Books in the Sage Swifts series

This is an interdisciplinary examination of populism as a factor in global change, drawing on international politics, sociology, and global studies.

An investigation across the public sector into inspection regimes, audits, and performance targets

David Seedhouse highlights the alarming irrelevance of inclusive democracy in the governmental responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, asking why decision-makers so readily ignored centuries of hard-won civil freedoms? Why were we so easily controlled and why were our controllers so willing to do it? Before suggesting that this flawed governmental response is the perfect argument for an extensive, participatory democracy.

Andy Ruddock imparts a theoretically well-rounded analysis of digital media's effect on us, with pedagogy and case studies that draw the reader in.

This new title explores the role of teaching within the modern university and the impact of the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF), providing a critical analysis of recent policy reforms designed to increase competition and choice in higher education and what these mean for the sector.

The Varieties of Grounded Theory explores the range and depth of grounded theory methodology, and the ways in which discussions in the field have developed and expanded in recent years.

Putting forth the argument for reframing psychology as a natural science, this book employs as a model the principle of Homeostasis, exploring how the theory is applicable to major areas of human behaviour across psychology including perception, learning, stress, addiction, well-being and consciousness.

Looking at the rise of the auto-industrial economy and evaluating its effect on modern society, this book provides a succinct exploration that will be of interest across the social sciences

An academic counterpart to Machiavelli's The Prince, this is a witty and controversial examination of the current crisis in higher education

Examines the complex logics, platforms, practices, and contents of contemporary communication processes by exploring their potential and practical implications for political participation.

Going beyond individualised discussions, this book explores broader concepts such as the social construction of 'anti-social behaviour', 'risk' and 'resilience', and the social contents and influences under which these are most likely to occur. It is suitable for postgraduate students in anti-social behaviour across criminology, and social work.

In this concise, theoretically-focused and empirically grounded book, Zapata-Barrero outlines the foundations of the intercultural policy paradigm that is emerging within diversity and migration studies.

There is a war on for the future of the university worldwide. The stakes are high, and they reach deep into our social condition. This book analyses the position, and argues for the necessity of taking sides with the latter. It does so with a sense of urgency, because the market fundamentalists are on the march.

The author has been involved in a dispute with his employer, Lancaster University, about what he sees as irregularities in the REF process. In this title, he criticizes the REF for discouraging innovation and harming staff morale, and questions the REF's claim to provide 'expert review of the outputs' - the very heart of its legitimacy.

In Society in the Digital Age: An Interactionist Perspective, William Housley explores the ways interactionist thinking contributes to our understanding of current trends and topics within digital sociology.

Questioning Performance Measurement: Metrics, Organizations and Power is the first book to interrogate the organizational turn towards performance metrics critically. Performance measurement is used to evaluate a diverse range of activities throughout the private, public and non-governmental sectors. But in an increasingly data driven world, what does it really mean to measure ‘performance’?

Drawing on a comparative study of political rhetoric in three countries ¿ Austria, Denmark and Sweden ¿ alongside examples from the UK and Germany, this acutely topical book explores anti-immigration rhetoric and discrimination that¿s being used to redefine the language of migration in Europe. It highlights the the strong rise of radical and populist right-wing parties and critiques the language they use, with perspectives and methods from both political science and critical discourse analysis.

Examines the use of digital technology in the early stages of child development and the way in which learning techniques have evolved in classrooms across the world.

David Walker, a leading UK journalist, critically explores both the history of and the contemporary challenges faced by the main public funding body for social science in the UK - the ESRC.

Part of the SAGE Swifts series, this book examines the changing and competing conceptualizations of the political and the social in the Western European intellectual tradition, in particular, the way in which political thought and its consequences in action have become divorced from social and cultural experience.

Applying theories of 'post-emotionalism' to the issue of 'the bully' as a social type, this book includes case studies that focus on bullying and hazing, examined by the case of an American solider who committed suicide in Afghanistan, torture at Abu Ghraib, and the murder of a 23-year-old African-American inmate in a Southern state prison.

Broad-ranging and thought-provoking analysis of the mental health crisis examining the current challenges in mental health service delivery and access using a range of perspectives

An up to date, topical book which explores how society and politics are being shaped by the rise of technology, for good and for bad. Written for both an academic and general audience, this book examines how technology has the power to reshape our civic participation, our economic and political governance, and our entire existence.

A critical and interdisciplinary exploration of the role of international copyright in today's global, networked economy.

A fascinating exploration of 'media pilgrimage' and what it tells us about our obsessions with celebrity and our desire for meaning and identity in an uncertain world.

A cutting edge exploration of how the digital revolution is challenging our notion of 'self' and 'presence'. Miller illustrates how ubiquitous communication technologies have created a disjuncture between how we think we exist in the world, and how we actually do exist through our use of mobile media and the Internet in constructing our online selves.