masculinity: David S. Gutterman.. Part II: Power, Oppression and Dominance:. Introduction. 4. The Organizational Construction of Hegemonic Masculinity: The Case of the U.S. Navy: Frank Barrett. 5. The Belly of the Beast: Sex as Male Domination: Lynne Segal. 6. Power and the Language of Men: Scott Fabius Kiesling. 7. Violence, Rape, and Sexual Coercion: everyday love in a South African township: Katherine Wood and Rachel Jewkes. Part III: Masculinities in the Public Domain:. Introduction. 8. Naming Men as Men: implications for Work, Organization and Management: David Collinson and Jeff Hearn. 9. Masculinity and and Machismo in Hollywood's War Films: Ralph R. Donald. 10. Masculinity, School, and Self in Sweden and the Netherlands: Alan Segal. 11. Cool Pose: Black Masculinity and Sports: Richard Majors. Part IV: The Private Lives of Men:. Introduction. 12. Family, Gender and Masculinities: David H.J. Morgan. 13. The Organization of Intimacy: managerialism, masculinity and the masculine subject: Deborah Kerfoot. 14. Friendship, Intimacy and Sexuality: Michael A. Messner. 15. Masculinity as Homophobia: Fear, Shame and Silence in the Construction of Gender Identity: Michael S. Kimmel. 16. "A Vicarious Sense of Belonging" The Politics of Friendship and Gay Social Movements, Communities, and Neighbourhoods: Peter M. Nardi. Part V: Endings and Beginnings: The Practices and Politics of Changing Men:. Introduction. 17. The Crisis of Masculinity and the Politics of Identity: John MacInnes. 18. ‘Crabs in a bucket': reforming male identities in Trinidad: Niels Sampath. 19. "And Ar'n't I a Man?": Toward a Chicano/Latino Men's Studies: Alfredo Mirande. 20. Man - The Invisible Gendered Subject?: Stephen Whitehead. 21. Masculinity Politics on a World Scale: R. W. Connell. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNew medical technologies are increasingly at the centre of novel transformations in the human and social body. Whilst reproduction, health, ageing and dying have long been areas for technical intervention, the emergence of molecular biology and information technology raise far-reaching political, social and subjective questions. New Medical Technologies and Society provides a critical introduction to the role and cultural significance of technological innovation in redefining the boundaries of medicine and the body, tracing this process through the figure of the lifecourse. Drawing on approaches from sociology and Science and Technology Studies, the authors explore key issues, theories and debates at the junctures of bodies and medicine. In a style that is both innovative and challenging, Nik Brown and Andrew Webster open up an important examination of new medical technologies not only for those directly engaged, but for a wider audience interested in the ways in which Trade Review‘This is a timely analysis of the ways in which contemporary medical technologies are reshaping the human lifecourse, and indeed our very ideas of life and death. While pointing to the spirals of expectation and disappointment that run through all these developments, Brown and Webster show that new forms of life are being generated in which human vitality is enmeshed in novel institutional, professional, legal and experiential networks. The book not only provides a map of this emerging field, but draws on a wide range of sociological arguments to develop conceptual tools that will prove very helpful to those working in this increasingly crucial area.’ – Nikolas Rose, London School of Economics ‘An especially useful and thorough treatment. Brown and Webster demonstrate the efficacy of science and technology studies for understanding the myriad ways in which new medical technologies are reordering life.’ – Steve Woolgar, Saïd Business School, University of OxfordTable of ContentsChapter One Introduction: New Medical Technologies and Society. Chapter two Science & Technology Studies: Opening the Black Bag. Chapter Three Reproducing Medical Technology. Chapter Four Maintaining the Body. Chapter Five Substituting the Body. Chapter Six Technologies of Death and Dying. Chapter Seven Conclusion. Technical Glossary. References and Bibliography. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisNew medical technologies are increasingly at the centre of novel transformations in the human and social body. Whilst reproduction, health, ageing and dying have long been areas for technical intervention, the emergence of molecular biology and information technology raise far--reaching political, social and subjective questions.Trade Review‘This is a timely analysis of the ways in which contemporary medical technologies are reshaping the human lifecourse, and indeed our very ideas of life and death. While pointing to the spirals of expectation and disappointment that run through all these developments, Brown and Webster show that new forms of life are being generated in which human vitality is enmeshed in novel institutional, professional, legal and experiential networks. The book not only provides a map of this emerging field, but draws on a wide range of sociological arguments to develop conceptual tools that will prove very helpful to those working in this increasingly crucial area.’ – Nikolas Rose, London School of Economics ‘An especially useful and thorough treatment. Brown and Webster demonstrate the efficacy of science and technology studies for understanding the myriad ways in which new medical technologies are reordering life.’ – Steve Woolgar, Saïd Business School, University of OxfordTable of ContentsChapter One Introduction: New Medical Technologies and Society. Chapter two Science & Technology Studies: Opening the Black Bag. Chapter Three Reproducing Medical Technology. Chapter Four Maintaining the Body. Chapter Five Substituting the Body. Chapter Six Technologies of Death and Dying. Chapter Seven Conclusion. Technical Glossary. References and Bibliography. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis clear and accessible book provides an excellent guide through the ongoing and increasingly significant debate between multiculturalism and its critics. Focusing on the work on Charles Taylor, Axel Honneth and Nancy Fraser, Simon Thompson analyses the argument that a just society is one that shows all its members due recognition.Trade Review"Thompson provides the most comprehensive overview to date of the recognition debates – scrupulously fair and bursting with insights." Nancy Fraser, New School for Social Research, New York "The politics of recognition plays a central role in discussions of identity, equality and democratic inclusions in contemporary social and political thought, yet until this book there has been no comprehensive and authoritative guide to the literature on recognition. Thompson displays a mastery of the material and provides a sure-footed guide to the intricacies of the work of the main theorists of recognition – Axel Honneth, Nancy Fraser and Charles Taylor. This book will be required reading for those working on democratic inclusion, identity politics and equality, and serves as a first-rate contribution to the literature on social and political theory." Paul Kelly, London School of Economics and Political ScienceTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. 