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.

'With their fascinating synthesis of two fields of study, leadership and sexuality, editors James Beggan and Scott Allison provide a forum for scholars to investigate two concepts that have long shaped human behavior and captured both academic interest and the curiosity of the general public. In addition to its appeal to academics, this cross-disciplinary book will interest anyone who has ever had a boss, been on a date, or contemplated an office romance.' -Robert Giacalone, John Carroll University, US Although both leadership and sexuality are important and heavily researched topics, there is little work that addresses the interaction of the two areas. Leadership and Sexuality: Power, Principles, and Processes is a scholarly synthesis of leadership principles with issues related to sexuality and sexual policy-making. The authors' multi-disciplinary analysis of the topic examines sexuality in the context of many different kinds of leadership, exploring both the good and the bad aspects of leadership and sexuality. These integrated topics are examined through three broad areas of study. The first involves individuals who become leaders in sexual domains by advancing new views of human sexuality. The second involves problems that leaders of businesses and other institutions must address as a result of issues related to human sexuality, including sexual harassment and sexually-based discrimination in the workplace. The third area involves understanding how being a leader influences sexual desire and sexual attraction, and may impact the course of workplace romance and the expression of sexuality. Written to be accessible to both laypeople and scholars, this book will appeal to academics and scientists interested in human sexuality as well as many related disciplines, including psychology, sociology, leadership studies, heroism science, political science, religion, and economics. Contributors: S.T. Allison, J.K. Beggan, L. Dwight, O. Efthimiou, J. Fyke, S. Huss, K. Lucas, S. Pichler, C. Pitzulo, C. Shakeshaft, W.R. Stayton, M.B. Stone, B. Trisler, E. Turley

In this timely book, Barbara Czarniawska and Bernward Joerges examine the hopes and fears around work and job security inspired by automation, from the original coining of the term 'robot' to the present day media fascination. Have these hopes and fears changed or do they remain the same? This discerning book investigates whether these changes in perception correlate to actual changes taking place in the field of robotics. Exploring several streams of popular culture, including ground-breaking science fiction novels and films, the impact of these globally renowned works on public opinion regarding robotics is assessed. Detailed media analysis identifies the frequency and complexity of common views that stem from the ideas found in both fiction and scientific research results disseminated by the news. Recent social science works dedicated to the study of robotziation are then reviewed, illustrating current and future debates surrounding the phenomenon of the 'robot revolution'. Robotization of Work? will be a key resource for students and scholars studying the organization of work, IT and digitalization, and cultural studies. It will also be of interest to anyone engaged with the concepts of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotization.

Focusing on the state, family, and education, contributors to this special issue examine migration through the experiences of children and youth. The authors provide a critical perspective on the structural inequalities that define migration in Asia, calling attention to ethnic exclusion, the plight of multigenerational undocumented and stateless children, and the geopolitical inequalities that shape migration flows across the continent.

Offering new knowledge and insights into European job markets, this book explores how young men and women experience job insecurity. Focusing on the ways in which young adults deal with this by actively increasing their chances of getting a job through a variety of methods, it shows how governmental policies can be altered to reduce early job insecurity. By combining analysis of original data collected through a variety of innovative methods, the book compares the trajectories of early job insecurity in nine European countries: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Norway, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK. It explores the differing reactions to the 2008 Great Recession and socio-economic and institutional characteristics of each country, analysing the strengths and weaknesses of different national policies. Contributions from experts in the field investigate the long-term consequences of having difficulty finding suitable and stable jobs in young adulthood, including 'scarring' in the form of weaker long-term employment prospects, lower life earnings and reduced well-being. Incorporating high-level academic research with policy recommendations, this insightful book is essential reading for advanced public policy and European studies scholars, as well as policymakers at national and European levels. Contributors include: D.S. Abebe, S. Ayllon, K.K. Bohler, M. Bussi, D. Buttler, L.A. Helbling, B. Hvinden, C. Hyggen, C. Imdorf, V. Krasteva, C. Lewis, A. McDonnell, J. O'Reilly, D. Parsanoglou, S. Sacchi, M.A. Schoyen, L.P. Shi, R. Stoilova, I. Tolgensbakk, J.S. Vedeler, A. Yfanti

Don't just see the sights-get to know the people. Malaysia presents visitors with an exciting and fascinating medley of cultures--Malay, Chinese, Indian, Arab, Eurasian, Dayak, and aboriginal. Though very much a modern nation state, its diverse communities retain a considerable amount of their unique heritage and, in its customs, religions, festivals, costume, cuisine, languages, and architecture, Malaysian society perfectly illustrates the virtues of a vibrant pluralism. Culture Smart! Malaysia sets out to help you navigate this rich and complex cultural mix. It provides a succinct and straightforward introduction to Malaysian history and society, explains the deeper core values of the different ethnic groups, and guides you through the maze of Malaysian etiquette and behaviour for both social and business settings. Have a more meaningful and successful time abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on values, attitudes, customs, and daily life will help you make the most of your visit, while tips on etiquette and communication will help you navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

