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Re-released with a new introduction, and to coincide with a film of
the same title (directed by the author), Mad To Be Normal is the
memoir R. D. Laing never lived to write. In the last two years of
Laing's life, he recorded hundreds of hours of conversation with
Robert Mullan in which he was determined to be as frank and open as
possible, and equally determined to 'put the record straight'. R.
D. Laing wrote a number of books during the 1960s which rocked the
foundations of conventional psychiatry and galvanized the
imagination of millions of ordinary readers. His views were against
the grain of conventional psychiatry - his existential approach to
madness was controversial, and his work brought into focus matters
of individual liberty and the importance of the social context of
'illness'. The greatest accusation he suffered was that he
idealised mental misery - something he consistently denied. Mad to
be Normal presents Laing's own words, about his work and about his
life. It is the most complete record on Laing, by
Laing.Entertaining, maddening, surprising, impressive, occasionally
scurrilous, and evoking a compelling portrait of the heady and
sometimes self-regarding mood of the 1960s and early l970s, this
books necessitates a reassessment of Laing and his work; work which
is part of a lengthier and on-going process concerned with the
routine care of those disturbed in mind.
A study of particular aspects of the politics of planning a new
town, this book, originally published in 1980, covers events from
the inception of Stevenage in 1946 up to 1978. As a case study, the
focus is on two expansion schemes, which were intended to extend
the designated area of the town, and on the public protest that the
two schemes engendered. Emphasis is placed on the structure and
action of three groups of people: the ‘urban managers’ – the
Stevenage Development Corporation; Stevenage industrialists; and
local organisations engaged in protest. The theoretical focus is on
the thesis of ‘urban managerialism’: the book examines the
constraints placed upon both the structure and action of the
Stevenage urban managers over the previous thirty years. In showing
how matters work in practice, it directs light on issues of theory
which other sociologists of planning, such as Pickvance and
Castells, had only discussed in the abstract. The author argues
that the experience of Stevenage illustrates a case of urban policy
(particularly in housing and employment) being determined by the
interests of industry alone, while at the same time pointing to the
interrelationship of Stevenage industry and the town’s
Development Corporation. He examines the membership, strategies and
aims of the various protest groups involved over the years, and
casts considerable doubt on the notion that the groups were ‘for
democracy’ and ‘against bureaucracy’. Finally, he concludes,
controversially, that in Stevenage’s case, public participation
and protest were basically irrelevant to the decision-making
processes.
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The Mating Trade
Robert Mullan
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R991
Discovery Miles 9 910
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Ships in 12 - 17 working days
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Are marriages made in heaven? In reality many people need a little
help in the arrangement of such matters, whether from Jewish
shadkhans (matchmakers), go-betweens, computer or video-dating
agencies, marriage bureaux, Asian arranged marriages, gay dating
agencies or personal ads. Originally published in 1984, the
author’s clear-sighted look at the mating trade takes some of the
mystique away from the subject and is the first serious and
detailed account of the ‘third party’ in marriage. Dr Mullan
looks at the ‘singles scene’ and the ‘arranged marriage’
historically and cross-culturally, and makes it clear that there is
nothing necessarily odd or deviant about the mating trade. It is a
business like any other, and as long as people continue to want
‘perfect partners’, marriage, permanent relationships, dates
and sex, and while evolving social structures make such demands
ever more difficult to meet, the business will thrive. It could
even expand and grow, but the author believes that first it will
have to clean up its act!
Originally published in 1987, this edition in 1996, Sociologists on
Sociology is a unique and sometimes controversial account of the
development, disputes and the future of sociology as seen through
the eyes of eleven of the world’s leading sociologists at the
time. Consisting of interviews with – Anthony Giddens, Robert K.
Merton, Howard Becker, Peter Townsend, Ralf Dahrendorf, Peter
Worsley, Stuart Hall, John Rex, Michael Mann, Laurie Taylor and Ann
Oakley – the book explores such crucial issues as the nature of
deviance, the scientific status of sociology, the relationship of
Marxism and sociology, the contours of race and class, feminism,
relevance of ethnomethodology and the procedures of participant
observation. The contributions of such figures as Goffman, Mills,
Parsons, Weber and Foucault are assessed, and in clear and concise
language the contributors discuss their own theoretical interests
and empirical work in the field. Students and practitioners of the
social sciences will find the book a fascinating and a uniquely
direct insight into the thoughts of sociology’s leading figures
and a remarkable cumulative assessment of the state of the
discipline itself.