1 Introduction. 1. 1 The Rise of Recognition. 1. 2 The Politics of Recognition. 1. 3 Three Theories of Recognition. 1. 4 A Plan of the Argument. 2 Recognition as Love. 2. 1 Introduction. 2. 2 Charles Taylor: The Dialogical Self. 2. 3 Axel Honneth: A Philosophical Anthropology. 2. 4 Nancy Fraser: The Discursive Subject. 2. 5 The Critique of Psychologization. 2. 6 Conclusions. 3 Recognition as Respect. 3. 1 Introduction. 3. 2 Charles Taylor: The Politics of Universalism. 3. 3 Axel Honneth: Legal Recognition. 3. 4 Nancy Fraser: Parity of Participation. 3. 5 A Critical Comparison. 3. 6 Conclusions. 4 Recognition as Esteem. 4. 1 Introduction. 4. 2 Charles Taylor: The Politics of Difference. 4. 3 Axel Honneth: The Principle of Achievement. 4. 4 Nancy Fraser: The Revaluation of Values. 4. 5 A Critical Comparison. 4. 6 Conclusions. 5 Recognition and Redistribution. 5. 1 Introduction. 5. 2 Nancy Fraser: Redistribution, Recognition and Participation. 5. 3 Axel Honneth: Redistribution as Recognition. 5. 4 A Critical Comparison. 5. 5 Conclusions. 6 Recognition and Democracy. 6. 1 Introduction. 6. 2 Charles Taylor: Participatory Self-rule. 6. 3 Axel Honneth: Reflexive Cooperation. 6. 4 Nancy Fraser: Radical Democracy. 6. 5 A Critical Comparison. 6. 6 Conclusions. 7 Struggles for Recognition. 7. 1 Introduction. 7. 2 Axel Honneth: Struggles for Recognition. 7. 3 Criticisms of Honneth. 7. 4 Conclusions. 8 Conclusion. Notes. References. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat is the role of the neighbourhood in our understanding of community and how has this role changed over the last century? Talja Blokland seeks to answer this question in this careful ethnographic study of the changing nature of social relationships and urban communities.Trade Review"This is a book of major intellectual significance. Talja Blokland succeeds in casting her case study around broader theoretical concerns that will have relevance for urban sociologists everywhere." Mike Savage, University of Manchester "Talja Blokland has written an engaging, thoughtful and often provocative analysis of changing social life in an inner city neighbourhood." Charles Tilly, Columbia University "This is a superb empirically grounded study of social relations, exploring important theoretical issues about space, identity and community in the context of wonderful and compelling ethnography." Richard Jenkins, University of SheffieldTable of ContentsPreface. 1. Disintegration And The ‘Demise Of Community’. 2. Hillesluis As A Natural Area? Social Ecology And Neighbourhood Use. 3. Personal Networks As Communities. 4. Social Identification And A Grid Of Social Relations. 5. Familiarity And Transactions: Privatization I. 6. Institutions And Attachments: Privatization II. 7. Contemporary Communities And The Importance Of Location. 8. Ethnicity As A Dividing Field. 9. The Neighbourhood In The Imperfect Past. 10. Urban Bonds: Conclusions. Annex: Research Approach. Notes. References. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn a series of conversations Manuel Castells, one of the world's best known social scientists, explains and expands his work. He builds on his earlier thinking, opening it to new audiences and taking it into new areas in a highly accessible way.Trade Review'These conversations ... provide a highly interesting commentary by Castells on his own phenomenon and a (very compact) tour d'horizon of his ideas about every current political and social issue and every continent.' Times Higher Education Supplement "...stimulating and such a constant source of pleasure. Castell shows himself here a commentator on the contemporary global scene of real insight and penetration." Krishan Kumar, PrometheusTable of ContentsAcknowledgments. Introduction. 1. Manuel’s life and work. 2. Innovation. 3. The Space of Flows. 4. Social movements and organisations. 5. Identity. 6. Politics and Power. 7. Castells’ world tour. 8. A world of knowledge. Bibliography. Biographies of the Authors. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn a series of conversations Manuel Castells, one of the world's best known social scientists, explains and expands his work. He builds on his earlier thinking, opening it to new audiences and taking it into new areas in a highly accessible way.Trade Review'These conversations ... provide a highly interesting commentary by Castells on his own phenomenon and a (very compact) tour d'horizon of his ideas about every current political and social issue and every continent.' Times Higher Education Supplement "...stimulating and such a constant source of pleasure. Castell shows himself here a commentator on the contemporary global scene of real insight and penetration." Krishan Kumar, PrometheusTable of ContentsAcknowledgments. Introduction. 1. Manuel’s life and work. 2. Innovation. 3. The Space of Flows. 4. Social movements and organisations. 5. Identity. 6. Politics and Power. 7. Castells’ world tour. 8. A world of knowledge. Bibliography. Biographies of the Authors. Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis* A very readable and accessible book which is also rigorous and well researched. * Written by Jon Silverman (BBC Home Affairs Correspondent) and David Wilson (former prison governor) -- public figures with many contacts in the press and media.Trade Review"We fear it and loathe it but if we want to protect our children we must understand it too. The authors use formidable research to put paedophilia in context. This book is uncomfortable reading – but essential." John Humphrys, 'Today', BBC Radio 4 "No one has previously put the case so well for having an adult, rational debate about how we should respond to paedophilia. Nor have the counterproductive dangers of outing, naming and shaming with responses like Megan’s Law been so clearly discussed. A thoroughly researched and well argued study." Rod Morgan, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of the Probation Service for England and Wales "Silverman and Wilson manage to achieve what many of us aspire to - a book that will appeal both to a specialised and lay audience. In the emotionally charged atmosphere of considering the threat posed by predatory paedophiles ... it is important that we have a text that is thoughtful and measured, while also recognising the deep emotions that the topic raises among the populace. ...[T]his is a well-written book that can be recommended to the interested layperson ... while, for the specialist, it draws the threads together of the recent painful scenario where the News of the World has largely orchestrated the terms of the debate." The Howard Journal of Criminal JusticeTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Introduction. 1. A Short History Of Sex Offending. 2. Paedophiles. 3. Beyond Victimhood. 4. Dealing With Paedophiles Within The Penal System. 5. Protecting The Community. 6. Release. 7. Communities In Need Of ‘Community Notification'. 8. Named And Shamed. 9. 'Charlie's Angels' And How To Protect Our Children. Bibliography. