"Americans at Midlife" is an exploration of the middle years within the framework of trends in the larger society, including longer life expectancy and an aging population; changes in marriage, divorce, and family composition; increased participation of women in the labor force; and the growth of two-income families.Major interests at midlife center around work and careers, current and future economic well-being, and planning for retirement. Other major concerns involve relationships with younger and older generations: boomerang kids who leave home and return, and aging parents, often healthy and active now, who may need care in their later years.

The book begins with a discussion of how demographic and social changes affect midlife, followed by chapters on work and retirement planning or looking for the good years, the not-so-empty nest, and aging parents. A chapter on mid-life women considers the implications of combining work and caregiving and raises concerns about their economic well-being, given their longer life expectancy and often more limited resources. The book ends with a consideration of policy issues that may affect midlife in the future.

The Night Life of Trees is an exquisite hand-bound and screen-printed book of paintings by three of the finest artists of the Gond tribal art tradition. The Gonds, a tribe of central India, are traditionally forest dwellers. They believe that trees are hard at work during the day providing shelter and nourishment to all. Only when night falls can they finally rest, and their spirits reveal themselves. These luminous spirits are captured in The Night Life of Trees, a fascinating and haunting foray into the Gond imagination. Each painting is accompanied by its own poetic tale, myth or lore, narrated by the artists themselves, which recreate the familiarity and awe with which the Gond people view the natural world. Screen-printed by hand on black paper, every page of this book is an original print. Each book in this limited second edition of 1,000 is individually numbered.

The world is evolving at a rapid pace. South Africa alone has undergone a process of major socioeconomic and political change in recent times. The desegregation of educational, religious, sport and other structures, the democratisation of the decision-making process, and the implementation of affirmative action, for example, have involved a shift in the values and normative orientation of the population. The exact effects of such changes, both positive and negative, cannot be easily identified or measured.

A Reader On Selected Social Issues considers the nature, causes and consequences of a wide range of current social phenomena, worldwide. It attempts a more "global" approach, rather than concentrating solely on South African society. All chapters have been extensively updated, with contributions from both national and international experts. Because the content of the chapters is not discipline specific, lecturers can use perspectives from within their own fields to guide students to an understanding of the phenomena being discussed.

'Windows' with thought-provoking information as well as discussion topics at the end of each chapter encourage students to deal with aspects beyond the scope of the text.

Skills and inequality have long been a central theme in analyses of social structure and economic development. A Research Agenda for Skills and Inequality offers an insightful cross-disciplinary framework for research on how unequal living conditions form, persist and change in interplay with human skill formation and development. Drawing on prominent new advances in the field, this incisive Research Agenda builds a forward-thinking framework for research. Spanning an extensive eighteen chapters, each examining a specific but major aspect of the general theme of skills and inequality, the book provides a comprehensive overview of links between the two. Against the backdrop of established insights from related but separate fields of inquiry, including economics, sociology, demography, human resource management, political science, philosophy and psychology, the Research Agenda presents an exciting overview of recent advances in analyses of skills and inequality. Opening vistas for future research based on extensive literature reviews and new findings, this Research Agenda offers compact, ground-breaking essays for students, policy makers, and advanced researchers in many disciplines including social policy, business management, and employment relations.

Accessible in its style, yet comprehensive in content, this groundbreaking book provides a wealth of advice on how academics can enhance their research practices. It also highlights the fundamental role of research leaders and how their support can prove invaluable to academics in improving their research methodology. Don Webber expertly compiles responses from different research environments and practices across a range of universities, succinctly summarising those that achieve better quality research output. Highlighting collective practices as well as individual ones, he further illustrates the responsibilities placed upon academics for their own research alongside those of their peers and how these can have considerable mutual benefits. This invigorating read will be an excellent resource for new academics who wish to learn best practice and experienced academics who may have lost their way and are wanting to get their research back on track. Research leaders who wish to have a high performing department will find this book insightful in gaining ideas on how to enable their colleagues to achieve their full potential.

