Studies in Sociology – serie

This 9-volume collection originally published between 1969 and 1983 contains a selection of subjects viewed through the perspective of sociology; including community; the family; friendship and kinship; leisure; women; and introductory statistics. This set will be a useful resource for those studying sociology as well as of interest for other social science courses.

Originally published in 1982, this book describes those basic ideas and techniques of statistics which should be known to every social scientist. The explanations are given in careful detail at a level of mathematical sophistication which will be readily attainable by students meeting statistical methods for the first time.All the methods described are applied to, and sometimes are motivated by, genuine problems of interest arising in sociology, social policy, politics or human geography. The authors often provide a meaningful discussion of the substantive problem itself in addition to an analysis of the statistical techniques being used on it. In this way subject matter and statistical techniques are integrated in an original and effective manner.The authors combine considerable experience of shared teaching of social statistics with familiarity with its use in practical fields and in research. Their book therefore focuses on the most directly applicable methods and is carefully sequenced to promote rapid student understanding. The topic of probability – which so often confuses students – is here dealt with simply yet thoroughly. The chapter on the sources of social statistics, whilst being unusual in a text of this kind, is particularly welcome and comprehensively meets the needs of students on a wide range of courses. Introducing Social Statistics will make the vitally important field of statistics accessible to all students of the social sciences.

Originally published in 1982, this book describes those basic ideas and techniques of statistics which should be known to every social scientist. The explanations are given in careful detail at a level of mathematical sophistication which will be readily attainable by students meeting statistical methods for the first time.All the methods described are applied to, and sometimes are motivated by, genuine problems of interest arising in sociology, social policy, politics or human geography. The authors often provide a meaningful discussion of the substantive problem itself in addition to an analysis of the statistical techniques being used on it. In this way subject matter and statistical techniques are integrated in an original and effective manner.The authors combine considerable experience of shared teaching of social statistics with familiarity with its use in practical fields and in research. Their book therefore focuses on the most directly applicable methods and is carefully sequenced to promote rapid student understanding. The topic of probability – which so often confuses students – is here dealt with simply yet thoroughly. The chapter on the sources of social statistics, whilst being unusual in a text of this kind, is particularly welcome and comprehensively meets the needs of students on a wide range of courses. Introducing Social Statistics will make the vitally important field of statistics accessible to all students of the social sciences.

Originally published in 1969, this introduction to the social study of the family was designed both for students of sociology and for students of related subjects requiring familiarity with a similar approach. It is therefore written in language as simple as possible; technical terms are only introduced when indispensable and are always defined.While the book is focused on European and American family systems, the author believed these are intelligible only when placed in a wider context, and so the first part is concerned with kinship, marriage and the family in general. He does not attempt to provide a descriptive account of all the empirical studies available but concentrates on what he considers the chief theoretical problems. In consequence this book is argumentative and critical in approach, and never strays far from the central issues of sociological theory; it is, therefore, of value to both students of sociology and to others interested in the perspective which the discipline can give to the study of the family.

Originally published in 1969, this introduction to the social study of the family was designed both for students of sociology and for students of related subjects requiring familiarity with a similar approach. It is therefore written in language as simple as possible; technical terms are only introduced when indispensable and are always defined.While the book is focused on European and American family systems, the author believed these are intelligible only when placed in a wider context, and so the first part is concerned with kinship, marriage and the family in general. He does not attempt to provide a descriptive account of all the empirical studies available but concentrates on what he considers the chief theoretical problems. In consequence this book is argumentative and critical in approach, and never strays far from the central issues of sociological theory; it is, therefore, of value to both students of sociology and to others interested in the perspective which the discipline can give to the study of the family.

Originally published in 1972, this book aimed to provide the student with a basic understanding of the main theories of social stratification and to acquaint them with current methods of research, with the results from modern research (with emphasis on British research), and with current issues in this field. The first two chapters are concerned with theory and are followed by chapters on slavery and the caste system. These are intended to illustrate concepts and theory and to offer the student a comparative perspective in which to view stratification in modern society – which is dealt with in a final lengthy chapter. The book has been written primarily for first-year university students, but also with sixth-formers and students in colleges of further education in mind.