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe great demonstrations at Seattle and Genoa have shown that we are in a new era of protest. The neo--liberal economic policies pursued by the Group of Seven leading industrial countries and the international institutions they control are provoking widespread resistance.Trade Review'This is a tremendous polemic and analysis: robust, articulate, engaging, accessible, informative, uncompromising and provocative.' Professor Anthony McGrew, Department of Politics, University of Southampton "...this book contains some undeniably valuable arguments and explanations of Marxist concepts" Kit Robinson, Weekly Worker, July 2003 "a politically engaged book" John Gray, The Independent "insightful and surprisingly non-ideological" Ethical Corporation MagazineTable of ContentsIntroduction. An unscheduled event. The revival of social critique. Naming the movement. Another unscheduled event. Chapter 1 Capitalism Against the Planet. So What’s the Problem?. Financial Follies. The Perpetual Motion Machine. Accumulation and Catastrophe. The Sword of Leviathan. Chapter 2 Varieties and Strategies. Varieties of Anti-Capitalism. Reform or Revolution?. Chapter 3 Imagining Other Worlds. Anti-Capitalist Values. A Note on Diversity. What’s Wrong with the Market?. Why We Need Planning. A Transitional Programme. Afterword. Notes. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe great demonstrations at Seattle and Genoa have shown that we are in a new era of protest. The neo-liberal economic policies pursued by the Group of Seven leading industrial countries and the international institutions they control are provoking widespread resistance. Growing numbers of people in all five continents are rejecting the values of the market and the vision of a world made safe for the multinational corporations. But what does the anti-globalization movement stand for? Is it, as its most common name suggests, against globalization itself? Is it opposed merely to the neo-liberal Washington Consensus that became dominant in the 1980s and 1990s, or is its real enemy the capitalist system itself? The World Social Forum at Porto Alegre has popularized the slogan Another World is Possible'. But what is that world? Alex Callinicos seeks to answer these questions in An Anti-Capitalist Manifesto. He analyses the development of the movement, distinguishes bTrade Review'This is a tremendous polemic and analysis: robust, articulate, engaging, accessible, informative, uncompromising and provocative.' Professor Anthony McGrew, Department of Politics, University of Southampton "...this book contains some undeniably valuable arguments and explanations of Marxist concepts" Kit Robinson, Weekly Worker, July 2003 "a politically engaged book" John Gray, The Independent "insightful and surprisingly non-ideological" Ethical Corporation MagazineTable of ContentsIntroduction. An unscheduled event. The revival of social critique. Naming the movement. Another unscheduled event. Chapter 1 Capitalism Against the Planet. So What’s the Problem?. Financial Follies. The Perpetual Motion Machine. Accumulation and Catastrophe. The Sword of Leviathan. Chapter 2 Varieties and Strategies. Varieties of Anti-Capitalism. Reform or Revolution?. Chapter 3 Imagining Other Worlds. Anti-Capitalist Values. A Note on Diversity. What’s Wrong with the Market?. Why We Need Planning. A Transitional Programme. Afterword. Notes. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisAgainst Management argues that management is increasingly being seen as a problem, and not a solution. Martin Parker argues that managing is not the only way to organize and that managerialism is a global form of ideology, which is being used to justify considerable cruelty and inequality.Trade Review"At last the omnipotent Manager faces a serious and worthy opponent in Parker's Against Management. This is a sophisticated polemic that ought to be compulsory reading for all managers, management students and citizens." Keith Grint, Templeton College, Oxford "I really enjoyed reading this book. It is original; it is provocative; it is scholarly in a positive way. It is extraordinarily well written – lucid as well as witty." Christopher Grey, The Judge Institute of Management, Cambridge "Parker's capacity to combine solid scholarship with the publicist's flair is invaluable in a field often trapped in hyper-intellectualism." OrganizationTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Chapter 1. Managerialism and its Discontents. Chapter 2. McBureaucracy: Liberalism and the Iron Cage. Chapter 3. Citizenship: The Corporate State. Chapter 4. Community: The Freedom to Work. Chapter 5. The Business of Business Ethics. Chapter 6. Criticising Critical Management Studies. Chapter 7. The Culture Industries and the Demonology of Big Organisations. Chapter 8. Anti-Corporate Protest. Chapter 9. For Organisation. Notes. Bibliography. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn recent years there has been a renewed interest in the work of Rene Girard, thought by many to be one of the most important, if controversial, cultural theorists of the twentieth century.Trade Review"Fleming's book is an incisive and sure guide, which demonstrates a thorough knowledge of both Girard's thought and its place in twentieth-century thought...........In his succinct summary and commentary Fleming seeks neither to critique Geriard's writing nor to provide an alternative to reading it. He offers instead an invitation to the reader to explore further. In my view he covers the ground well. I would have trouble recommending it highly enough to students and teachers of theology." International Journal of Systematic Theology, Vol. 7Table of Contents1. Introduction. 2. Mimesis and Interdividual Psychology. 3. Generative Violence: The Scapegoat Mechanism. 4. Nonsacrificial Violence: Girard’s view of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures. 5. Girard’s influence on other disciplines. 6. Responses to the theory: Critiques of Girard. 7. Conclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisA provocative analysis of gender inequalitya s destructive effects on our society and our planet.Trade Review"This is an intriguing and challenging collection of disparate essays, written with commitment." Ken Worpole, Times Higher Education Supplement "On many levels this is a timely and convincing gazetteer of contemporary human and political folly, and Oakley freqently turns a very neat phrase, as when she notes that "cars dominate public space in much the same way that men dominate public life"....This is an intriguing and challenging collection of disparate essays". Ken Worpole, Books