In 2011, Englishman Robert Mullan began an almost impossible film
project: namely, to finance and shoot a film in 3 languages -
Lithuanian, Russian, and Polish - neither of which he could read,
write, or speak. Mullan realized that the project would entail him
shooting with Lithuanian actors, in various cities in Lithuania and
Russia, and that he would then be preparing the film with English
subtitles. But, Mullan was undeterred. The project had its genesis
when, while working in Kaunas as a volunteer university lecturer in
psychology, Mullan learned about the relatively unknown Lithuanian
artist and composer, Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis. This man
had produced over 300 paintings and sketches, composed over 300
musical pieces (including two symphonic poems), fought for the
independence of his small nation from the control of imperial
Russia, fell in love with a fellow activist, and then died,
tragically, at the young age of 35. And so began the project.
Mullan decided to keep a diary, not only to record day-to-day
events and thoughts while filming, but also to provide a guide as
how not to finance and produce a feature film. The diary includes
both amusing and less-funny moments, for example: the crew's
encounter with Russian border guards as they entered the country to
shoot some scenes in St. Petersburg * the endless problems with the
translation of the script * continual arguments with co-producers *
the ongoing quest for money and the belief that funds would run out
before the completion of the film * an unexpected diagnosis of
cancer * magnificent music * startling paintings. The film -
Letters to Sofija - was finally completed, edited in London, and
shown in Vilnius, Chicago, and London. The film will be distributed
internationally. This book documents Mullan's experiences in the
making of Letters to Sofia.
Originally published in 1996, ethnic minorities in the UK made up
over 5% of the population yet were hardly represented in the
hundreds of hours of terrestrial broadcast television each week.
The blatant racism of The Black and White Minstrel Show was over,
but more subtle forms of racism were piped into our living rooms in
an endless stream of white-dominated programming. ‘Comedies’
and soaps presented non-whites as a sort of joke humanity –
stereotypical, simple and amusingly childish. Serious programmes
swelled on the negative aspects of ethnicity: race as a problem,
cultural clashes and language barriers. Above all – not white
equals not normal. For many years critics of popular television
argued that such imbalance was harmful. The lack of positive
non-white TV role models for children to identify with was leading
to growing alienation and disaffection. Ethnic minorities
increasingly defined themselves in opposition to white
institutions. They were turning towards separate channels –
narrow-casting – provided to meet their own TV needs. Based on
both extensive survey research and interviews with actual viewers,
Not a Pretty Picture investigates the whole issue of TV and ethnic
minority viewers at the time: their viewing choices, their
criticisms, their feeling about the way they are portrayed. The
conclusions are damning: for most of Britain’s ethnic minority
communities TV was a white medium, predominantly controlled by
whites, portraying white culture and denying non-whites a voice.
Not a Pretty Picture, however, provides a voice for these views and
a valuable insight into the way ethnic minorities see TV. Today it
can be read in its historical context, to see how far we have come,
as well as what still needs to be done.
Originally published in 1987, this edition in 1996, Sociologists on
Sociology is a unique and sometimes controversial account of the
development, disputes and the future of sociology as seen through
the eyes of eleven of the world's leading sociologists at the time.
Consisting of interviews with - Anthony Giddens, Robert K. Merton,
Howard Becker, Peter Townsend, Ralf Dahrendorf, Peter Worsley,
Stuart Hall, John Rex, Michael Mann, Laurie Taylor and Ann Oakley -
the book explores such crucial issues as the nature of deviance,
the scientific status of sociology, the relationship of Marxism and
sociology, the contours of race and class, feminism, relevance of
ethnomethodology and the procedures of participant observation. The
contributions of such figures as Goffman, Mills, Parsons, Weber and
Foucault are assessed, and in clear and concise language the
contributors discuss their own theoretical interests and empirical
work in the field. Students and practitioners of the social
sciences will find the book a fascinating and a uniquely direct
insight into the thoughts of sociology's leading figures and a
remarkable cumulative assessment of the state of the discipline
itself.