Early in the 19th century the work of American newspaper journalists was intertwined with the work of politicians. Journalists were primarily printers and editors, and newspapers were largely political organs, funded and used by politicians for political reasons. As the 19th century progressed, not only journalists, but politicians, were involved in newspaper work.

Dooley explores the transformation of journalism, examining how journalists established occupational boundaries separating their work from that of politicians. She focuses on how an occupational group that had been inseparable from party politics early in the 19th century grew to be seen by many in society as more distant and independent from parties by the end of the century and became accepted as the citizenry's primary provider of political news and editorial opinion. This study of how journalists established occupational boundaries will be of interest to scholars and researchers of journalism history, political communication, and the sociology of work.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. Providing a comprehensive, interdisciplinary overview of the gig economy from both a labour and employment perspective, this Research Agenda goes beyond the question of the employment status of platform workers. It investigates how the gig economy is changing the way people work, how the platforms' business models are spreading in our economies, and what labour and social institutions are needed to respond to the challenges that platform work raises. Covering key issues such as algorithmic management, discrimination, occupational health and safety, casual work and collective labour rights, the authors challenge the narrative that the gig economy is a set of work arrangements that cannot be regulated through existing labour legislation and governance forms. The impact of the gig economy in developing countries and the regulation of global supply changes in platform work are also addressed. With contributions from world-leading authors, this Research Agenda will be crucial reading for scholars of labour and employment law, sociologists, economists and industrial relations specialists.

This thought-provoking book analyses recent innovations for researching travel behaviour over the life course. Original in its approach, it synthesises quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods to contribute to conceptual, methodological and empirical advancements in the field. Through a rich array of new studies, leading scholars from across the globe present work that pushes the theoretical boundaries of mobility biographies research. A balanced range of methods are showcased to establish a fruitful dialogue between disciplines and methodologies, overcoming the prevalence of statistical analyses of travel behaviour data that has governed the field. The book goes beyond a mere stocktaking exercise by offering critical reflections of previous work from a variety of backgrounds, including geography, sociology, psychology, transport planning and civil engineering. Mobility and Travel Behaviour Across the Life Course is a key resource for students, at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and established researchers in areas such as transport studies, geography and urban planning. Furthermore, policy makers and planners will benefit from the practical recommendations included throughout.

This ground-breaking book investigates the work of policy professionals. They consist of political actors who, although not elected to office, are nonetheless employed to affect policy and politics on a partisan basis. Through an analysis of the influence and power they wield, this book sheds light on how the growth of this group represents a major transformation of the organization of politics and policy making in advanced democracies. Taking a comparative, longitudinal perspective, Stefan Svallfors examines a combination of rich qualitative and quantitative data from countries such as Sweden, the Netherlands, Ireland and Latvia in order to explore what skills policy professionals deploy, the motivations that drive them, and the demand and use for their skills in various organizations. He links his analysis to fundamental questions about the current state and future of democracy, demonstrating that the work of policy professionals is key to understanding how contemporary political influence and democratic accountability function. Politics for Hire will be a stimulating read for scholars and advanced students in political science, public administration, public policy and sociology. It will also provide useful insights for those working in politics and governance seeking to understand the impact and influence of policy professionals.

With original contributions from leading experts in the field, this cutting-edge Research Handbook combines theoretical advancement and the newest empirical research to explore the sociology of organizations as mesa-level mediators of individual and societal outcomes. Covering the major theoretical foundations of the topic, this innovative Research Handbook analyses critical and contemporary sociological theory and examines the purposes and goals of a diverse range of organizations in a variety of contexts. Chapters detail original research that investigates labour relations, ethical and sustainable environmental practices, race, gender, class, sexuality, media, religion, politics, and alternative economic models. This Research Handbook will prove an engaging and informative read for students and scholars of organization studies, labour policy, sociology, political science, economics, management, philosophy, and social psychology. With its global, interdisciplinary scope, it will also be invaluable to practitioners and policymakers working within a vast range of organizations.