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe freedom to choose where to live and work is a fundamental right in liberal societies. The moral equality of persons is the basic principle of democratic politics. But liberal democracy has no coherent theory of boundaries, or how members should be selected for political communities.Trade Review"This is an innovative, thought-provoking and well-informed book that should be useful to all those interested in immigration policy, and in globalization and its implications. Hopefully, given its substance and arguments, this book will be read as much by policy-makers and practitioners as by those studying and researching the subject of migration policy and global human movement." Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies "This is an excellent book. ... It deals in an illuminating and original way with a range of issues that are fundamental to the contemporary world." Alan Carling, University of Bradford "The text moves the debate on migration and mobility to a new place and level, raising vital questions and offering perspectives that are both original and challenging for anybody working in the field." Phillip Cole, Middlesex University "In a world on the move, we can no longer assume the division of humanity into bordered entities as a given. Using current immigration issues as a starting point, Jordan and Duvell venture boldly beyond ordinary policy concerns to recast theories of equality and justice." Aristide R. Zolberg, Graduate Faculty, New School University, New YorkTable of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements. Chapter 1: Introduction: Issues and Perspectives. Chapter 2: The New Model of Global Governance. Chapter 3: The Political Model of Migration. Chapter 4: Cosmopolitan Economic Membership. Chapter 5: Global Equality and Justice. Notes. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe freedom to choose where to live and work is a fundamental right in liberal societies. The moral equality of persons is the basic principle of democratic politics. But liberal democracy has no coherent theory of boundaries, or how members should be selected for political communities.Trade Review"This is an innovative, thought-provoking and well-informed book that should be useful to all those interested in immigration policy, and in globalization and its implications. Hopefully, given its substance and arguments, this book will be read as much by policy-makers and practitioners as by those studying and researching the subject of migration policy and global human movement." Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies "This is an excellent book. ... It deals in an illuminating and original way with a range of issues that are fundamental to the contemporary world." Alan Carling, University of Bradford "The text moves the debate on migration and mobility to a new place and level, raising vital questions and offering perspectives that are both original and challenging for anybody working in the field." Phillip Cole, Middlesex University "In a world on the move, we can no longer assume the division of humanity into bordered entities as a given. Using current immigration issues as a starting point, Jordan and Duvell venture boldly beyond ordinary policy concerns to recast theories of equality and justice." Aristide R. Zolberg, Graduate Faculty, New School University, New YorkTable of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements. Chapter 1: Introduction: Issues and Perspectives. Chapter 2: The New Model of Global Governance. Chapter 3: The Political Model of Migration. Chapter 4: Cosmopolitan Economic Membership. Chapter 5: Global Equality and Justice. Notes. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisHealth and illness underpin our everyday existence. Health allows us to live full lives and to function as social beings; illness disrupts our lives, sometimes seriously. But health not only affects individuals, it also impacts upon society as a whole.Trade Review"Michael Bury’s concise and timely book is must reading for students entering the field or for professionals in cognate fields wondering what has happened in the sociology of health and illness over the last few years." Gary Albrecht, University of Illinois of Chicago "Written in an engaging and accessible style, Health and Illness is outstanding, carefully addressing key classic and contemporary debates within the sociology of health and illness, and illustrating these with the most up-to-date research." Sara Arber, University of Surrey "Michael Bury is one of the most thoughtful observers in medical sociology. He provides an engaging and critical introduction to the concepts and issues surrounding the sociology of health and illness. Both neophytes and seasoned students will benefit greatly from the rich discussions presented here."Peter Conrad, Brandeis University "Health and Illness is a stimulating introduction to the field. It covers the topics that matter most today and raises important questions about how we will view health and illness in the future in response to advances in technology and the growing medical surveillance of the individual." Ellen Annandale, University of LeicesterTable of Contents1 What is Health?. 2 The Patterning of Health and Illness. 3 Gender, Sex and Health. 4 The Body, Health and Society. 5 Health and Health Care. 6 The Future of Health. References. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHealth and illness underpin our everyday existence. Health allows us to live full lives and to function as social beings; illness disrupts our lives, sometimes seriously. But health not only affects individuals, it also impacts upon society as a whole.Trade Review"Michael Bury’s concise and timely book is must reading for students entering the field or for professionals in cognate fields wondering what has happened in the sociology of health and illness over the last few years." Gary Albrecht, University of Illinois of Chicago "Written in an engaging and accessible style, Health and Illness is outstanding, carefully addressing key classic and contemporary debates within the sociology of health and illness, and illustrating these with the most up-to-date research." Sara Arber, University of Surrey "Michael Bury is one of the most thoughtful observers in medical sociology. He provides an engaging and critical introduction to the concepts and issues surrounding the sociology of health and illness. Both neophytes and seasoned students will benefit greatly from the rich discussions presented here."Peter Conrad, Brandeis University "Health and Illness is a stimulating introduction to the field. It covers the topics that matter most today and raises important questions about how we will view health and illness in the future in response to advances in technology and the growing medical surveillance of the individual." Ellen Annandale, University of LeicesterTable of Contents1 What is Health?. 2 The Patterning of Health and Illness. 3 Gender, Sex and Health. 4 The Body, Health and Society. 5 Health and Health Care. 6 The Future of Health. References. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn The Hydrogen Economy, best--selling author Jeremy Rifkin takes us on an eye--opening journey into the next great commercial era in history.Trade Review"Rifkin, who is an influential writer and lecturer at a major American business school, has produced a very readable book with an important message. It deserves to be studied in governments, in the boardrooms of business and, more important, by the citizens of the world - for it is up to them to plan their destiny within realistic options. In short, it speaks of nothing less than the survival of the species." Times Higher Education SupplementTable of ContentsChapter 1: Between Realities; Chapter 2: Sliding Down Hubbert’s Bell Curve; Chapter 3: Energy and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations; Chapter 4: The Fossil-Fuel Era; Chapter 5: The Islamist Wildcard; Chapter 6: A Global Meltdown; Chapter 7: Vulnerabilities Along the Seams; Chapter 8: The Dawn of the Hydrogen Economy; Chapter 9: Reglobalization from the Bottom Up

