Sociology

Spanning the period from the late nineteenth to the early twenty-first centuries, The Biographical Dictionary of Social and Cultural Anthropology contains almost six hundred individually-signed entries from a global team of contributors and offers an important, and fascinating overview of the historical and contemporary reach of anthropological research.

Providing an authoritative and comprehensive overview of the classical and the contemporary, this volume is an indispensable guide to the vibrant and expanding field of sociology. Featuring over 600 entries, from concise definitions to discursive essays, written by leading international academics, the Dictionary offers a truly global perspective, examining both American and European traditions and approaches. Entries cover schools, theories, theorists and debates, with substantial articles on all key topics in the field. While recognising the richness of historical sociological traditions, the Dictionary also looks forward to new and evolving influences such as cultural change, genetics, globalization, information technologies, new wars and terrorism. Most entries incorporate references for further reading and a cross-referencing system enables easy access to related areas. This Dictionary is an invaluable reference work for students and academics alike and will help to define the field of sociology in years to come.

The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing, first published in 2005, is a guide to the body of knowledge, theory, policy and practice relevant to age researchers and gerontologists around the world. It contains almost 80 original chapters, commissioned and written by the world's leading gerontologists from 16 countries and 5 continents. The broad focus of the book is on the behavioural and social sciences but it also includes important contributions from the biological and medical sciences. It provides comprehensive, accessible and authoritative accounts of all the key topics in the field ranging from theories of ageing, to demography, physical aspects of ageing, mental processes and ageing, nursing and health care for older people, the social context of ageing, cross cultural perspectives, relationships, quality of life, gender, and financial and policy provision. This handbook will be a must-have resource for all researchers, students and professionals with an interest in age and ageing.

Race, ethnicity and culture are concepts of extreme relevance in society today, and yet continue to be interpreted in various and often contradictory ways. The Dictionary provides the historical background and etymology of a wide range of words related to these concepts, looking at discourses of race, ethnicity and culture from a broadly multicultural perspective. This new and up-to-date dictionary contains numerous references to both European and American concepts, debates and terms that are relevant today- including words such as 'boat people', 'cybernazis', 'ebonics' as well as more established words and terms, such as 'affirmative action', 'caste', 'fortress Europe' and many more. The editors have brought together a group of internationally prominent academics and practitioners to produce this definite reference and research tool. Contributors include anthropologists, biologists, lawyers, philosophers, sociologists and psychologists, enabling the Dictionary to bring an interdisciplinary approach to the subject matter, and a rich variety of voice and content that would otherwise be absent. The Dictionary of Race, Ethnicity and Culture will provide a valuable tool for scholars, students, professionals and policy makers. It will help undergraduate and graduate students to use conceptual material effectively to write better essays, and will be an essential source of reference in the professional fields, particularly for social workers and teachers.

The central aim of this encyclopedia is to give the reader a comparative perspective on issues involving conceptions of gender, gender differences, gender roles, relationships between the genders, and sexuality. The combination of topical overviews and varying cultural portraits is what makes this encyclopedia a unique reference work for students, researchers and teachers interested in gender studies and cross-cultural variation in sex and gender.

Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences, Eighth Edition, presents the extraordinary growth of research on aging individuals, populations, and the dynamic culmination of the life course, providing a comprehensive synthesis and review of the latest research findings in the social sciences of aging. As the complexities of population dynamics, cohort succession, and policy changes modify the world and its inhabitants in ways that must be vigilantly monitored so that aging research remains relevant and accurate, this completely revised edition not only includes the foundational, classic themes of aging research, but also a rich array of emerging topics and perspectives that advance the field in exciting ways. New topics include families, immigration, social factors, and cognition, caregiving, neighborhoods, and built environments, natural disasters, religion and health, and sexual behavior, amongst others.

The second edition of the International Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family revises and expands Macmillan's 1995 Encyclopedia of Marriage and the Family, adopting an international, cross-cultural approach to such diverse topics as adolescent parenthood, family planning, cohabitation, widowhood, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, codependency and commuter marriages. It includes articles specific to countries and to religious traditions, examining the history of family life within these cultures and discussing how families have been affected by political and social change.

'Clear and accessible - Key Concepts in Critical Social Theory makes difficult ideas available to an undergraduate audience' -Larry Ray, Professor of Sociology, University of Kent The SAGE Key Concepts series provides students with accessible and authoritative knowledge of the essential topics in a variety of disciplines. Cross-referenced throughout, the format encourages critical evaluation through understanding.Written by experienced and respected academics, the books are indispensable study aids and guides to comprehension.Key Concepts in Critical Social Theory:- Provides brief accounts of the central ideas behind the key concepts of critical social theory. Prepares students to tackle primary texts and/or gives them a point of reference when they find themselves stuck . Discusses each concept in an introductory way . Offers further reading guidance for independent learning. Is essential reading for undergraduates in sociology and across the social sciences.

Written by three eminent professors, it has been updated to reflect the shifts of sociological thought in the last five years, making it the most comprehensive, authoritative and up-to-date dictionary available. It is essential reading for all students and teachers of sociology and other related courses - and also the general reader.

Written by leading scholars in the field, this comprehensive and readable resource gives anthropology students a unique guide to the ideas, arguments and history of the discipline. The fully revised and expanded second edition reflects major changes in anthropology in the past decade.

This volume provides current information that is relevant for the core sociology and related cross-curricular studies in psychology, history, geography, anthropology, economics and political science. It also aims to be relevant for many of the related popular electives and current events of today as well as those interested in understanding human behaviour in society.

"Introduction to Sociology adheres to the scope and sequence of a typical introductory sociology course. In addition to comprehensive coverage of core concepts, foundational scholars, and emerging theories, we have incorporated section reviews with engaging questions, discussions that help students apply the sociological imagination, and features that draw learners into the discipline in meaningful ways. Although this text can be modified and reorganized to suit your needs, the standard version is organized so that topics are introduced conceptually, with relevant, everyday experiences." - works with SOC 101

"Introduction to Sociology 3e adheres to the scope and sequence of a typical, one-semester introductory sociology course. It offers comprehensive coverage of core concepts, foundational scholars, and emerging theories. The textbook presents section reviews with rich questions, discussions that help students apply their knowledge, and features that draw learners into the discipline in meaningful ways. The second edition has been updated significantly to reflect the latest research and current, relevant examples." - works with SOC 101

"The founders of sociology in the United States wanted to make a difference. A central aim of the sociologists of the Chicago school was to use sociological knowledge to achieve social reform. A related aim of sociologists like Jane Addams, W.E.B. DuBois, and Ida B. Wells-Barnett and others since was to use sociological knowledge to understand and alleviate gender, racial, and class inequality." - works with SOC 101

- works with SOC 101

"This book builds upon the 80 plus years of sociology of the family research and teaching that has made the discipline a leader in the field of family studies. In this book you will find examples of scientific methods and statistics used by sociologist, combined with the powerful and insightful sociological theories which open new worlds of discovery and understanding to you about the family. Sociologists study the family at a personal and larger social level. This is important to note because you experience both the personal and larger social levels of the family in your society every day--but until now, you might not have known that fact! The narrative in this textbook is intentionally personal. The material is intentionally selected in hopes that it will be useful in your personal and larger social life experiences. The book is also filled with answers to significant concerns and questions students often have about the family. Finally, this textbook is an excellent case study of the sociological analysis of the family in the United States. How we used the US statistics, trends, and historical facts used herein can be a useful example for you to do a similar analysis of your own country, state, province, county, or even city." - works with SOC 101