Endorsements
‘There’s no one on the planet with such a refined grasp of the practical and political significance of sociology as Anthony Giddens. This new edition of his bestselling textbook is his best yet.’– Anthony Elliott, University of Kent at Canterbury
‘I have a high opinion of Giddens’s book, which I consider to be a comprehensive and lucid introduction to the major topics, debates and theoretical perspectives in sociology. It combines a detailed overview of the contemporary sociological landscape with sensitivity to the enduring debt that the discipline owes to earlier theorists.– Mike Hawkins, Kingston University
‘This new edition is fresh, engaging and topical. One particular feature is worth a mention: a striking introduction that catches the reader’s attention right at the start is very effective educationally. I remain a fan of such pedagogical devices. The point is made economically and strikingly at the very beginning and is then carried through the chapter. Some of the chapters do this in an exemplary fashion.’– Nick Abercrombie, University of Lancaster
‘The chapter on theoretical thinking in sociology is clearly written with a strong thread running throughout. Students will like the way in which it brings together many diverse social theories highlighting some of their main similarities and differences in a single chapter. This chapter was towards the end of the book in the fourth edition; moving it nearer to the front of the book in this new edition is an excellent idea and will give students an insight into the theoretical interpretations used by sociologists as they look at the issues discussed in the remaining chapters.’– Steve Williams, University of Glamorgan
‘The material on the sociology of everyday life provides an excellent means of encouraging students to examine their own experiences through sociological lenses. The coverage of everyday activities is by far the best offered by any introductory textbook currently available.’– David Inglis, University of Aberdeen
‘Chapter 6, “Socialization, the Life-Course and Ageing”, provides the reader with a wide-ranging review of social and psychological transitions through the life-course. The text brings together both a discussion of classic studies from Freud onwards as well as an overview of the latest research in the field.’– Chris Phillipson, University of Keele
‘Anthony Giddens presents a comprehensive yet accessible account of complex social issues in this book: of changing social institutions, structures and values in society. The text is carefully designed to offer students an insight into current sociological debates and critical thinking, with further reading and glossary. The chapter on “Families and Intimate Relationships” is an authoritative overview of changing family forms and values. It provides a thought-provoking blend of theoretical insights and empirical examples drawn from across the globe. Students will be hooked by questions about love and intimacy at the start of the chapter, since these are issues that touch on all young people’s experiences. Yet they will also be challenged by the deconstruction of traditional myths about families, intimacy and sexual relationships in various societies.’– Deborah Chambers, University of Newcastle
‘Chapter 7, “Families and Intimate Relationships”, is interesting, presenting material in awaycurrently not available inthe market. The text is rich in its engagement with the current diversity of family forms, and presents a clear elaboration of the relevant perspectives for theorizing contemporary family life. The structure of the chapter, divided into short sections with the main concepts clearly explained at the beginning, will be appealing to students.’– Elizabeth Silva, The Open University
‘The chapter on health, illness and disability is very clearly written and students will find it very accessible indeed. The accessibility and clarity are especially important for those who have not studied sociology at A-level. The structure works extremely well, and the use of images is especially appealing. I can’t think how it could be improved.’– Sarah Nettleton, University of York
‘Disability Studies is now an established interdisciplinary field of enquiry within the social sciences. Although the sociology of disability has made a major contribution to this development, it has generally escaped the attention of the majority of mainstream sociologists and particularly those who produce general introductory texts. This book provides the first meaningful and accessible insight into the issues and debates that have emerged from this increasingly important area of sociological analysis.’– Colin Barnes, University of Leeds
‘Chapter 9, “Stratificatiom and Class”, is engaging and accessible: the captivating “real-life” story in the introduction will quickly catch the attention of readers. The overall structure, which breaks the chapter into sub-sections, is helpful and results in a comprehensive coverage of the subject area.’– Majella Kilkey, University of Hull
‘The chapter “Stratification and Class” is well written, clear and well structured. Students are likely to appreciate its clarity, in particular its lucid explanation of what can be quite complex concepts (surplus value, for example) and its succinct discussion of key theorists. It covers the classic debates and studies well, covering Marx and Weber, issues of class schema and key classes, as well as bringing in issues of globalization.’– Tracey Warren, University of Newcastle
‘There is a great deal in the chapter on poverty, social exclusion and welfare to engage and challenge readers. The content is comprehensive and succeeds in introducing key debates and conceptual issues relevant to an understanding of poverty. References to up-to-date writings about poverty and the discussion of New Labour welfare reforms make this chapter contemporary and relevant to current debates in the UK.’– Abbey Halcli, Oxford Brookes University
‘Chapter 10, “Poverty, Social Exclusion and Welfare”, provides the student who is new to the social sciences with a well-evidenced and clearly written introduction to the investigation of poverty and deprivation in Britain. Taking a chronological perspective, Giddens tells the story through the contributions of authors such as Peter Townsend, Joanna Mack and Stewart Lansley, among others, up to the current thinking on social exclusion.’– John Stewart, Lancaster University
‘The chapter on global inequality combines sensitivity to national developments, especially the widening economic gaps between the wealthy and the poor in the advanced Anglo-American democracies, with attention paid to international and regional trends, especially those separating the Sub-Saharan Africa, South America and Southern-Central Asia from the developed societies. These trends are not only noted, but also explained in the context of new critical analyses. This is a truly global study of social inequalities.’– Jan Pakulski, University of Tasmania
‘Difficult theories and debates are presented logically and mostly chronologically in the chapter on the environment and risk, which is replete with concrete examples that can be used in classroom situations. The language is clear and accessible and concepts are explained in non-technical terminology. Students will appreciate the effective balance between text and graphics and the specific examples that bring environmental debates to life. They are also introduced to environmental issues via an initial discussion of their relevance for sociologists. This tackles their own question (what’s it to do with us?) at the outset and is a very helpful chapter introduction.’– Phil Sutton, The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen
