Simon J. Williams – författare

Chronic obstructive airways disease (COAD: bronchitis, emphysema and chronic asthma) is a major medical, psychological, social and economic problem. Breathlessness is one of the most distressing and disabling symptoms of COAD, and it has long been apparent that the condition results in impaired quality of life. Drawing upon sociological and psychological sources, and his own detailed research in this area, Simon Williams sesitively portrays the meaning, experience and impact of COAD. Sufferers' and their families' own accounts are used to portray the various stages and aspects of COAD, ranging from the experience of symptoms and the management of medical regimens, to the practical problems it creates in daily life and the more diffuse and intangible ways in which it impinges on social and family life. He also provides a comprehensive review of the psychosocial literature and concludes by discussing some of the policy implications for health care professionals.

The development of a sociology of emotions is crucial to our understanding of social life as they hold the key to our understanding of social processes and sociological investigation.First published in 1997, Emotions in Social Life consolidates the sociology of emotions as a legitimate and viable field of enquiry. It provides a comprehensive assessment of the sociology of emotions using work from scholars of international stature, as well as newer writers in the field. It presents new empirical research in conjunction with innovative and challenging theoretical material, and will be essential reading for students of sociology, health psychology, anthropology and gender studies.

The Lived Body takes a fresh look at the notion of human embodiment and provides an ideal textbook for undergraduates on the growing number of courses on the sociology of the body.The authors propose a new approach - an 'Embodied Sociology' - one which makes embodiment central rather than peripheral. They critically examine the dualist legacies of the past, assessing the ideas of a range of key thinkers, from Marx to Freud, Foucault to Giddens, Deleuze to Guattari and Irigary to Grosz, in terms of the bodily themes and issues they address.They also explore new areas of research, including the 'fate' of embodiment in late modernity, sex, gender, medical technology and the body, the sociology of emotions, pain, sleep and artistic representations of the body.The Lived Body will provide students and researchers in medical sociology, health sciences, cultural studies and philosophy with clear, accessible coverage of the major theories and debates in the sociology of the body and a challenging new way of thinking.

The Lived Body takes a fresh look at the notion of human embodiment and provides an ideal textbook for undergraduates on the growing number of courses on the sociology of the body.The authors propose a new approach - an 'Embodied Sociology' - one which makes embodiment central rather than peripheral. They critically examine the dualist legacies of the past, assessing the ideas of a range of key thinkers, from Marx to Freud, Foucault to Giddens, Deleuze to Guattari and Irigary to Grosz, in terms of the bodily themes and issues they address.They also explore new areas of research, including the 'fate' of embodiment in late modernity, sex, gender, medical technology and the body, the sociology of emotions, pain, sleep and artistic representations of the body.The Lived Body will provide students and researchers in medical sociology, health sciences, cultural studies and philosophy with clear, accessible coverage of the major theories and debates in the sociology of the body and a challenging new way of thinking.

Taking as its point of departure recent developments in health and social theory Health, Medicine and Society brings together a range of eminent, international scholars to reflect upon key issues at the turn of the century.Contributors draw upon a range of contemporary theories, both modernist and postmodernist, to look at the following themes:*health and social structure*the contested nature of the body*the salience of consumption and risk*the challenge of emotionsHealth, Medicine and Society provides a 'state-of-the-art' assessment of health related issues at the millennium and a cogent set of arguments for the centrality of health to contemporary social theory. Written in a clear, accessible style it will be ideal reading for students and researchers in health studies, public health, medical sociology, medicine and nursing.

Taking as its point of departure recent developments in health and social theory Health, Medicine and Society brings together a range of eminent, international scholars to reflect upon key issues at the turn of the century.Contributors draw upon a range of contemporary theories, both modernist and postmodernist, to look at the following themes:*health and social structure*the contested nature of the body*the salience of consumption and risk*the challenge of emotionsHealth, Medicine and Society provides a 'state-of-the-art' assessment of health related issues at the millennium and a cogent set of arguments for the centrality of health to contemporary social theory. Written in a clear, accessible style it will be ideal reading for students and researchers in health studies, public health, medical sociology, medicine and nursing.

Exploring the sociological aspects of sleep and their links to current health debates, this unique text discusses why sleep has been so neglected in sociological literature and examines significant modern issues such as:the 24-hour society sleep and work homelessness dream analysis the medicalization and commodification of sleep. Written by a key international figure in medical sociology, this is the first sociological examination of sleep, making it important reading for academics and advanced students of medical sociology, health studies, and sociology, as well as for professionals and policy makers involved in the area.

Drawing on the latest international sociological research, this monograph takes a critical look at contemporary developments, discourses, and debate on pharmaceuticals and society. Key issues covered include pharmaceuticals and medicalization and the science and politics of drug development, testing, and regulation Investigates the constructions of pharmaceuticals in professional and popular culture and the meaning and use of medications in everyday life Investigates pharmaceuticals, consumerism, and citizenship and the impact of innovation and expectations regarding pharmaceutical futures Written in a lively, accessible style, with many engaging and important insights from key international figures in the field

Do lay people view modern medicine as a fountain of hope or a font of despair? What are their experiences of modern medical care and technology, and how do their views and experiences differ across different social groups? Combining theoretical insights with a range of qualitative and ethnographic research, this volume examines lay experiences and evaluation of medicines and drugs, chronic illness and life-saving technology, and reproductive technologies. It also considers the growing popularity of complementary therapies as a potential challenge to orthodox medicine.

Do lay people view modern medicine as a fountain of hope or a font of despair? What are their experiences of modern medical care and technology, and how do their views and experiences differ across different social groups? Combining theoretical insights with a range of qualitative and ethnographic research, this volume examines lay experiences and evaluation of medicines and drugs, chronic illness and life-saving technology, and reproductive technologies. It also considers the growing popularity of complementary therapies as a potential challenge to orthodox medicine.

This book draws on a variety of substantive examples from science, technology, medicine, literature, and popular culture to highlight how a new technoscientifically mediated and modified phase and form of technosleep is now in the making – in the global north at least; and to discuss the consequences for our relationships to sleep, the values we accord sleep and the very nature and normativities of sleep itself.The authors discuss how technosleep, at its simplest denotes the ‘coming together’ or ‘entanglements’ of sleep and technology and sensitizes us to various shifts in sleep–technology relations through culture, time and place. In doing so, it pays close attention to the salience and significance of these trends and transformations to date in everyday/night life, their implications for sleep inequalities and the related issues of sleep and social justice they suggest.