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this important and timely new book, Michael Banton examines the international politics of racial discrimination and racism. The book recounts key events in the international politics of race during the past few decades.Trade Review‘This is Michael Banton at his laser-like best, engaged in a piercing analysis of what would otherwise remain a thoroughly murky subject. No one has better credentials for this job. Banton's are grounded in a lifetime of theoretical work and decades of practical experience. The result is conceptual clarity more than sufficient to blaze a fascinating trail through masses of arcane but vital information.’ Donald L. Horowitz, Duke University "A significant addition to the literature on the ways in which our ideas about race and racism have evolved and changed over the past few decades. It thus deserves a wider readership ... this is an important book." American Journal of SociologyTable of ContentsPreface. Chapter 1: Race as Species. A two-dimensional concept – Racial typology – Selectionism – Popular usage in English – The tangled web. Chapter 2. UNESCO. Scientific facts - Science and politics - Present problems. Chapter 3 The UN General Assembly. Treaties - The noble lie – The legal instrument: discrimination – The legal instrument: protected fields - Political action – The decades – Universality – Diplomacy - Two theses. Chapter 4. A Living Instrument. Ratification - Treaty monitoring – Annual reports – Communications – Prospects – Problems ahead. Chapter 5: Australia Arraigned. White Australia – Native title – Equal treatment – A multicultural society – Unfinished business. Chapter 6: The USA Enlists. Why ratify? – Ethnogenesis - The Initial/Third report –A language of diversity. Chapter 7: Britain in Europe. European institutions – Immigration - National variations – Ethnic monitoring – Reflections. Chapter 8 The Third World Conference. Alternatives - Drafting - Durban 2001 - The Declaration - The Programme of Action - Reservations - A calamity. Chapter 9: Public Policy and Human Rights. Human rights standards – Equality in civil and political rights – Equality in economic, social and cultural rights – Ethnic relations. Chapter 10: Better Explanations. Race as a social category – The racism problematic – After racism. Postface. Bibliography. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisAttempts to lead the way through the moral maze that is our relationship with nonhuman animals. This book takes the reader step by step through the main parameters of the debate, demonstrating at each turn the different positions adopted.Trade Review‘A very useful guide to the current state of the debate about the moral status of animals, and the major issues about how we should treat them.’ Peter Singer, Princeton University "Garner's book will be of great value for the non-professional philosopher who is looking for a roadmap into the complex world of animal ethics. The book's strength lies in Garner's ability to present and position a variety of philosophical perspectives in a succinct and cogent manner. I greatly applaud this effort on Garner's part and encourage the uninitiated reader to delve into the philosophical complexities with the help of Garner's guiding hand." Animal Welfare "Garner succeeds in presenting a clearly written and eminently readable account of present thinking on the moral status of animals." Times Literary Supplement "For those teaching courses in animals and society or in applied ethics, Garner's book could serve as an introduction to various arguments for and against extension of rights and moral status to animals. The book is serious, concise and clearly-written, and Garner sets out the arguments fairly, even where it is plain that he disagrees." Canadian Journal of Sociology Online ‘A special blending of political science and philosophy, Animal Ethics shines the spotlight of clarity and reason into the complexities of animals and their moral and legal status in today’s society. ’ Kim W. Stallwood, Institute for Animals and SocietyTable of ContentsPreface. 1. Introduction. 2. Animals and the Equal Consideration of Interests. 3. Are Animals Worth Anything?. 4. Why hsouldn’t animals be equal?. 5. Questions of Life and Death. 6. Rights, Utility, Contractarianism and Animals. 7. Should We Eat Animals?. 8. To Vivisect or Not to Vivisect?. 9. Zoos, Pets and Wild Animals. 10. Political Agency and Animal Rights.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAgeing populations represent a key global challenge for the twenty-first century. Few areas of life will remain untouched by the accompanying changes to cultural, economic and social life.Trade Review"Written by a sociologist, one of our most prominent authorities on ageing, this book provides a comprehensive and insightful overview of the key debates in the field." Nursing Times "Polity’s ‘key concepts’ book series focuses on highly complex concepts, and this definitely holds for Phillipson’s subject matter: ageing. The series is also meant to get to the heart of debates about the meaning and usage of concepts and, again, this book delivers. Phillipson provides a clear critical outline of crucial issues surrounding ageing. The book draws on historical developments, provides succinct overviews of current situations and speculates on possible futures." Social Policy and Administration "Phillipson sets out to challenge the assumptions about ageing and provide a systematic overview of the nature and development of ageing societies." Journal of Social Policy "Like other books in the series it provides a concise and informative approach to concepts that have a high degree of complexity surrounding them, getting to the heart of debates about meaning and usage, this time in relation to ageing." Practice "A work of critical gerontology such as this has the benefit of encouraging reflection and offering more questions than answers: an ideal approach for teachers and students of gerontology." Canadian Journal on Aging "Chris Phillipson is one of our most prominent authorities on ageing. In this book he provides a comprehensive and insightful overview of the key debates in the field, addressing both how we should understand the phenomenon of ageing and also its consequences for an increasingly globalized world." Julia Twigg, University of Kent "In Ageing, Chris Phillipson explains and critiques social science contributions to understanding and moulding the way we think about older people and population ageing. Foremost among its many merits are exceptional clarity and comprehensibility. Both new and long-term students of the field will profit greatly from reading this book." Tony Warnes, University of Sheffield ''Phillipson makes clear that the face of ageing is changing in response to wide-reaching currents sweeping around