Thinking Sociologically

Zygmunt Bauman is a world--renowned sociologist, known for his recent groundbreaking work in social theory. His book Modernity and the Holocaust won the distinguished Amalfi prize for the best sociology book of 1989. He is also the author of Postmodern Ethics (Blackwell, 1993), Life in Fragments: Essays in Postmodern Morality (Blackwell, 1995), Liquid Modernity (Polity, 2000) and Individualized Society (Polity, 2000). Tim May is Professor of Sociology at the University of Salford. He is the author of Social Research: Issues, Methods, and Process (third edition, 2001); Situating Social Theory (1996) and editor of Qualitative Research in Action (2002); co--author, with Malcolm Williams, of Introduction to the Philosophy of Social Research (1996), with whom he also co--edited Knowing the Social World (1998).

Acknowledgements. Preface to the Second Edition. Introduction: The Discipline of Sociology. Part I: Action, Identity and Understanding in Everyday Life. 1. Oneself with Others. 2. Viewing and Sustaining Our Lives. 3. The Bonds that Unite: Speaking of a Wea . Part II: Living our Lives: Challenges, Choices and Constraints. 4. Decisions and Actions: Power, Choice and Moral Duty. 5. Making it Happen: Gifts, Exchange and Intimacy in Relationships. 6. Care of Our Selves: The Body, Health and Sexuality. 7. Time, Space and (Dis)Order. 8. Drawing Boundaries: Culture, Nature, State and Territory. 9. The Business in Everyday Life: Consumption, Technology and Lifestyles. Part III: Looking Back and Looking Forward. 10. Thinking Sociologically. Questions for Reflection and Further Reading. Index.