First published in 1994. The sociology of community is currently undergoing something of a revival, and this book has been written with the aim of contributing to this process in a number of ways. First of all, it draws attention to the burgeoning literature on sociological aspects of community life. Secondly, its bring together the various studies considered here into a more coherent whole than they possess as simply a collection of separate pieces of research.

This volume brings together contributions on the study of sexual affairs in committed personal relationships. The editors enlisted colleagues with varied theoretical and methodological perspectives from Britain, the United States, and other countries. Together, their contributions provide a broad, cross-national perspective on affairs. Grounded in theoretical discussion, the chapters in this book introduce data collected by a broad range of methods, including attitude surveys, large statistical cohort studies, case studies, depth interviews, and group discussions. A number of contributors locate the theoretical discussion of affairs within the broader contemporary ordering of committed relationships, contrasting the liberating and empowering aspects of affairs with the damage they may inflict on society as a whole and on the lives of individuals and families. The themes of passion, transgression, secrecy, lies, betrayal, and gossip are common to a range of chapters throughout. The volume provides broad literature reviews and theoretical discussions concerning particular aspects of affairs, such as communication and jealousy. In addition, case studies are used for the more detailed exploration of heterosexual affairs and contemporary developments in gay male and lesbian relationships. The State of Affairs will be of interest to researchers, scholars, and students in social psychology; communication; sociology; family, social, and clinical psychology; and for practitioners in couple counseling.

Designed for undergraduate courses in social policy, social anthropology and sociology, this book looks at the sociology of community in contemporary Britain. The book surveys the growing literature on the nature of local social relationships, drawing on a range of recent empirical and theoretical work to illustrate topics ranging from economic change and geographical mobility to the relationship between social policy makers and community organizations.

This book discusses how to undertake a research degree, study and research skills and strategic approaches to research. It is intended to help research students, working full- or part-time in the social sciences, to be as effective as possible in the pursuit of their degrees.

How important are social networks to daily life? There is now substantial evidence that attachment to a network may be vital in securing employment, in promoting good health, in maintaining positive relationships, and in supporting people in transitions through the life course. Equally, lack of access to networks may lead to problems of various kinds, such as poverty, lack of support in old age, and social isolation. Providing an overview of the social network literature with a particular focus on the USA and Britain, this illuminating volume reviews the range of social issues and concerns associated with the social network perspective. Examples of quantitative and qualitative studies are given using a broad network approach, and the volume concludes with a discussion of the implications for social and public policy of a network perspective.

How important are social networks to daily life? There is now substantial evidence that attachment to a network may be vital in securing employment, in promoting good health, in maintaining positive relationships, and in supporting people in transitions through the life course. Equally, lack of access to networks may lead to problems of various kinds, such as poverty, lack of support in old age, and social isolation. Providing an overview of the social network literature with a particular focus on the USA and Britain, this illuminating volume reviews the range of social issues and concerns associated with the social network perspective. Examples of quantitative and qualitative studies are given using a broad network approach, and the volume concludes with a discussion of the implications for social and public policy of a network perspective.

There is no shortage of political and moral commentary on family life. Frequently the underlying theme of these commentaries is the decline of contemporary family commitment, particularly when older people's family experiences are the focus. "Family Practices in Later Life" challenges many common stereotypes about the nature of family involvement as people age. The book explores diversity and change in the family relationships older people maintain, looking at how family relationships are constructed and organised in later life. It recognises that the emerging patterns are a consequence of the choices and decisions negotiated within family networks, emphasising older people's agency in the construction of their family practices. In exploring such themes as long-term marriage, sibling ties in later life and grandparenthood, the book highlights the continued significance of family connection and solidarity in later life, while recognizing that family relationships are inevitably modified over time as people's social and material circumstances alter. "Family Practices in Later Life" will be of interest to students, researchers and academics in the fields of social policy, family studies and social gerontology. It provides a valuable contribution to the developing field of critical social gerontology as well as to an understanding of family process.

Personal relationships have long been of central interest to social scientists, but the subject of friendship has been relatively neglected. Moreover, most studies of friendship have been social psychological. Placing Friendship in Context is a unique collection bridging social psychological and social structural research to advance understanding of this important subject. In it, some of the world's leading researchers explore the social and historical contexts in which friendships and other similar informal ties develop and how it is that these contexts shape the form and substance the relationships assume. Together, they demonstrate that friendship cannot be understood from individualistic or dyadic perspectives alone, but is a relationship significantly influenced by the environment in which it is generated. By analysing the ways in which friendships articulate with the social structures in which they are embedded, Placing Friendship in Context redescribes such personal relationships at both the macro and the micro level.

Personal relationships have long been of central interest to social scientists, but the subject of friendship has been relatively neglected. Moreover, most studies of friendship have been social psychological. Placing Friendship in Context is a unique collection bridging social psychological and social structural research to advance understanding of this important subject. In it, some of the world's leading researchers explore the social and historical contexts in which friendships and other similar informal ties develop and how it is that these contexts shape the form and substance the relationships assume.

All six episodes from the second series of the BBC crime drama starring Gillian Anderson as a Metropolitan Police detective drafted to Belfast to help on a puzzling murder case. Though her superiors aren't convinced, Stella Gibson (Anderson) continues her investigations into an alleged serial killer who has so far been successful at covering his tracks and evading capture. Meanwhile, the killer, Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan), remains true to his cause and seeks out his next victim.

Aimed at helping research students, working full- or part-time in the social sciences, to be as effective as possible in the pursuit of their degrees. Organized in three parts, the book discusses how to undertake a research degree, study and research skills and strategic approaches to research.

Examining the role of home and family in the latter part of the 20th century, this book covers such subjects as the single parent, institutions and homes, the role of the mother in the family, and domestic architecture and domestic life. Graham Allan has also written "A Sociology of Friendship and Kinship", "Family Life" and "Friendship: Developing a Sociological Perspective".

