Social Theory and Nursing

Martin Lipscomb is Senior Lecturer in the Institute of Health & Society at the University of Worcester. He is widely published on social theory and research methodology in nursing, including two books, A Hospice in Change: Applied Social Realist Theory (Routledge, 2013) and Exploring Evidence-Based Practice: Debates and Challenges in Nursing (Routledge, 2015).

‘This text provides a timely resource for nurses undertaking research with a social theoretical dimension. All too frequently social theory receives insufficient attention in nursing research. Or, when discussed, very specific (often simplistic or incomplete) interpretations of social theory are offered. Contributors to this volume seek to redress this imbalance with concise explanations of key theorists and theories and, also, examples of the relevance of social theory to and in nursing practice. The book is highly recommended.’ - Bernie Garrett, University of British Columbia, Canada 'The strengths of the book include the diversity of scholarship involved from well-known contributors. The attempt to address theoretical misconceptions as they apply to nursing is to be highly commended. There is an urgent need for a much wider understanding of critical concepts to allow nurses to critique contextualise their practice, and this book goes a long way to doing so. I found myself highlighting sections and inwardly nodding away, for example Rolfe on C Wright Mills, Aranda on Feminism, Nairn on the Purpose and Scope of nursing and Porter on Critical Realism. It is about time! Those without any social science grounding might find this literature difficult, which is however kind of one of the points being addressed – the need for a more critical and deeper understanding of social theory and nursing. There was a recognition of the existence of an ‘alien’ literature in its preparation so this is a challenge. However, the chapters are diverse enough to allow readers to start where they feel comfortable before engaging in more challenging material. The wish to stimulate inquiry and discussion is laudable. This is a must read for those interested in the social sciences and nursing, and should be read more widely by the nursing community in general' - Benny Goodman, Plymouth University, UK

• Foreword Introduction 1. Nursing Theory, Social Theory and Nursing Practice 2. Mechanistic Social Science and Middle Range Theory 3. Sociological Theory in Nursing Literature: A Threat to Professional Identity? 4. Lies, Damned Lies and Stories: Nursing and the Need for Border Controls 5. The Purpose and Scope of Social Theory: Implications for Nursing 6. Critical Realism: A Perspective Worthy of Consideration 7. Foucault, Social Theory and Nursing Research: A Critique 8. Accounting for Knowledgeable Practice 9. C Wright Mills: Lessons for Nurse Researchers 10. Feminist Theories: Silences and Absences 11. Contemporary Political Debates, Social Theory and Nursing Practice in Mental Healthcare 12. Triangulation, Sociological Theory and Nursing 13. Genre and the Nursing Research Article