Originally published in 1972, this book aimed to provide the student with a basic understanding of the main theories of social stratification and to acquaint them with current methods of research, with the results from modern research (with emphasis on British research), and with current issues in this field. The first two chapters are concerned with theory and are followed by chapters on slavery and the caste system. These are intended to illustrate concepts and theory and to offer the student a comparative perspective in which to view stratification in modern society – which is dealt with in a final lengthy chapter. The book has been written primarily for first-year university students, but also with sixth-formers and students in colleges of further education in mind.

In the 1970s the subject of leisure was attracting interest among both social scientists and people concerned with developing recreation policies. A relative newcomer to the sociological scene at the time, leisure was beginning to compete in research effort and theory-building with the more established fields of sociology. As well as making an academic contribution, this book, originally published in 1976, provided practitioners (such as planners, administrators and managers) with an up-to-date and comprehensive review of social research finding over the whole field of leisure.Part One deals with the cultural context in which leisure, as we knew it, had developed, and includes the history of leisure in industrial society and the variety of ways in which people can experience leisure at various stages of the life cycle. In Part Two leisure is related to other spheres of life – work, the family, education and religion. Part Three relates academic to practical concerns of planning and providing for leisure, including factors in demand and supply. The final chapter examines what the sociology of leisure had to tell us about current trends in society and the directions of probable future change. The illustrative material, drawn from a wide variety of sources, is mainly British but also includes some contributions from the United States and other countries.

In the 1970s the subject of leisure was attracting interest among both social scientists and people concerned with developing recreation policies. A relative newcomer to the sociological scene at the time, leisure was beginning to compete in research effort and theory-building with the more established fields of sociology. As well as making an academic contribution, this book, originally published in 1976, provided practitioners (such as planners, administrators and managers) with an up-to-date and comprehensive review of social research finding over the whole field of leisure.Part One deals with the cultural context in which leisure, as we knew it, had developed, and includes the history of leisure in industrial society and the variety of ways in which people can experience leisure at various stages of the life cycle. In Part Two leisure is related to other spheres of life – work, the family, education and religion. Part Three relates academic to practical concerns of planning and providing for leisure, including factors in demand and supply. The final chapter examines what the sociology of leisure had to tell us about current trends in society and the directions of probable future change. The illustrative material, drawn from a wide variety of sources, is mainly British but also includes some contributions from the United States and other countries.

Originally published in 1971, this was the first text on community studies which analysed the major empirical work in this field in a comparative perspective. It is concerned both with the sociology of community and the sociology of community studies. It takes both the findings of individual studies and the research process itself as significant sociological data in their own right, and it asks continually: how do we know what we know about communities?Community Studies is, then, not only a contribution to that particular field but also to our understanding of the interaction between theory and method in sociology. Studies are analysed from North and Latin America, Britain and Western Europe, and India. Two central problems, stratification and power, are considered at greater length.This book would prove to be an invaluable introduction not only for students of sociology but also for architects, planners and all those who had an interest in the community at the time. Its authors were, and had been, actively engaged in field research in this area.

Originally published in 1971, this was the first text on community studies which analysed the major empirical work in this field in a comparative perspective. It is concerned both with the sociology of community and the sociology of community studies. It takes both the findings of individual studies and the research process itself as significant sociological data in their own right, and it asks continually: how do we know what we know about communities?Community Studies is, then, not only a contribution to that particular field but also to our understanding of the interaction between theory and method in sociology. Studies are analysed from North and Latin America, Britain and Western Europe, and India. Two central problems, stratification and power, are considered at greater length.This book would prove to be an invaluable introduction not only for students of sociology but also for architects, planners and all those who had an interest in the community at the time. Its authors were, and had been, actively engaged in field research in this area.