Foreword by Timothy M. (Tim) Smeeding, Founding Director of the Luxembourg Income Study and Lee Rainwater Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs and Economics, University of Wisconsin, US This insightful book addresses the urgent need for robust evidence on recent trends and factors contributing to poverty and inequality in East Asia. Using data from international projects, including the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS), as well as national data, expert contributors monitor trends in poverty and inequality within and between countries, while also identifying the factors that are driving them, both nationally and regionally. Chapters explore labour market and demographic developments, changes in family and household structures and roles, and changes in policy settings. Investigating how these factors act both independently and interactively to generate nationally and regionally unique features of poverty and inequality, the book highlights how inequality has been rising on a global scale and suggests how welfare states should respond. Poverty and Inequality in East Asia will be a valuable resource for researchers and students studying Asian development and social policy, comparative social policy, labour policy and family policy. Drawing on state of the art data to compare experiences in selected Western economies against those in East Asia, the book will also be a useful resource for policy makers.

This engaging Research Handbook offers a comprehensive overview of research on social factors and mental health, examining how important it is to consider the social context in which mental health issues develop. It illustrates how social factors contribute to problems with mental health and how society, in turn, responds to people diagnosed with psychiatric disorders. Expert contributors provide an in-depth review of the history of social factors and mental health, and also discuss how boundaries between disorders such as bipolar and borderline personality disorder can be blurred and contested. Past and current social factors are thoroughly reviewed such as refugee mental health, stressors linked to discrimination based on race, gender or sexual orientation, exposure to police violence and the impact of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The challenges and stigma faced by those diagnosed with disorders, alongside prejudices and discrimination in the health care system are also examined. The Research Handbook on Society and Mental Health will be an excellent resource for scholars studying social issues in relation to mental health or illness and researchers wishing to take an interdisciplinary approach by studying biopsychosocial factors. Mental health providers interested in well-rounded learning and those people experiencing and living with mental illness will find the alternative viewpoints to mainstream psychiatry and psychology informative and illuminating.

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.

This Elgar Introduction provides an overview of some of the key theories that inform human resource management and employment relations as a field of study. Leading scholars in the field explore theories in the context of contemporary debates concerning policies that affect and regulate work and the management of employment, as well as the activities and experiences of actors within the employment relationship. The book is divided into three sections to capture different theoretical lenses used to reflect on HRM and ER concerns about work: systems and historical development; institutions; and people and processes. Expert contributors have drawn on extensive research experience to present a contemporary understanding of a range of theories, how they evolved, and how they might be used in the future. Essential reading for HRM, ER and management scholars and research students, this book challenges readers to reassess their thinking about the significance of theory in research and practice.

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.

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.

On the 80th anniversary of Beveridge's report on the 'Five Giants' confronting societal progress in the 1940s, this innovative book examines the 'New Giants' confronting us today: inequality, preventable mortality, the crisis of democracy, job quality, and environmental degradation. Ian Greener uses Qualitative Comparative Analysis and cluster analysis across 24 countries to analyse which countries are the highest performing in relation to each of the New Giants, and what they have in common. The book indicates that confronting the New Giants requires more participative modes of governance, as well as a greater commitment to redistributing wealth and achieving higher levels of education. Greener also highlights how higher levels of globalization, so long as they are combined with these factors, can be compatible with confronting the New Giants. The book further considers how these factors combined in countries with lower levels of mortality in the first six months of the Covid-19 pandemic. This will be critical reading for social policy and politics scholars and policy makers interested in comparative analysis. The clear explanation of the research methods used in the book will be useful to advanced level students and researchers in the field.

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 Youth Studies analyses the historical development of the sociology of youth in the context of changing population demographics. Howard Williamson and James Cote explore competing paradigms underlying current understandings of youth with reference to key philosophical, theoretical and methodological debates. Young people's transitions to adulthood and youth cultural behaviour are then explored. The authors conclude with a consideration of youth policies and how, in the future, these may be better informed by sociological research. Key Features: Fact-based analysis of key debates Sociological perspectives informed by multidisciplinary analyses Concise coverage of complex topics Policy recommendations informed by years of experience in the field This Advanced Introduction will provide essential reading for scholars and researchers of sociology and sociological theory, as well as youth workers and students looking for an excellent introduction to youth studies.