Providing an insightful analysis of the key issues and significant trends relating to labour within the platform economy, this Modern Guide considers the existing comparative evidence covering all world regions. It also provides an in-depth look at digital labour platforms in their historical, economic and geographical contexts. Highlighting the diversity of experience of platform work, case studies illustrate how general trends play out, both in online and location-based labour platforms, across the globe. Chapters illustrate a need for a post-pandemic regulatory requirement of digital labour platforms at different policy levels, whilst providing a general overview of key topics. Interlinking contributions with a global scope and coverage identify the challenges faced and offer thoughtful regulatory solutions. This engaging book will be an invaluable resource for academics of labour economics, legal and business studies and sociology. It will also benefit policy makers in social and political geography and political science looking for a deeper understanding of the topic.

This accessible guide to the rapidly growing and interdisciplinary field of modern economic sociology offers critical insights into its fundamental concepts and developments. International in scope, contributions from leading economic sociologists and sociologically-minded economists explore the intersections and implications for theory and empirical research in both disciplines. A Modern Guide to Economic Sociology positions contemporary studies in relation to earlier developments, highlighting the importance of understanding how stages of economic sociology have corresponded and converged with institutional, social, political and behavioural economics over time. Chapters offer a broad range of perspectives of topical and pressing themes including: wealth inequality, unsustainable development, ethical consumption, society and work, institutions and the economy, and society and entrepreneurship. Covering both empirical and theoretical aspects of the field, this book will benefit economic sociologists as well as economic sociology students. It will also be an important read for both economics and sociology students looking to better understand the interactions between the two fields and how they depend upon and advance one another.

J.R. Moehringer grew up captivated by a voice. It was the voice of his father, a New York City disc jockey who vanished before J.R. spoke his first word. Sitting on the stoop, pressing an ear to the radio, J.R. would strain to hear in that plummy baritone the secrets of masculinity and identity. Though J.R.'s mother was his world, his rock, he craved something more, something faintly and hauntingly audible only in The Voice. At eight years old, suddenly unable to find The Voice on the radio, J.R. turned in desperation to the bar on the corner, where he found a rousing chorus of new voices. The alphas along the bar--including J.R.'s Uncle Charlie, a Humphrey Bogart look-alike; Colt, a Yogi Bear sound-alike; and Joey D, a softhearted brawler--took J.R. to the beach, to ballgames, and ultimately into their circle. They taught J.R., tended him, and provided a kind of fathering-by-committee. Torn between the stirring example of his mother and the lurid romance of the bar, J.R. tried to forge a self somewhere in the center. But when it was time for J.R. to leave home, the bar became an increasingly seductive sanctuary, a place to return and regroup during his picaresque journeys. Time and again the bar offered shelter from failure, rejection, heartbreak--and eventually from reality. In the grand tradition of landmark memoirs, The Tender Bar is suspenseful, wrenching, and achingly funny. A classic American story of self-invention and escape, of the fierce love between a single mother and an only son, it's also a moving portrait of one boy's struggle to become a man, and an unforgettable depiction of how men remain, at heart, lost boys.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business, and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. This Advanced Introduction to Social Capital provides an overview of cutting-edge research on social capital. Karen Cook highlights the networks, norms, and trust involved in social capital that facilitate cooperation, strengthen civil society, and contribute to social order, indicating how each contributes to the collective good and provides resources of value to individuals, organizations, and institutions. Key Features: Cross-cultural comparisons of the role of social networks in a number of domains of activity A critical focus on the importance of tolerance and the reaffirmation of democratic principles and practices An understanding of current social and political challenges related to polarization, such as inequality and trust limitations This timely Advanced Introduction is crucial reading for students and researchers in sociology and political science who are looking for an overview of social capital. It will also be an inspiring read for scholars of public policy, particularly those concerned with public management and its impact on social capital.

