Carol Smart – författare

Breaking with conventional wisdom, her book offers a fresh conceptual approach to understanding personal life, which realigns empirical research with theoretical analysis. She gives emphasis to ideas of connectedness, relationality and embeddedness, rejecting many of the assumptions found in theories of individualisation and de-traditionalisation by authors such as Beck and Beck-Gernsheim, Bauman and Giddens.

Instead, her approach prioritises the bonds between people, the importance of memory and cultural heritage, the significance of emotions (both positive and negative), how family secrets work and change over time, and the underestimated importance of things such as shared possessions or homes in the maintenance and memory of relationships.

This ground-breaking text will be essential reading for anyone who cares about the future of families and personal relationships, and who wants to understand this most intimate area of social life.

`The essays explore the increasing diversity, both for the study of sociology and for the wider political agenda' - International Journal of Law and the Family

Concern and debate over changes to family life have increased in the last decade, as a result of evolving employment patterns, shifting gender relations and more openness about sexual orientation. Most politicians and researchers have viewed these changes as harmful, suggesting that the family as an institution should not alter.

The `New' Family? challenges these dominant views. Leading academics in the field consider current diverse practices in families, and reveal the lack of balance between policies based on how families should be and how they actually are, illustrating the need for a broader definition of family. This book shows the need to take fluidity and change in family arrangements seriously, rather than simply seeing change as dangerous and undesirable.

The book is divided into three sections, each prefaced by a specifically written introduction, which examine the major trends in contemporary thought including: the shift from criminology to the sociology of law; the identification of law as a site of struggle rather than as a tool of reform; the recognition of the contested nature of `woman' as a category; and the significance of the developing situation where feminists must debate about values and epistemologies without fearing the demise of feminist politics.

The final chapter includes Carol Smart's most recent thoughts which develop her challenging work on the gendering and sexing of the body, the survival of sociological feminism and the development of new ways of thinking about women and the law.

The book is divided into three sections, each prefaced by a specifically written introduction, which examine the major trends in contemporary thought including: the shift from criminology to the sociology of law; the identification of law as a site of struggle rather than as a tool of reform; the recognition of the contested nature of `woman' as a category; and the significance of the developing situation where feminists must debate about values and epistemologies without fearing the demise of feminist politics.

The final chapter includes Carol Smart's most recent thoughts which develop her challenging work on the gendering and sexing of the body, the survival of sociological feminism and the development of new ways of thinking about women and the law.

First published in 1985, Women-in-Law is a collection of essays examining the complex interactions of law, sexuality, and the family. It explores the ways in which legal ideology and practice affect women and looks at issues such as child custody, domestic violence and prostitution in the light of new research. The contributors review the history of feminist involvement with the law and analyse the law’s fundamental failure to improve the status of women. They also assess strategies for change in view of the current backlash against women’s rights and the traditional role of law in the subjugation of women. This book will be of interest to students of law, political science, sociology, gender studies, and sexuality studies.

First published in 1985, Women-in-Law is a collection of essays examining the complex interactions of law, sexuality, and the family. It explores the ways in which legal ideology and practice affect women and looks at issues such as child custody, domestic violence and prostitution in the light of new research. The contributors review the history of feminist involvement with the law and analyse the law’s fundamental failure to improve the status of women. They also assess strategies for change in view of the current backlash against women’s rights and the traditional role of law in the subjugation of women. This book will be of interest to students of law, political science, sociology, gender studies, and sexuality studies.

The British welfare state has been a political and ideological battleground since its inception, yet many of the voices in the crucial debates have been lost in orthodox histories. First published in 1987, Ideologies of Welfare (now with a new preface by the authors) explores the development of the welfare state through the debates which surrounded it in three key periods—the turn of the century; the Beveridge period; and the 1970s and 1980s. Each section focusses on four main and competing approaches—laissez-faire individualism, Fabianism, socialism, and feminism. The tension between them is developed in a selection of substantial readings which are contextualized and contrasted by detailed commentaries from the authors.

For the first time we can trace the development of four key strands of welfare ideology in their own words. Buried debates are re-opened and hidden traditions identified, continuity and change are highlighted. The concluding chapter looks at the future of social security and examines the relationship between ideology and policy.

The combination of documentary material and commentary provides an invaluable history of welfare in the twentieth century for students of social policy and administration.

