Leadership advice as found in Leaders Eat Last reminds one of an exercise routine. Everyone knows they should follow it, few do. Here's a book for everyone else.

Religion, belief and faith influence many areas of all our lives, whether we follow a particular doctrine or not. But are people becoming less religious in the modern age? Is religion a social construction? And what do key sociological theorists say about religion?This book examines the sociology of religion. Looking at belief systems around the world, the text questions and explores changing attitudes to religion, alongside issues such as secularization, fundamentalism and globali...

This second Lent resource from the author of The Naturalist and the Christ explores Christian understandings of "salvation" in a five-part study course based on the film The Way. Starring Martin Sheen as a bereaved father, this soulful and uplifting film observes a group of pilgrims walking the Way of St James to Santiago de Compostela. As it follows their journey of inner transformation, the course examines biblical accounts and images of salvation -- past, present and future -- and addre...

What do sociologists mean when they talk about 'crime' and 'deviance'? Can we use theory to explain why individuals break the law? And how do we measure criminal behaviour in modern society? This book uses key concepts and essential theory to explore these questions and explain their answers.The second edition of this student-focused text continues to offer clear and structured guidance on the sociology of crime and deviance. With basic definitions and clear analysis of theory and ...

This five-part Lent course draws on the life, work and religious struggles of Charles Darwin as depicted in the 2009 film 'Creation', a film based on the book 'Annie's Box' by Darwin's great-great-grandson Randal Keynes. This compelling and accessible Lent course looks at questions of great importance to all Christians. Can God and evolution co-exist? Why did the Victorian Church find it so hard to accept Darwin's theory? Why do some Christians today find it difficult? What implications do...

“One of the few world intellectuals on whom we may rely to make sense out of our existential confusion.”—Nadine GordimerIn this sweeping philosophical work, Amartya Sen proposes that the murderous violence that has riven our society is driven as much by confusion as by inescapable hatred. Challenging the reductionist division of people by race, religion, and class, Sen presents an inspiring vision of a world that can be made to move toward peace as firmly as it has...

In the new edition of this widely praised text, Alan Aldridge examines the complex realities of religious belief, practice and institutions. Religion is a powerful and controversial force in the contemporary world, even in supposedly secular societies. Almost all societies seek to cultivate religions and faith communities as sources of social stability and engines of social progress. They also try to combat real and imagined abuses and excess, regulating cults that brainwash vulnerable peo...

The world may be more riven by murderous violence than ever before, yet Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen argues in this sweeping philosophical work that its brutalities are driven as much by confusion as by inescapable hatred.Sen argues in his new book that conflict and violence are sustained today, no less than the past, by the illusion of a unique identity. Indeed, the world is increasingly taken to be divided between religions (or 'cultures' or 'civilizations'), ignoring the relevance...

This collection of essays presents groundbreaking work from an interdisciplinary group of leading theorists and scholars representing the fields of history, philosophy, political science, sociology, and anthropology. The volume will introduce readers to some of the most compelling new conceptual and theoretical understandings of secularism and the secular, while also examining socio-political trends involving the relationship between the religious and the secular from a variety of location...

From the local to the global level, religion is – more than ever – an important and hotly debated part of modern life in the twenty-first century.From silver rings to ringtones and from clubs to headscarves, we often find the cultural role and discussion of religion in unexpected ways.Now in its second edition, Religion: The Basics remains the best introduction to religion and contemporary culture available. The new edition has been fully revised and updated, and i...

Youth Studies: an introduction is a clear, jargon-free and accessible textbook which will be invaluable in helping to explain concepts, theories and trends within youth studies. The concise summaries of key texts and the ideas of important theorists make the book an invaluable resource. The book also raises questions for discussion, with international case studies and up-to-date examples.The book discusses important issues within youth studies, for example:ed...

Shows how globalization has impacted interreligious relationships and dialogue and argues that the future of interfaith dialogue must include those marginalized voices that have not been invited to the table, especially women.