This timely and perceptive book addresses the issues surrounding the adequacy of old age income for future pensioners worldwide. It highlights how today's young people are confronted with the simultaneous challenges of increasing employment uncertainty and declining pension generosity - topics which are highly relevant in contemporary welfare states. This pivotal study of the relationship between the current labour market and future pensions explores the ways in which public policies relating to education, employment, and welfare work to sustain a decent living standard during retirement. Using a diverse range of comparative studies across a multitude of countries and nation-specific case studies, chapters consider the influence of institutions and social, cultural, and economic norms on public pensions and retirement saving behaviours in young adults. Providing a valuable insight into contemporary research findings, this innovative book will be essential reading for students and scholars in the areas of welfare states, labour economics, pensions, and the sociology of youth. Policymakers in these fields will also benefit from its analysis of sustainable pension policy development.

American Indian stories from famed Traditional Storyteller for the National Park Service - Esther Martinez. My Life in San Juan Pueblo is a rich, rewarding, and uplifting collection of personal and cultural stories from a master of her craft. Esther Martinez's tales brim with entertaining characters that embody her Native American Tewa culture and its wisdom about respect, kindness, and positive attitudes. Sure to bring a smile to readers of all ages, this enchanting glimpse of an oral tradition passed from grandfather to granddaughter also features a CD of the stories as told by Esther Martinez herself.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. This Advanced Introduction is an accessible and critical review of the most important theories and concepts in the field of social movements and political protests. Karl-Dieter Opp precisely outlines the strengths and weaknesses of the different approaches and investigates how they can be unified into a structural-cognitive model. Key Features: Application of general action theory Investigation of the conditions for deterrence and concessions by autocracies Analysis of the influence of social networks and social media on protests and protesters Precise definitions of central concepts and clear formulation of explanatory hypotheses. This timely Advanced Introduction will be crucial reading for scholars interested in political participation, political protest, and social movements as well as those looking for an excellent introduction to this fascinating ever evolving area of study.

Taking an innovative look at the origins of economics, this forward-thinking book relocates economics from a materialistic general theory of rational action into an idealistic theory of social organization and individual action. Adding new insightful analytical methods such as complexity theory, graph theory and computational modelling to the original insights of the Scottish Enlightenment, Richard Wagner explores economics in an ever-changing society, looking at the key civilizing processes and the important social questions. Rethinking Economics as Social Theory moves away from the traditional review of analytical exercises and associated data and illustrates an enlightening scheme of thought where human societies are heterogeneous and not homogeneous and where change is continually in motion. Furthermore, Wagner theorises that economizing is a universal form of human action that plays out in numerous substantive directions and shows cooperation and conflict to have a yin-and-yang relationship. This illuminating book will prove an excellent resource for economists interested in working outside of comparative statics as well as social scientists looking for a broader vision of economics. Philosophers and those working in the field of biological sciences will also find this an informative read.

__________________ 'Easily my read of the year. Sheer perfection from start to finish' - Catherine Doyle 'A beautiful and profound retelling' - Madeline Miller, author of CIRCE and THE SONG OF ACHILLES 'Utterly transporting ... This dynamic feminist retelling is illustrated with stunning, polychromatic power' - Guardian Books of the Year __________________ A dazzling, feminist retelling of Greek myth from the internationally bestselling author of The Miniaturist, stunningly illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill. Exiled to a far-flung island by the whims of the gods, Medusa has little company except the snakes that adorn her head instead of hair. But when a charmed, beautiful boy called Perseus arrives on the island, her lonely existence is disrupted with the force of a supernova, unleashing desire, love and betrayal... Filled with glorious full-colour illustrations by award-winning Olivia Lomenech Gill, this astonishing retelling of Greek myth is perfect for readers of Circe and The Silence of the Girls. Illuminating the girl behind the legend, it brings alive Medusa for a new generation. __________________ '... a must read for women of all ages' - Red Magazine '... stole my heart from its first fierce lines' - Mary Watson 'A beautiful and compassionate retelling that gives the serpent-headed monster of myth a powerful and haunting humanity' - Jennifer Saint '... an impressive addition to the shelves of feminist retellings, balancing rage with beautiful storytelling' - Irish Times 'It's an ideal gift for teenage girls finding their voice and their power' - Stylist 'Gift ideas for the book lovers in your life'