Are marriages made in heaven? In reality many people need a little
help in the arrangement of such matters, whether from Jewish
shadkhans (matchmakers), go-betweens, computer or video-dating
agencies, marriage bureaux, Asian arranged marriages, gay dating
agencies or personal ads. Originally published in 1984, the
author's clear-sighted look at the mating trade takes some of the
mystique away from the subject and is the first serious and
detailed account of the 'third party' in marriage. Dr Mullan looks
at the 'singles scene' and the 'arranged marriage' historically and
cross-culturally, and makes it clear that there is nothing
necessarily odd or deviant about the mating trade. It is a business
like any other, and as long as people continue to want 'perfect
partners', marriage, permanent relationships, dates and sex, and
while evolving social structures make such demands ever more
difficult to meet, the business will thrive. It could even expand
and grow, but the author believes that first it will have to clean
up its act!
Originally published in 1996, ethnic minorities in the UK made up
over 5% of the population yet were hardly represented in the
hundreds of hours of terrestrial broadcast television each week.
The blatant racism of The Black and White Minstrel Show was over,
but more subtle forms of racism were piped into our living rooms in
an endless stream of white-dominated programming. 'Comedies' and
soaps presented non-whites as a sort of joke humanity -
stereotypical, simple and amusingly childish. Serious programmes
swelled on the negative aspects of ethnicity: race as a problem,
cultural clashes and language barriers. Above all - not white
equals not normal. For many years critics of popular television
argued that such imbalance was harmful. The lack of positive
non-white TV role models for children to identify with was leading
to growing alienation and disaffection. Ethnic minorities
increasingly defined themselves in opposition to white
institutions. They were turning towards separate channels -
narrow-casting - provided to meet their own TV needs. Based on both
extensive survey research and interviews with actual viewers, Not a
Pretty Picture investigates the whole issue of TV and ethnic
minority viewers at the time: their viewing choices, their
criticisms, their feeling about the way they are portrayed. The
conclusions are damning: for most of Britain's ethnic minority
communities TV was a white medium, predominantly controlled by
whites, portraying white culture and denying non-whites a voice.
Not a Pretty Picture, however, provides a voice for these views and
a valuable insight into the way ethnic minorities see TV. Today it
can be read in its historical context, to see how far we have come,
as well as what still needs to be done.
A study of particular aspects of the politics of planning a new
town, this book, originally published in 1980, covers events from
the inception of Stevenage in 1946 up to 1978. As a case study, the
focus is on two expansion schemes, which were intended to extend
the designated area of the town, and on the public protest that the
two schemes engendered. Emphasis is placed on the structure and
action of three groups of people: the 'urban managers' - the
Stevenage Development Corporation; Stevenage industrialists; and
local organisations engaged in protest. The theoretical focus is on
the thesis of 'urban managerialism': the book examines the
constraints placed upon both the structure and action of the
Stevenage urban managers over the previous thirty years. In showing
how matters work in practice, it directs light on issues of theory
which other sociologists of planning, such as Pickvance and
Castells, had only discussed in the abstract. The author argues
that the experience of Stevenage illustrates a case of urban policy
(particularly in housing and employment) being determined by the
interests of industry alone, while at the same time pointing to the
interrelationship of Stevenage industry and the town's Development
Corporation. He examines the membership, strategies and aims of the
various protest groups involved over the years, and casts
considerable doubt on the notion that the groups were 'for
democracy' and 'against bureaucracy'. Finally, he concludes,
controversially, that in Stevenage's case, public participation and
protest were basically irrelevant to the decision-making processes.
This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy
Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive
selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to
reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional
imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor
pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues
beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we
have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting,
preserving and promoting the world's literature.
This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy
Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive
selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to
reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional
imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor
pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues
beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we
have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting,
preserving and promoting the world's literature.
This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy
Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive
selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to
reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional
imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor
pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues
beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we
have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting,
preserving and promoting the world's literature.
  Why do people go to zoos? Is the role of zoos to
entertain or to educate?
       In this
provocative book, the authors demonstrate that zoos tell us as
       much about humans
as they do about animals and suggest that while animals
       may not need
zoos, urban societies seem to. Â Â Â Â Â
A new introduction takes note of dramatic changes in the perceived
role        of zoos that
have occurred since the book's original publication.
     "Bob Mullan and Garry Marvin
delve into the assumptions about animals
       that are embedded
in our culture. . . . A thought-provoking glimpse of
       our own ideas
about the exotic, the foreign." -- Tess Lemmon, BBC
       Wildlife Magazine
     "A thoughtful and entertaining
guided tour." -- David White,
       New Society
     "[An] unusual and intriguing
combination of historical survey, psychological
       enquiry, and
compendium of fascinating facts." -- Evening Standard Â
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