the globe. As is apparent throughout Ageing, the discussion of what is fair and appropriate is shifting as the political economic forces of national and international development redefine what it means to grow old. A real tour de force from an internationally recognized scholar." Joe Hendricks, Oregon State University ''A key strength of this publication is the rich contextual background it provides, with welcome coverage of international variations in ageing and thought-provoking suggestions on as to how institutions can successfully adapt to the changing demographic'' Journal of Ageing & SocietyTable of ContentsAcknowledgements vii 1 Introduction: Understanding Ageing 1 Part I Demographic and Social Dimensions of Ageing 9 2 Ageing Societies in a Global Perspective 11 3 Social Theories of Ageing 29 4 The Development of Ideas about Age and Ageing 53 5 The Social Construction of Ageing 70 Part II Inequalities and Divisions in Later Life 87 6 Ageing and Pensions: The Social Construction of Inequality 89 7 Families and Generational Change in Ageing Societies 109 8 'Late' Old Age 127 Part III New Pathways for Later Life 143 9 Preparing for Ageing Populations: Rebuilding Institutions 145 10 Conclusion: New Pathways for Later Life 166 Notes 178 References 181 Index 206

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book gives the reader sociological and anthropological insight into the interaction of occupation, social class and marriage and how these factors effect and affect smaller communities and provides a customarily deft analysis of the disintegration of rural communities and the nature of social change.Trade Review"Absolutely fundamental to any understanding of the development of Bourdieu's thought ... as insightful as it is moving." Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute "Plunges us into fascinating details of the economics of dowries and animal husbandry." Steven Poole's non-fiction choice in The GuardianTable of ContentsEpigraph. Introduction. Part I –Bachelorhood and the peasant condition. 1. The system of matrimonial exchanges in traditional peasant society. 2. Internal contradictions and anomy. 3. The opposition between the bourg and the hameaux. 4. The peasant and his body. Conclusion. Appendix I. Bibliographical notes. Thematic bibliography. Appendix II. Changes in population, 1836-1954. Appendix III. Dialogue between a villager and a peasant. Appendix IV. Another dialogue between a villager and a bachelor. Appendix V. The exemplary tale of a younger son from a modest family. Another younger son. Appendix VI. Excessive maternal authority and celibacy. Appendix VII. An attempt to generalize: bachelorhood in sixteen rural cantons in Brittany. Part II – Matrimonial strategies in the system of reproduction strategies. Bibliographical notes. Bibliography. Part III – Reproduction forbidden: The symbolic dimension of economic domination. 1. Addenda and corrigenda. 2. ‘From the closed world to the infinite universe’. 3. The unification of the matrimonial market. 4. ‘Sound opinions of the people’. Appendix. Postscript – A class as object. Index of concepts. Index of names

Read more less

Book SynopsisSince 9/11, the American government has presumed to speak and act in the name of 'civilization'. But isthat how the rest of the world sees it? And if not, why not? Stephen Mennell leads up to such contemporary questions through a careful study of the whole span of American development, from the first settlers to the American Empire.Trade Review"This book has a great potential for upsetting the sensibilities of American graduate students and stimulating debate about the form and development of American culture and social organization." Theory and Society "All in all, this is a book full of treasures that I would recommend unreservedly." Farhad Dalal, Group Analysis "[A] work of immense scope, insight and erudition by a major figure in sociology." Andrew Linklater, International Affairs "Guaranteed to be 'model setting' in its own right. All future studies of civilising processes, which will hopefully include analyses of such dynamics in rising powers such as China, India, Brazil and so forth in the emerging post-Western international system, can derive their bearings from this volume." Figurations "What makes Mennell's book exceptional is its theoretical framework building on the elaborate theory of civilizing processes developed by Norbert Elias (1897-1990), who elaborated his theory on European state-formation processes." Internationale Politik und Gesellschaft "A broad and brave, yet incisive, exploration of the process of US evolution, effectively mingling, and moving between, sociological and cultural considerations with political and international trends." Irish Journal of American Studies "Mennell has robustly put the American processes of civilization through the demands of Elias-ian analysis." Prometheus "Mennell is the best expositor of the pattern of American geopolitics, along with British military historian John Keegan’s Fields of Battle." European Journal of Sociology "A very fine book indeed: a triumphant vindication of the capacity of Elias's thesis to illuminate huge tracts of American history and at the same time a highly original and independent work which never follows the master slavishly but maintains its intellectual independence, recognising the difficulties which Elias's theories sometimes raise, and abounding in fresh insights of its own. It is also beautifully lucid and agreeably unpretentious in tone." Sir Keith Thomas, All Souls College, Oxford "Written in a beautifully lucid and lively style, this book should be read by all who seek to understand a fascinating as well as important country." John A. Thompson, St Catharine's College, Cambridge "This is a book that is long overdue. Norbert Elias pioneered analysis of the civilizing process that helped make modern Europe. But just how much America is distinct has been both historically contested and conceptually unclear. Stephen Mennell brings considerable insight in this thoughtful reconsideration of the American story in light of Elias’s originally European framework." Craig Calhoun, New York University "Stephen Mennell, an outstanding disciple of the great sociologist Norbert Elias, employs the latter's insights to look at the USA. Using the idea of state-formation along with that of the civilizing process, the result is a wide-ranging treatment of the sole contemporary superpower that has both scholarly merit and an enormous relevance to the present moment. Filled with insights, combining theory and empirical observations, and offering a judicious comparison with other countries of America and its claim to exceptionalism, the result is a splendid contribution to history, sociology and international relations." Bruce Mazlish, MIT Table of ContentsPreface. Prologue:. 1 ‘American Civilization’. The Founding Fathers as Philosophes. ‘Progress’ and ‘American Civilization’. Fugitive government and ‘American Civilization’. ‘Human nature’ and ‘American Civilization’. European absolutism and ‘American Civilization’. Conclusion. 2 ‘Fellow Americans’ and Outsiders. Others: the Native Americans. Others: the Blacks. Others: the Europeans. Anti-Americanism: How the outsiders view the established. Conclusion. 