Originally published in 1979, this was the first text to be concerned explicitly with the analysis of forms of kin and non-kin sociability. Its aim was to compare and contrast the different ways in which sociability was patterned in modern life at the time. Many studies had been concerned with kin relations, rather fewer had examined friendship, while none had attempted to compare these relationships. It was the author’s belief that such a comparison was necessary if both kin and non-kin relationships were to be understood more adequately. A Sociology of Friendship and Kinship thus represented a unique and valuable addition to the research literature on both these topics.The text also synthesises a wide range of material from recent empirical research into the sociology of friendship and kinship, though it emphasises that such a synthesis can only be achieved by a careful conceptual and theoretical analysis of the nature of friend and kin relationships. An interesting feature of the book is its fusion of secondary research material with new empirical data gathered by Dr Allan in a study carried out by him in the early 1970s.

Originally published in 1979, this was the first text to be concerned explicitly with the analysis of forms of kin and non-kin sociability. Its aim was to compare and contrast the different ways in which sociability was patterned in modern life at the time. Many studies had been concerned with kin relations, rather fewer had examined friendship, while none had attempted to compare these relationships. It was the author’s belief that such a comparison was necessary if both kin and non-kin relationships were to be understood more adequately. A Sociology of Friendship and Kinship thus represented a unique and valuable addition to the research literature on both these topics.The text also synthesises a wide range of material from recent empirical research into the sociology of friendship and kinship, though it emphasises that such a synthesis can only be achieved by a careful conceptual and theoretical analysis of the nature of friend and kin relationships. An interesting feature of the book is its fusion of secondary research material with new empirical data gathered by Dr Allan in a study carried out by him in the early 1970s.

Originally published in 1983, the origin of this book is to be found in C. C. Harris’s ‘Changing conceptions of the relation between family and societal form’ (in Scase: Industrial Society: Class, Cleavage and Control). In that article Harris attempted to relate traditional research on the family to recent developments in historical enquiry and Marxist scholarship. The aim of The Family and Industrial Society is to explain the character of the contemporary family by placing it in a wider historical and theoretical perspective. It is therefore directed at the undergraduate student for whom the ‘sociology of the family’, as a topic, has for too long been relatively unrelated to those contemporary developments in sociological thought and practice which inform other substantive areas of sociological work.The late C.C. Harris is perhaps best known for his best-selling introductory text The Family: An Introduction, first published in 1969. This new text was not, however, a straightforward replacement of an earlier book by a more up-to-date volume. Far too much had happened in sociology, in social studies and in family life itself, for a simple updating to make any sense. The Family was primarily a descriptive introduction, and was a presentation, albeit critical, of an orthodoxy. While this new book retains an introductory element based upon The Family’s earlier chapters, the greater part of it is exploratory and assumes a higher level of sophistication and sociological understanding; it is also substantially longer.Dr Harris was singularly well qualified to write a volume of this kind. Not only had he conducted and was conducting empirical research into the family, but his wide theoretical interests rendered him uniquely well placed to contribute to the theoretical development of his field. Few sociologists shared his familiarity with both anthropological and historical work. He was thoroughly familiar with the now unfashionable structural functional approach of which he had always been critical, but was enthusiastic about the potentialities of contemporary developments. The result is a sophisticated text which combines instruction, criticism, interpretation and exploration in one volume; which familiarises the student with the fundamental work of the past (too often neglected) and explores exciting new developments for the future. It also includes the only general discussion of change in the British family since the last edition of Fletcher’s The Family and Marriage in Britain.