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. Written by eminent scholar Chiara Saraceno, this Advanced Introduction offers a synthetic overview of the core theoretical and policy issues involved in family policy, currently the most dynamic sector of social policies in both developed and developing countries. It discusses the three primary areas of family policy in contemporary society: financial support for the cost of children, short and long term care for children and dependent people, and work-family conciliation. Key features include: An engaging and accessible style exploration of the roles of civil law and feminist studies a comparative, global perspective including analysis of the Global South presentation of the core conceptual and methodological debates in the field. Providing a compact and concise introduction to the rich scholarship of the field, the Advanced Introduction to Family Policy will be a key resource for students and scholars of family policy, social policy and sociological theory.

Presenting a comprehensive overview of the changes in policies and economic doctrines of the American economy following the 2008 global financial crisis, this book critically examines the reformation of the corporate landscape. Observing the growth of oligopolistic market tendencies and increased economic concentration, it draws on scholarly literature from economics, management studies and legal theory to provide an integrated perspective on the causes and consequences of the crisis. Discussing the growth of oligopolistic market niches in the American economy, chapters explore their causes, including the influence of "anti-antitrust" scholars on legal enforcement practices and the resulting relaxation of antitrust law. The book highlights their consequences, including the growth of monopsony and labor market concentration. Alexander Styhre uses aggregate economic equality data across the book to show that the working class in advanced economies have not been compensated for the globalization of the economy. It concludes by looking towards the long-term consequences of rising economic concentration, examining non-traditional labor contracts, new employment relations, lower entrepreneurial activities and lower labor compensation in the new corporate landscape. This informative book will be useful to students and scholars of business ethics and trust, corporate governance and organization studies. It will also be a critical read for policy makers concerned with the causes and consequences of economic inequality.

Exploring the growing field of mobilities research, this Handbook focuses on the flows and movements of people, artefacts, capital, information and signs on different social and geographical scales. It examines the systems and practices of mobilities within societies, politics, cultures and economies from different theoretical, epistemological and methodological perspectives. Reflecting the variety and diversity of research methods and applications, contributions from top scholars highlight the multiple dimensions of mobilities, from transport to tourism, cargo to information, and across physical, virtual and imaginative mobilities. Chapters analyse mobilities from different angles and scales, emphasising interdisciplinarity by looking at how researchers engage with mobile methods. An inspirational toolbox of research methods and applications for mobilities, sociology and human geography scholars, this Handbook provides both qualitative and quantitative insights to the topic. It will be of interest to policymakers and urban planners looking for a better understanding of the impact and importance of mobilities in contemporary societies. Contributors include: K. Barry, N.M. Bennetsen, J. Berg, T. Birtchnell, T. Boehme, G. Bourg, R. Boyd, A.V.H. Bueno, M. Buscher, E.C. Cabalquinto, C.B. Christensen, F. da Costa Portugal Duarte, M. de Neergaard, A. Elliott, M. Freudendal-Pedersen, J. Germann Molz, K. Goetz, N. Grauslund Kristensen, K. Hartmann-Petersen, M. Henriksson, J.M. Hildebrand, F. Hirschhorn, M. Huyghe, O. Jarv, H.L. Jensen, O.B. Jensen, S. Kesselring, H. Krobath, G.R. Larsen, C. Lassen, A. Maddrell, K. Manderscheid, A. Masso, L. Murray, L. Nitschke, A. Paulsson, A. Perkins, R. Rackham, A. Rocci, L. Schindler, M. Sheller, S. Silm, L.C. Smith, S. Smith, S. Sodero, G. Sunderer, C.H. Sorensen, B. Szerszynski, K.S. Tan, S. Thulin, M. Trandberg Jensen, C. Tschoerner-Budde, D. Tyfield, R. Tzanelli, P. Vannini, S. Wilson, D. Zuev

Providing an up-to-date portrait of the concepts and methods of analytical sociology, this pivotal Research Handbook traces the historical evolution of the field, utilising key research examples to illustrate its core principles. It investigates how analytical sociology engages with other approaches such as analytical philosophy, structural individualism, social stratification research, complexity science, pragmatism, and critical realism, exploring the foundations of the field as well as its major explanatory mechanisms and methods. Chapters examine the ways in which analytical sociology addresses crucial concepts, including norms, structures, context, contingency, action theory, and models of social interactions. Offering an in-depth analysis of cumulative advantage, complex contagions, and network amplification, this comprehensive Research Handbook discusses the range of data sources and methods available to analytical sociologists for empirical research, in particular digital traces, historical archives, game-theoretic models, causal inference techniques, social networks analysis, and agent-based simulations. Creating a new synthesis of the theoretical and methodological resources required to carry out research using analytical sociology tools, the Research Handbook will be a key pedagogical resource for students and scholars of sociology and sociological theory, research methods, demography, social psychology, economics, and computer science.