3 American Manners under Scrutiny. American manners books. Americans observed. Technology, hygiene and deference. Victorianism. Informalization. Conclusion. 4 American Aristocracies. The colonial gentry. The South: American Junkers?. The North: Working upper classes. From cumulative to dispersed inequalities?. A significant absence: an aristocracy of office. Conclusion. 5 The Market Society. The constraints of the market. The constraints of organization. Conclusion. 6 Violence and Aggressiveness. Long-term trends in violence. Is America peculiarly violent?. Capital punishment. Conclusion. 7 And wilderness is paradise enow: From Settlements to Independence. Autarky, but not terra nullius. Population. Early phases of the American state formation process. Conclusion. 8 Westward Look the Land is Bright: From Frontier to Empire. Manifest destiny and latent dynamics: a necessary theoretical digression. The balance between the planned and the unplanned in US territorial expansion. ‘Sovereignty’ as a function of power ratios. The Frontier. Beyond manifest destiny: the beginnings of an American empire. Conclusion. 9 Integration Struggles. Urbanization and resentment of the city. Immigration. Growth of the means of ruling. The breakdown: the Civil War and its aftermath. A central ambivalence: the armed forces. Conclusion. 10 The Curse of the American Dream. Equality and inequality in America. The American welfare state. Social mobility in America. Conclusion: Upwards identification, not mutual identification?. 11 Involvement, Detachment and American Religiosity. Fantasy and the growth of knowledge. American religion in long-term perspective. Some explanations. Odd one out - Europe or the USA?. Conclusion. 12 America and Humanity as a Whole. ‘American Social Character’: Diminishing contrasts, increasing varieties. The problem of the American homo clausus: the We-I balance. Market fundamentalism and diminishing foresight. Functional de-democratization. The American Empire. Conclusion: path dependency in America and the world. Notes. Bibliography. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisSince 9/11, the American government has presumed to speak and act in the name of 'civilization'. But isthat how the rest of the world sees it? And if not, why not? Stephen Mennell leads up to such contemporary questions through a careful study of the whole span of American development, from the first settlers to the American Empire.Trade Review"This book has a great potential for upsetting the sensibilities of American graduate students and stimulating debate about the form and development of American culture and social organization." Theory and Society "All in all, this is a book full of treasures that I would recommend unreservedly." Farhad Dalal, Group Analysis "[A] work of immense scope, insight and erudition by a major figure in sociology." Andrew Linklater, International Affairs "Guaranteed to be 'model setting' in its own right. All future studies of civilising processes, which will hopefully include analyses of such dynamics in rising powers such as China, India, Brazil and so forth in the emerging post-Western international system, can derive their bearings from this volume." Figurations "What makes Mennell's book exceptional is its theoretical framework building on the elaborate theory of civilizing processes developed by Norbert Elias (1897-1990), who elaborated his theory on European state-formation processes." Internationale Politik und Gesellschaft "A broad and brave, yet incisive, exploration of the process of US evolution, effectively mingling, and moving between, sociological and cultural considerations with political and international trends." Irish Journal of American Studies "Mennell has robustly put the American processes of civilization through the demands of Elias-ian analysis." Prometheus "A very fine book indeed: a triumphant vindication of the capacity of Elias's thesis to illuminate huge tracts of American history and at the same time a highly original and independent work which never follows the master slavishly but maintains its intellectual independence, recognising the difficulties which Elias's theories sometimes raise, and abounding in fresh insights of its own. It is also beautifully lucid and agreeably unpretentious in tone." Sir Keith Thomas, All Souls College, Oxford "Written in a beautifully lucid and lively style, this book should be read by all who seek to understand a fascinating as well as important country." John A. Thompson, St Catharine's College, Cambridge "This is a book that is long overdue. Norbert Elias pioneered analysis of the civilizing process that helped make modern Europe. But just how much America is distinct has been both historically contested and conceptually unclear. Stephen Mennell brings considerable insight in this thoughtful reconsideration of the American story in light of Elias’s originally European framework." Craig Calhoun, New York University "Stephen Mennell, an outstanding disciple of the great sociologist Norbert Elias, employs the latter's insights to look at the USA. Using the idea of state-formation along with that of the civilizing process, the result is a wide-ranging treatment of the sole contemporary superpower that has both scholarly merit and an enormous relevance to the present moment. Filled with insights, combining theory and empirical observations, and offering a judicious comparison with other countries of America and its claim to exceptionalism, the result is a splendid contribution to history, sociology and international relations." Bruce Mazlish, MIT Table of ContentsPreface. Prologue:. 1 ‘American Civilization’. The Founding Fathers as Philosophes. ‘Progress’ and ‘American Civilization’. Fugitive government and ‘American Civilization’. ‘Human nature’ and ‘American Civilization’. European absolutism and ‘American Civilization’. Conclusion. 2 ‘Fellow Americans’ and Outsiders. Others: the Native Americans. Others: the Blacks. Others: the Europeans. Anti-Americanism: How the outsiders view the established. Conclusion. 3 American Manners under Scrutiny. American manners books. Americans observed. Technology, hygiene and deference. Victorianism. Informalization. Conclusion. 4 American Aristocracies. The colonial gentry. The South: American Junkers?. The North: Working upper classes. From cumulative to dispersed inequalities?. A significant absence: an aristocracy of office. Conclusion. 5 The Market Society. The constraints of the market. The constraints of organization. Conclusion. 6 Violence and Aggressiveness. Long-term trends in violence. Is America peculiarly violent?. Capital punishment. Conclusion. 7 And wilderness is paradise enow: From Settlements to Independence. Autarky, but not terra nullius. Population. Early phases of the American state formation process. Conclusion. 8 Westward Look the Land is Bright: From Frontier to Empire. Manifest destiny and latent dynamics: a necessary theoretical digression. The balance between the planned and the unplanned in US territorial expansion. ‘Sovereignty’ as a function of power ratios. The Frontier. Beyond manifest destiny: the beginnings of an American empire. Conclusion. 