Examining the role of home and family in the latter part of the 20th century, this book covers such subjects as the single parent, institutions and homes, the role of the mother in the family, and domestic architecture and domestic life. Graham Allan has also written "A Sociology of Friendship and Kinship", "Family Life" and "Friendship: Developing a Sociological Perspective".

There is no shortage of political and moral commentary on family life. Frequently the underlying theme of these commentaries is the decline of contemporary family commitment, particularly when older people's family experiences are the focus. "Family Practices in Later Life" challenges many common stereotypes about the nature of family involvement as people age. The book explores diversity and change in the family relationships older people maintain, looking at how family relationships are constructed and organised in later life. It recognises that the emerging patterns are a consequence of the choices and decisions negotiated within family networks, emphasising older people's agency in the construction of their family practices.In exploring such themes as long-term marriage, sibling ties in later life and grandparenthood, the book highlights the continued significance of family connection and solidarity in later life, while recognizing that family relationships are inevitably modified over time as people's social and material circumstances alter. "Family Practices in Later Life" will be of interest to students, researchers and academics in the fields of social policy, family studies and social gerontology. It provides a valuable contribution to the developing field of critical social gerontology as well as to an understanding of family process.

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

Fertility rates have fallen dramatically around the world. In some
countries, there are no longer enough children being born to replace
adult populations. The disappearance of children is a matter of concern
matched only by fears that childhood is becoming too structured or not
structured enough, too short or too long, or just simply too different
from the idealized childhoods of the past.

The End of Children? brings together scholars who draw on
their expertise in multiple disciplines - sociology,
demography, history, anthropology, family studies, social work, and
education - to provide a more balanced, less alarmist
perspective on the meanings and implications of these issues. Contrary
to predictions of the end of children and the end of childhood, their
investigations of developments in Canada and the United States, and to
a lesser extent elsewhere in the world, show that fertility rates and
ideas about children and childhood are not uniform but rather vary
around the globe based on factors such as time, culture, class, income,
and age.

These timely explorations of how changing ideas about the child are
reshaping when and why people have children and how they choose to
raise them opens a new dialogue on the production and place of children
in modern society.

Nathanael Lauster is an assistant professor of
sociology at the University of British Columbia. Graham
Allan is professor emeritus of sociology at Keele University
in the United Kingdom.

Contributors: Graham Allan, Anita Ilta Garey, Mona
Gleason, Edward Kruk, Nathanael Lauster, Megan Lemmon, Todd F. Martin,
Adena B.K. Miller, Jay Teachman, Nicholas W. Townsend, Rebecca L.
Upton, James M. White, Mira Whyman, and Jing Zhao.

This volume brings together contributions on the study of sexual affairs in committed personal relationships. The editors enlisted colleagues with varied theoretical and methodological perspectives from Britain, the United States, and other countries. Together, their contributions provide a broad, cross-national perspective on affairs. Grounded in theoretical discussion, the chapters in this book introduce data collected by a broad range of methods, including attitude surveys, large statistical cohort studies, case studies, depth interviews, and group discussions. A number of contributors locate the theoretical discussion of affairs within the broader contemporary ordering of committed relationships, contrasting the liberating and empowering aspects of affairs with the damage they may inflict on society as a whole and on the lives of individuals and families. The themes of passion, transgression, secrecy, lies, betrayal, and gossip are common to a range of chapters throughout. The volume provides broad literature reviews and theoretical discussions concerning particular aspects of affairs, such as communication and jealousy. In addition, case studies are used for the more detailed exploration of heterosexual affairs and contemporary developments in gay male and lesbian relationships. The State of Affairs will be of interest to researchers, scholars, and students in social psychology; communication; sociology; family, social, and clinical psychology; and for practitioners in couple counseling.

Banach spaces and algebras are a key topic of pure mathematics. Graham Allan's careful and detailed introductory account will prove essential reading for anyone wishing to specialise in functional analysis and is aimed at final year undergraduates or masters level students. Based on the author's lectures to fourth year students at Cambridge University, the book assumes knowledge typical of first degrees in mathematics, including metric spaces, analytic topology, and complex analysis. However, readers are not expected to be familiar with the Lebesgue theory of measure and integration.
The text begins by giving the basic theory of Banach spaces, including dual spaces and bounded linear operators. It establishes forms of the theorems that are the pillars of functional analysis, including the Banach-Alaoglu, Hahn-Banach, uniform boundedness, open mapping, and closed graph theorems. There are applications to Fourier series and operators on Hilbert spaces.
The main body of the text is an introduction to the theory of Banach algebras. A particular feature is the detailed account of the holomorphic functional calculus in one and several variables; all necessary background theory in one and several complex variables is fully explained, with many examples and applications considered. Throughout, exercises at sections ends help readers test their understanding, while extensive notes point to more advanced topics and sources.
The book was edited for publication by Professor H. G. Dales of Leeds University, following the death of the author in August, 2007.

The contributors to this topical volume explore the role of family support in promoting the welfare of children and their families. They show how children can be supported in the development of their full potential despite adverse experiences. Family support enables children to access the variety of resources available to them in the multiplicity of contexts in which they live.;This book integrates concepts and experiences from an international perspective, different levels of analysis (society, community and family) and different loci of intervention (education, social services and local government). Specific areas covered include: principles of family and social support; social networks and social change in the family and the community; reciprocal; support between families,schools and the community; restoring the balance of control between parents and children; supporting young people who misuse drugs.;"Family Support" presents current knowledge about family support and sets out directions for future developments in thinking and service provision. It shows how an understanding of the complexity and potential of family support can inform and enrich the work of educators, professio