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"British society is going through a period of rapid economic, social and cultural change. There is evidence of significant and far-ranging changes for the better as old hierarchies and divisions are challenged and eroded. But major new problems also threaten. Full employment is a thing of the past. The traditional family seems to be crumbling away. We are threatened by environmental disaster within a generation. The gap between the rich and the poor is widening. In spite of recent reductions in crime, the issue of law and order is seldom out of the news or far from our minds." "This book gives a sharp, critical and highly readable appraisal of these five key aspects of modern Britain - what the situation actually is (based on a wealth of valuable empirical data), how and why it has been changing, and what the government response has been. It then explores and critically reviews a rich array of conventional and more radical policy proposals for tackling the problems."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Social Problems in the UK: An Introduction is the first textbook on contemporary social issues to contextualise social problems within the disciplines of sociology, social policy, criminology and applied social science. Drawing on the research and teaching experience of academics in these areas, this much-needed textbook brings together a comprehensive range of expertise. Social Problems in the UK discusses the strengthening and changing character of social construction, providing a new and invigorated way of studying the issues for all social science students. This clear, accessible textbook guides students in approaching the methodology, theory and research of social problems, and introduces the key topics in the area: migration and ‘race’ work and unemployment poverty drugs, violence and policing youth, sub-culture and gangs childhood and education Social Problems in the UK provides a number of helpful pedagogical features for ease of teaching and learning, including: case studies; links to data sources; textboxes highlighting examples, key figures etc.; study questions, and tips on how to undertake literature reviews and use journals and databases.

Inferior Politics explores how social policy was created in Britain in a period when central government was not active in making it. Parliament proved capable of generating national legislation nonetheless-and provided a forum for debate even when it was impossible to mobilise consensus behind any particular plan. In this setting, there was a lively, and surprisingly inclusive, 'politics' of social policy-making, in which 'inferior' officers of government (what we might call 'local authorities') figured prominently. The book explores institutional structures which shaped these debates and their outcomes, and supplies several case studies of policy-making: one focussing on some of the less well-known activities of William Wilberforce, as he attempted to promote a national 'reformation of manners'; others featuring such apparently marginal figures as imprisoned debtors and a lowly (and bigoted) London constable. A central chapter explores the history of social and economic empirical enquiry from the invention of 'political arithmetic' in the later seventeenth century through to the first census of 1801, detailing similar interaction between government and private enthusiasts. Drawing together three decades of the author's work, including two new essays, Inferior Politics demonstrates how Joanna Innes has significantly revised and extended our understanding of the ways and means of British domestic government, in an era marked by institutional continuity but continuing and vigorously debated social challenges.

'The Rise of Respectable Society' offers a new map of this territory as revealed by close empirical studies of marriage, the family, domestic life, work, leisure and entertainment in 19th century Britain.

The third edition of the highly-acclaimed Contemporary British Society is the only textbook to provide comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the social structure of modern Britain. Completely revised and updated, this new edition employs the very latest statistical information and empirical studies, and examines all the new arguments and debates concerning modern British society. Separate chapters explore the major areas of modern life in Britain - economic organization, employment, patterns of inequality, class, gender, ethnicity, family and households, education, health, media, deviance and politics. New to this edition are chapters on globalization, associations, and leisure. The emphasis throughout the book is on an accessible, user-friendly, and non-technical approach. It is written in a jargon-free and approachable style; there is extensive cross-referencing and frequent and clear summarizing of arguments; and numerous photographs, diagrams, graphs, drawings and cartoons complement and illuminate the text. Contemporary British Society is written for students of introductory sociology whether they are taking 'A' level or are in the first year of an undergraduate course in a higher education institution. It will also be useful for those taking courses in other subjects, such as social policy, health and town planning, which demand knowledge of particular aspects of British society. Please visit the accompanying website at: http://www.polity.co.uk/cbs3

The new edition of this textbook addresses many of the key issues concerning social care and social work. The authors focus on social inequality within British society, looking in particular at the controversies surrounding the social issues of discrimination against certain individuals and discusses positive ways of combating the 'marginalization' and oppression of some social groups. Each topic is investigated from the point of view of their role in the wider context of society as a whole.

The Social Structure of Modern Britain, Third Edition is a comprehensive account of the social structure of modern Britain. Aspects of social structure are examined from a historical and comparative perspective. The book includes statistical information, not only on the more obvious areas like births, deaths, and immigration, but also on such lesser known (but no less important) topics as leisure behavior, income and wealth, and trends in criminal and other deviant activities. Comprised of six chapters, this book begins with an introduction to the demographic features of British society, including population trends in the twentieth century, socio-economic aspects of population, and fertility and mortality trends, along with the effects of immigration on demography. Subsequent chapters focus on the family, social class, and education as well as leisure and pleasure. The final chapter is devoted to three major mechanisms of social control in British society: religion, political institutions, and law enforcement. In particular, it assesses the extent to which religious beliefs and political attitudes exert control over people's thoughts and behavior, together with the definition of crime, the causes of criminal behavior, and the aims of a penal system. This monograph will be a useful resource for sociologists and social scientists.