9 Integration Struggles. Urbanization and resentment of the city. Immigration. Growth of the means of ruling. The breakdown: the Civil War and its aftermath. A central ambivalence: the armed forces. Conclusion. 10 The Curse of the American Dream. Equality and inequality in America. The American welfare state. Social mobility in America. Conclusion: Upwards identification, not mutual identification?. 11 Involvement, Detachment and American Religiosity. Fantasy and the growth of knowledge. American religion in long-term perspective. Some explanations. Odd one out - Europe or the USA?. Conclusion. 12 America and Humanity as a Whole. ‘American Social Character’: Diminishing contrasts, increasing varieties. The problem of the American homo clausus: the We-I balance. Market fundamentalism and diminishing foresight. Functional de-democratization. The American Empire. Conclusion: path dependency in America and the world. Notes. Bibliography. Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis* Concise introduction to the sociology of the market for upper-level undergraduates. * Covers relevant debates on market forms, social theories and critiques of markets, market failure, aspects of market behaviour, market ideologies, and the 'marketisation' of other sectors of social and public life.Trade Review"Aldridge writes with remarkable clairty and insight, surveying the rise of sociological ideas on marketisation, charting the political history of markets and analysing various responses across the social sciences ... [His] work is certainly likely to be widely read by students in economic sociology, political economy and social theory." Professor Anthony Elliot, Department of Sociology, Kent University. ‘Clearly written and very readable, Aldridge’s surveys a range of debates on the rise of the market, its advocates and critics, successes and failures, market ideologies and social values, globalization and the "marketization" of public life. The discussion is admirable in being both even-handed and critically sharp. Concepts and arguments are always clearly explained, and theoretical accounts are brought to life with numerous relevant examples.’ – Dr Fran Tonkiss, Department of Sociology, London School of Economics and Political Science. ‘Alan Aldridge has written a thoughtful book on the market and how it structures social activity. Amongst other things, his work rescues Adam Smith for Sociology and delinks him from those cruder rational choice theorists who have hijacked this complex thinker. The book will prove a useful teaching aid for any course examining the nature of markets and theories about them. Between this and his book on consumption, Aldridge is proving to be an insightful commentator on the issues of our time.’ – Professor Gerard Hanlon, The Management Centre, University of Leicester.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements. Introduction.. 1. The rise of the market. Elements of market society. The invisible hand: social co-ordination without a co-ordinator. Freedom, liberalism and the market. Christian, civic republican and Marxian responses. The market as utopia and dystopia. The expansion of the market.. 2. Capitalism and the free market: success and failure. Market populism. The efficient market. Market fundamentalism. Public choice theory. Rational choice and instrumental rationality. Market failure. Denying market failure: in defence of monopoly. Market-based solutions: protecting the environment. Is and ought: the market as ideology.. 3. The social reality of markets. The problem of social order. A question of trust. Embeddedness, trust - and fraud. Abandoned markets, abandoned consumers. Human beings as rational actors. Freedom and autonomy. Money and monies. Primitive and modern economies. The 'problem' of culture.. 4. Colonization, compromise and resistance. Beck's critique of globalism. The globalization of nothing? Market socialism. The Third Way. In defence of practices Promotional culture: the case of universities. The market experience. References. Index.

Read more less

Book Synopsis* Concise introduction to the sociology of the market for upper-level undergraduates. * Covers relevant debates on market forms, social theories and critiques of markets, market failure, aspects of market behaviour, market ideologies, and the 'marketisation' of other sectors of social and public life.Trade Review"Aldridge writes with remarkable clairty and insight, surveying the rise of sociological ideas on marketisation, charting the political history of markets and analysing various responses across the social sciences ... [His] work is certainly likely to be widely read by students in economic sociology, political economy and social theory." Professor Anthony Elliot, Department of Sociology, Kent University. ‘Clearly written and very readable, Aldridge’s surveys a range of debates on the rise of the market, its advocates and critics, successes and failures, market ideologies and social values, globalization and the "marketization" of public life. The discussion is admirable in being both even-handed and critically sharp. Concepts and arguments are always clearly explained, and theoretical accounts are brought to life with numerous relevant examples.’ – Dr Fran Tonkiss, Department of Sociology, London School of Economics and Political Science. ‘Alan Aldridge has written a thoughtful book on the market and how it structures social activity. Amongst other things, his work rescues Adam Smith for Sociology and delinks him from those cruder rational choice theorists who have hijacked this complex thinker. The book will prove a useful teaching aid for any course examining the nature of markets and theories about them. Between this and his book on consumption, Aldridge is proving to be an insightful commentator on the issues of our time.’ – Professor Gerard Hanlon, The Management Centre, University of Leicester.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements. Introduction.. 1. The rise of the market. Elements of market society. The invisible hand: social co-ordination without a co-ordinator. Freedom, liberalism and the market. Christian, civic republican and Marxian responses. The market as utopia and dystopia. The expansion of the market.. 2. Capitalism and the free market: success and failure. Market populism. The efficient market. Market fundamentalism. Public choice theory. Rational choice and instrumental rationality. Market failure. Denying market failure: in defence of monopoly. Market-based solutions: protecting the environment. Is and ought: the market as ideology.. 3. The social reality of markets. The problem of social order. A question of trust. Embeddedness, trust - and fraud. Abandoned markets, abandoned consumers. Human beings as rational actors. Freedom and autonomy. Money and monies. Primitive and modern economies. The 'problem' of culture.. 4. Colonization, compromise and resistance. Beck's critique of globalism. The globalization of nothing? Market socialism. The Third Way. In defence of practices Promotional culture: the case of universities. The market experience. References. Index.

Read more less