The International Handbook of Sociology

Book excerpt: `The most up-to-date survey of the range of research in contemporary sociology, extremely useful to students, teachers, and researchers alike. Indispensable for collective and personal libraries' - Immanuel Wallerstein, Maison des Sciences de l'Homme, ParisThis unique Handbook provides state-of-the-art reviews of sociology conducted by prominent scholars. Drawing on dedicated knowledge and expertise, the book constitutes an unrivalled guide to the central theoretical and methodological perspectives in the discipline as a whole.The book is organized into six parts:o conceptual perspectiveso social and cultural differentiationo changing institutions and collective actiono demography, cities and housingo art and leisureo social problemsEach chapter includes a comprehensive review of the literature, covering the full range of work from contrasting traditions of thought and approaches.No existing work matches this Handbook for scholarly coverage and relevance. It is a primary resource for understanding the discipline. As such, it will appeal to lecturers, researchers and advanced graduate and undergraduate students in Sociology.