The British welfare state has been a political and ideological battleground since its inception, yet many of the voices in the crucial debates have been lost in orthodox histories. First published in 1987, Ideologies of Welfare (now with a new preface by the authors) explores the development of the welfare state through the debates which surrounded it in three key periods—the turn of the century; the Beveridge period; and the 1970s and 1980s. Each section focusses on four main and competing approaches—laissez-faire individualism, Fabianism, socialism, and feminism. The tension between them is developed in a selection of substantial readings which are contextualized and contrasted by detailed commentaries from the authors.

For the first time we can trace the development of four key strands of welfare ideology in their own words. Buried debates are re-opened and hidden traditions identified, continuity and change are highlighted. The concluding chapter looks at the future of social security and examines the relationship between ideology and policy.

The combination of documentary material and commentary provides an invaluable history of welfare in the twentieth century for students of social policy and administration.

This collection of original essays looks at a topic of growing interest and debate in feminist and historical circles: the social regulation of women through law during the 19th and 20th centuries, and the resistance which emerged in response. The collection refutes the notion of women oppressed during the 19th century, unable to act in opposition to the law. When issues of motherhood and women''s sexuality became areas of public policy, women began to negotiate the law, as case studies from Europe and the USA show. This book should be of interest to students of women''s studies, sociology of law, and social policy.

This collection of original essays looks at a topic of growing interest and debate in feminist and historical circles: the social regulation of women through law during the 19th and 20th centuries, and the resistance which emerged in response. The collection refutes the notion of women oppressed during the 19th century, unable to act in opposition to the law. When issues of motherhood and women''s sexuality became areas of public policy, women began to negotiate the law, as case studies from Europe and the USA show. This book should be of interest to students of women''s studies, sociology of law, and social policy.

First published in 1984, this book made an important and timely contribution to the development of the idea that the law is a major source of women’s oppression. Based on research of the theory and practice of family law, it examines the way in which private law operates to sustain, reproduce and reinforce the dependence of women in the most private of spheres, namely marriage.

The author focuses on the point of break down or divorce, where the economic vulnerability of women caused by marriage and the sexual division of labour is most clearly expressed. She points to the way in which the law, while mitigating the worst excesses of men’s power over women in marriage, has consistently failed to tackle the economic structure of marriage and women’s fundamental material vulnerability inside the family. She confronts various myths on divorce legislation in Britain and discusses alternative feminist proposals for tackling the problems caused by women’s economic dependence in marriage. Although Smart writes in 1984, many of the issues she discusses retain their significance in today’s society.

First published in 1984, this book made an important and timely contribution to the development of the idea that the law is a major source of women’s oppression. Based on research of the theory and practice of family law, it examines the way in which private law operates to sustain, reproduce and reinforce the dependence of women in the most private of spheres, namely marriage.

The author focuses on the point of break down or divorce, where the economic vulnerability of women caused by marriage and the sexual division of labour is most clearly expressed. She points to the way in which the law, while mitigating the worst excesses of men’s power over women in marriage, has consistently failed to tackle the economic structure of marriage and women’s fundamental material vulnerability inside the family. She confronts various myths on divorce legislation in Britain and discusses alternative feminist proposals for tackling the problems caused by women’s economic dependence in marriage. Although Smart writes in 1984, many of the issues she discusses retain their significance in today’s society.

First published in 1977, Women, Crime and Criminology presents a feminist critique of classical and contemporary theories of female criminality. It addresses the issue that criminology literature has, throughout history, been predominantly male-oriented, always treating female criminality as marginal to the ‘proper’ study of crime in society. Carol Smart explores a new direction in criminology, and the sociology of deviance, by investigating female crime from a committed feminist position.

Examining the types of offences committed by female offenders, Smart points to the fallacies inherent in a reliance on official statistics and shows the deficiencies of the popular argument that female emancipation has caused an increase in female crime rates. She deals with studies of prostitution and rape and considers the treatment of women – as offenders and victims – by the criminal law, the police and courts, and the penal system. Particular attention is given to the question of lenient treatment for female offenders with the conclusion that women and girls are, in some important instances, actually discriminated against in our legal and penal systems. The relationship between female criminality and mental illness is discussed and the author concludes by dealing with some of the problems inherent in developing a feminist criminology.