Books by Thomas J. Scheff

A sociological theory of mental illness, viewing the symptoms of mental illness as the violation of social norms. This third edition has been revised and expanded to encompass the controversy prompted by former editions and to re-evaluate developments in the field.

Fascinating study of one of the seminal sociologists of the twentieth century.

Moving beyond the traditional boundaries of sociological investigation, Thomas J. Scheff brings together the study of communication and the social psychology of emotions to explore the microworld of thoughts, feelings, and moods. Insisting on the significance of emotion in human relations, Scheff demonstrates the basic role of pride and shame in social bonding, their function as universal motives, and the disruption caused by failure to acknowledge these emotions in modern societies.