Social theory Books

Originally published in 1968, these ten essays by one of Europe's leading sociological theorists deal with important issues on the borderline between sociology and social philosophy and demonstrate the author's deep insight into history and political...

This book extends Max Weber's theory of the value-spheres of modernity into wholly new areas, showing that the addition of home, nature and sport to Weber's own list of five spheres (economic, scientific/intellectual, political/legal, erotic and...

Welcome to New York City, the vibrant, fast-paced metropolis that never sleeps. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned local, navigating the social norms and unspoken rules of this dynamic city can be challenging. "New York No-Nos: 40 Things...

Every society has their own social rules, norms, regulations and social orders for their smooth functioning of the society. Indian traditional society has its own Hindu social order with hierarchy of varna or caste system emerging from 'Deva Vani'...

The history of civilization has been one of empire, slavery, power, and exploitation. The drive to dominate, to control and manage others, to divide the world into masters and servants, to flatten difference and bend the world to our will, has been a...

Corporate Totalitarianism reflects on the changing nature of economic, political and social power in the global context and the ways in which this affects both individual and society.

"De la révolution au renouveau" aborde une multitude de sujets centrés autour de l'impact et de l'héritage de la Révolution française, ainsi que sur les idées et les figures emblématiques qui ont façonné cette période. Voici un résumé des principaux...

Conversations About Language & Culture includes the following 5 in-depth Ideas Roadshow Conversations featuring leading researchers. This collection includes a detailed preface highlighting the connections between the different books. Each book is...

Self masteryThe author and poet Adnan RadwanI am Adnan Kamal Radwan from Syria / Homs / Bab TadmurI am pleased to present to you a simple research critique that works on refining the human beingMy official YouTube channelhttps://www.youtube...

Cycles are part of nature, our personal lives and the social fabric of our country. Just as the four seasons progress through the year, and repeat each year, so is there a rhythmic cadence to social change in America. The social cycle, like nature, has...

This book revisits social theory to highlight features of 'good' social theory. With particular attention to issues of nationalism, democracy, civil society, state, feminism, neoliberalism, minority rights, environment and Indian society, it considers...

Structure and Agency in Young People's Lives brings together different takes on the possible combinations of agency and structure in the life course, thus rejecting the notion that young individuals are the single masters of their lives, but also the...

Embark on a captivating journey through time and culture with "Unveiling the Heart of Valentine's Day." Delve into the rich tapestry of love as this meticulously crafted non-fiction masterpiece unravels the mysteries and enchantments behind one of the...

The Altai Republic in southern Siberia is renowned for excavations of frozen mummies from high-altitude burial sites. Less well-known is the fact that it hosts fallout zones for the second stages of rockets launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome. Local...

Ghost-Managed Medicine by Sergio Sismondo explores a spectral side of medical knowledge, based in pharmaceutical industry tactics and practices.Hidden from the public view, the many invisible hands of the pharmaceutical industry and its agents...

Inventing the Social showcases recent efforts to develop new ways of knowing society that combine social research with creative practice. With contributions from leading figures in sociology, architecture, geography, design, anthropology, and digital...

This is the story of a set of computational devices called Energy Babbles. The product of a collaboration between designers and STS researchers, Energy Babbles are like automated talk radios obsessed with energy. Synthesised voices, punctuated by...

What draws us towards a shop window display? What drives us to grab a special offer, to enter the privileged circle of premium newspaper subscribers, to peruse the pages of an enticing magazine? Without doubt, it is curiosity - that essential force of...

"I have always maintained that sociology is a science of liberation and not of restraint."In response to the demand for a concise and comprehensive overview of sociology, "A Text-Book of Sociology" offers an essential guide to the field. This text...

"Ni kalkulis pri tio - eble estus pli bone diri: Ni supozis, sen sufiĉe kalkuli -, ke per rektaj ordonoj de la proletara ŝtato ni povas komunisme reguligi la ŝtatan produktadon kaj la ŝtatan distribuadon de la produktoj en etkampula lando. La vivo...

The application of theory to practice in addressing social transformation still has a lot of room for growth and improvement. This is also true of theory being informed by practice. Too often, there are gaps between what is studied in the academy and...

Social innovation is identified as a mechanism response to burning social challenges and the evolution of hybrid organizations such as social enterprises. As a result, there is an overwhelming growing interest among researchers, policymakers, and...

Hope and the Future is a critically important book by one of our times’ most  respected and original social thinkers. This second edition includes a new preface and additional examples that more specifically address unsettling events of the...

This book considers the role of experts and expertise in contemporary politics and the ways in which digitalization and the use of technique are transforming practices of governance.

Drawing on research from sociology, psychology, anthropology and cultural and media studies, this volume analyses a series of emotions prevalent in everyday life and culture, with each chapter exploring the main facets of a particular emotion and...

This book examines diseases and disasters from the perspective of social and political theory, exploring the ways in which political leaders, social activists, historians, philosophers, and writers have tried to make sense of the catastrophes that have...

Drawing on cases from the world of 'free software', this book examines Rousseau's conception of freedom and its significance in the modern world of science and technology, where so much of our experience and activity is enwrapped by algorithms, from our...

What survives of the notions, principles and values of critical criminology? Faced with contexts that could not be more dramatically different to those fostering critical approaches to crime and its control, what is left of the radical theories and...

Civil-military relations have changed over time with respect to changing demographics, new domestic and international responsibilities, Industry-Defence cooperation, women in the armed forces and contemporary veteran wellbeing.The New Australian Military...

Exploring adoption in the Pacific, this book goes beyond the commonplace structural-functional analysis of adoption as a positive "transaction in parenthood." It examines the effects it has on adoptees' inner sense of self, their conflicted emotional...

The new 'mobilities turn' has become a powerful perspective in social theory. John Urry's oeuvre has been very influential in the emergence of this new field and has had lasting impacts on many scholars. This collection presents originally commissioned...

Technological advance affects almost all areas of human life. Rapid digitization, increased mobility, new biotechnologies, and nanotechnology deeply influence, amongst others, industrial production, entertainment, work, military affairs, and individual...

This book presents a novel methodological framework for analysing governmental discourse that combines pragmatist perspectives on language with computational sociolinguistics and large language models.

This book brings together the work of the late Anders Petersen, presenting his exciting and innovative transdisciplinary paradigm that offered insights into anxiety, depression and grief, and the connection between these conditions and the failings of...

Introduction to Sociology Through Comedy teaches foundational sociological concepts using comedy, first considering the history of sociology before employing examples from comedians - including standalone comedy bits, sketches, characters, and scenes -...

This book offers a historically sweeping yet detailed view of world-systemic migration as a racialized process. Since the early expansion of the world-system, the movement of people has been its central process. Not only have managers of capital moved to...

Value is typically theorized from the frameworks of economic theory or of moral/ethical theory, but we need to instead think about value foremost as political. Alena Wolflink uncovers a tension in value discourses between material and aspirational life...

Originally published in 1965 this book traces the forces which have brought the 20th century 'post-civilisation' into being: the ever-increasing power of science and the scientific attitude, the global communication network, the high efficiency of...

The Freedom Riders Across Borders: Contentious Mobilities provides the first comprehensive transnational historical analysis of the Freedom Rides. It explores the transnational history of these social movements and the struggles for the right to mobility...