Originally published in 1983, the origin of this book is to be found in C. C. Harris’s ‘Changing conceptions of the relation between family and societal form’ (in Scase: Industrial Society: Class, Cleavage and Control). In that article Harris attempted to relate traditional research on the family to recent developments in historical enquiry and Marxist scholarship. The aim of The Family and Industrial Society is to explain the character of the contemporary family by placing it in a wider historical and theoretical perspective. It is therefore directed at the undergraduate student for whom the ‘sociology of the family’, as a topic, has for too long been relatively unrelated to those contemporary developments in sociological thought and practice which inform other substantive areas of sociological work.The late C.C. Harris is perhaps best known for his best-selling introductory text The Family: An Introduction, first published in 1969. This new text was not, however, a straightforward replacement of an earlier book by a more up-to-date volume. Far too much had happened in sociology, in social studies and in family life itself, for a simple updating to make any sense. The Family was primarily a descriptive introduction, and was a presentation, albeit critical, of an orthodoxy. While this new book retains an introductory element based upon The Family’s earlier chapters, the greater part of it is exploratory and assumes a higher level of sophistication and sociological understanding; it is also substantially longer.Dr Harris was singularly well qualified to write a volume of this kind. Not only had he conducted and was conducting empirical research into the family, but his wide theoretical interests rendered him uniquely well placed to contribute to the theoretical development of his field. Few sociologists shared his familiarity with both anthropological and historical work. He was thoroughly familiar with the now unfashionable structural functional approach of which he had always been critical, but was enthusiastic about the potentialities of contemporary developments. The result is a sophisticated text which combines instruction, criticism, interpretation and exploration in one volume; which familiarises the student with the fundamental work of the past (too often neglected) and explores exciting new developments for the future. It also includes the only general discussion of change in the British family since the last edition of Fletcher’s The Family and Marriage in Britain.

Originally published in 1980 The Sociology of Women: An Introduction aimed to provide a sociological, biographically organised portrait of women written from a feminist perspective. It was the first self-contained analytical textbook treatment to present an account of the situation of women in modern Britain that was informed by sociological research. At the same time, it remained a straightforward and elementary text in the sense that it assumed no previous knowledge and is written throughout with the beginning student in mind; it provided a lively, thorough and realistic introduction to a range of sociological issues and problems; it is abundantly illustrated by examples from research findings and views women always in the context of the wider society around them; nor does it shirk controversial questions.The book opens with a short chapter on sex and gender, then traces women’s lives as they grow from childhood through to old age. There are chapters on childhood, adolescence and early adulthood in the first part of the book, which deals principally with the home, the school and friendship patterns. In part two the focus shifts to the adult lives of women. The chapters here are on work, illness and deviance; on class and community; on politics, leisure and religion; and on motherhood and old age. An important feature of the book will be the extensive guidance it provides on further reading and the inclusion of a full bibliography of material on women’s lives.

Originally published in 1980 The Sociology of Women: An Introduction aimed to provide a sociological, biographically organised portrait of women written from a feminist perspective. It was the first self-contained analytical textbook treatment to present an account of the situation of women in modern Britain that was informed by sociological research. At the same time, it remained a straightforward and elementary text in the sense that it assumed no previous knowledge and is written throughout with the beginning student in mind; it provided a lively, thorough and realistic introduction to a range of sociological issues and problems; it is abundantly illustrated by examples from research findings and views women always in the context of the wider society around them; nor does it shirk controversial questions.The book opens with a short chapter on sex and gender, then traces women’s lives as they grow from childhood through to old age. There are chapters on childhood, adolescence and early adulthood in the first part of the book, which deals principally with the home, the school and friendship patterns. In part two the focus shifts to the adult lives of women. The chapters here are on work, illness and deviance; on class and community; on politics, leisure and religion; and on motherhood and old age. An important feature of the book will be the extensive guidance it provides on further reading and the inclusion of a full bibliography of material on women’s lives.

Originally published in 1974, this book provided a most useful introductory survey of all the major philosophical issues relating to the social sciences at the time. While it covers a remarkable amount of ground in a short space, it is never superficial, for its lucid and careful analysis does full justice to the complexities and controversies of the subject. Nor is it merely a survey, for, while putting all points of view with scrupulous fairness, the author never fails to make clear his own, and to support it with reasoned argument. The book’s basic framework is a comparison of physical and social science, and in this context the author examines the problems of the mental aspect of social life, general laws, the individual and the social, explanation, and the relation of fact to value. He is far from advocating (as is often done) the wholesale acceptance or rejection of the ‘physical science model’ in the social sciences – rather, he carefully considers the various elements of the model in relation to the nature of social life. A noteworthy feature of this book is the philosophical analysis of statistical correlations and tests of significance, which bulk so large in the practice of social scientists, yet are all too seldom discussed in books of this kind. Also of special interest is the penetrating and original analysis of functionalist explanation in social science. Students of the social sciences and of philosophy will find this an admirable introduction to an important aspect of their respective disciplines.