There is no adequate definition of social problems within sociology, and there is not and never has been a sociology of social problems. That observation is the point of departure of this book. The authors aim to provide such a definition and to prepare the ground for the empirical study of social problems. They are aware that their objective will strike many fellow sociologists as ambitious, perhaps even arrogant. Their work challenges sociologists who have, over a period of fifty years, ...

This bright, engaging title provides a thorough and integrated review of comparative-historical methods. It sets out an intellectual history of comparative-historical analysis and presents the main methodological techniques employed by researchers, including:- comparative-historical analysis,- case-based methods,- comparative methods- data, case selection and theory.Matthew Lange has written a fresh, easy to follow introduction which showcases classi...

Even after teaching generations of social scientists, this classic book by Berkeley's Neil J. Smelser remains the most definitive statement of methodological issues for all comparative scholars and in political science, anthropology, sociology, economics and psychology. Such issues are timeless and therefore Smelser's lucid analysis remains timely and relevant.Smelser posits a methodological continuity between the comparative studies of past masters and the more recent flow of cont...

With a list of contributors that reads like a "Who's Who" of political psychology, this comprehensive volume introduces the major concepts, debates, and themes in the field and provides an overview of its intellectual development, its disparate parts, the major controversies and some suggestions for the future direction of the field.

Though disability scholarship has been robust in history, philosophy, English, and sociology for decades, political theory and political science more generally have been slow to catch up. This groundbreaking volume presents the first full-length book on political theory approaches to disability issues. Barbara Arneil and Nancy J. Hirschmann bring together some of the leading scholars in political theory to provide a historical analysis of disability through the works of canonical figures, ...

Case Study Research: Principles and Practices aims to provide a general understanding of the case study method as well as specific tools for its successful implementation. These tools can be utilized in all fields where the case study method is prominent, including business, anthropology, communications, economics, education, medicine, political science, social work, and sociology. Topics include the definition of a 'case study,' the strengths and weaknesses of this distinctive method, str...

This reader shows the rich history and wide contemporary application of symbolic interaction theory.

Are our current ways of talking about "the problem of adolescence" really that different than those of past generations? For the past decade, Act Your Age! has provided a provocative and now classic analysis of the accepted ways of viewing teens. By employing a groundbreaking "history of the present" methodology that resists traditional chronology, author Nancy Lesko analyzes both historical and present social and political factors that produce the presumed "natural adolescent." T...

′This book is jam-packed with a wide range of material related to qualitative research…. [T]his is a quality text and has much to offer the reader, especially the novice researcher′ - Nurse Researcher`This comprehensive collection of almost 40 chapters - each written by a leading expert in the field - is the essential reference for anyone undertaking or studying qualitative research. It covers a diversity of methods and a variety of perspectives and is a very practical and informat...

This updated edition presents a civic journalism treatment of the field of mass communication research. The sine qua non of the civic journalism movement seems to center around an implicit assumption that the human mind is an evolved part in the natural world, not a detached spectator as much traditional philosophy assumes. Thus, it has attempted to encourage journalists and members of their audiences to participate actively in civic life. Applying the same idea to mass communicat...

Head Games is focused on the way in which ethnocentrism and cultural bias can impact public health, and in this case, psychotherapeutic process. It examines a family therapy program being run by a major public university, tied to the criminal justice system and the educational establishment, aiming to reform perceived "dysfunctionality" in homes of the "patients (subjects)." What follows is a tragic comedy of errors in which theory and practice normed in one sociocultural context ...

This highly acclaimed criminology text presents an up-to-date review of rational choice theories, including deterrence, shaming, and routine activities. It also incorporates current examples of deterrence research regarding domestic violence, drunk driving, and capital punishment, and features thought-provoking discussion of the relativity of crime. The authors explore the crime problem, its context, and causes of crime. The organization of the text reflects the fact that the etiology of c...