Books published by Bristol University Press

Research on well-being reveals the significance of personal relationships, trust and participation to sustain quality of life, yet it is the economic model that remains the dominant basis for political and social institutions and policy. In this original book, Bill Jordan presents a new analysis of well-being in terms of social value, and outlines how it could be incorporated into public policy decisions. He argues that the grandiose attempt to maximise welfare and regulate social relations through contract, in line with the economic theory of information and incentives, is counterproductive for well-being. Instead, both the quality of personal experience and the restraints necessary for a convivial collective life would be better served by a focus on cultures and institutions. This book will be an essential text for academics and students in social theory, social welfare, public policy and governance. Bill Jordan is Professor of Social Policy at Plymouth and Huddersfield Universities. He has held visiting chairs in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Slovakia and Hungary. He worked for 20 years in the UK social services, and is the author of 25 books on social policy, social theory, politics and social work.

This edited collection brings together an international panel of contributors to explore ways of engaging with issues of religion and spirituality when carrying out social science research.

The key debate in this timely book is whether social policy and people's homes should be so closely connected, especially when housing markets are so volatile. The author argues that housing, having been a relatively neglected field of public policy, is now rightfully re-established as a major pillar of the post-industrial welfare state.

In this book the authors use evidence from the National Evaluation of the Children's Fund to explore the experiences of children and families who are most marginalised. They consider the historical context of approaches to child welfare, and present a new framework for understanding and developing preventative polices and practice.

The 2008 UK government Youth Crime Action Plan emphasises early intervention in work with young people who offend or considered to be 'at risk' of offending. This approach includes targeted work with families and a reduction in the numbers of young people entering the justice system. This report takes a critical look at early intervention policies.

A wide-ranging review of the literature relating to poverty and ethnicity has identified the stark differences in rates of poverty according to ethnic group. This review brings together the available evidence on different aspects of poverty and examines what has been studied in relation to its causes. A free pdf is available at www.jrf.org.uk

This book examines youth justice in a UK and international context, highlighting the challenge facing all jurisdictions in balancing welfare and justice. It explores the impact of political ideas and influences on the structural and practical challenges of delivering youth justice.

This book addresses the development of increasingly individualised public social services in the EU. It focuses particularly on activation services that have become crucial in the 'modernisation' of welfare states, comparing their introduction in the UK, Germany, Italy, Finland and the Czech Republic.

This book offers a critical examination of both the discourse and practice of participation in order to understand the significance of this explosion in participatory forums, and the extent to which such practices represent a fundamental change in governance.

The book is unique in drawing together contributors from a range of different disciplines to consider the issues and challenges involved for social work practice in multi agency working.

This book provides a wide-ranging review of existing writing and research on rural social services and explores some of the distinctive features of rural contexts and rural problems.

Policies to increase participation in learning need to concern themselves not only with increasing access and appreciating the different contexts in which learning takes place, but also with the different forms of learning. This report constitutes an exploratory study of the submerged mass of learning, which takes place informally and implicitly.

Drawing on the best available research evidence, 'Managing transitions' highlights issues common to all experiencing transition as well as the dilemmas specific to particular situations. It addresses significant transitions relevant to policy and practice, covering key transition points in social care from childhood to old age.

Following 5 years of systemic research exploring the efficacy and impact of Sure Start Local Programmes, this book pulls together, in a single volume, the results of the extensive National Evaluation of Sure Start (NESS).

Communities, identities and crime provides a critical exploration of the importance of social identities when considering crime, victimisation and criminal justice. Offering a refreshing perspective on equality and diversity developments that feature in the policies and practices of criminal justice agencies, the author critically examines: 'race' relations legislation, 'race' equality and criminal justice gender, crime and victimisation the increasing role that faith communities play in community justice hate crimes committed against individuals, motivated by prejudice community engagement and participation in criminal justice, community cohesion and civil renewal. The book incorporates a broader theoretical focus, exploring identity theory, late modernity, identity constructions, communities and belongingness. The author also raises important theoretical and methodological issues that a focus upon social identities poses for the subject discipline of criminology. Clearly written in an engaging style, with case studies and chapter questions used throughout, the book is essential reading for postgraduate students of criminology, criminal justice, social policy, sociology, victimology and law. Undergraduate students and criminal justice practitioners will also find the book informative and researchers will value its theoretical and policy focus.

Women's increased role in the labour market has combined with concerns about the damaging effects of long working hours to push time-related issues up the policy agenda in many Western nations. This wide-ranging and accessible book assesses policy alternatives in the light of feminist theory and factual evidence. The book introduces mainstream ideas on the nature and political significance of time and re-frames them from a feminist perspective to provide a critical overview of policies in Western welfare states. Themes covered include gender differences in time use and the impact of 'time poverty' on women's citizenship; the need to value time spent giving and receiving care; the social meanings of time and whether we can talk about 'women's time' and 'men's time'; and the role of the past in framing policy options today. The book is essential reading for all those interested in gender inequality, time-use or work/rest-of-life balance. It will be an invaluable resource for students and academics throughout the social sciences.

This book brings together perspectives from social science, health-care and pastoral theology, looking at the way death is handled in contemporary society and the sensitive ethical and practical dilemmas facing nurses, social workers, doctors and chaplains.

This timely book explores how changing territorial politics are impacting on social citizenship rights across the UK.

This book is a major contribution to contemporary gender and sexuality studies. At a time when transgender practices are the subject of increasing social and cultural visibility, it marks the first UK study of transgender identity formation. It is also the first examination - anywhere in the world - of transgender practices of intimacy and care. The author addresses changing government legislation concerning the citizenship rights of transgender people. She examines the impact of legislative shifts upon transgender people's identities, intimate relationships and practices of care and considers the implications for future social policy. The book encompasses key approaches from the fields of psychoanalysis, anthropology, lesbian and gay studies, sociology and gender theory. Drawing on extensive interviews with transgender people, TransForming gender offers engaging, moving, and, at times, humorous accounts of the experiences of gender transition. Written in an accessible style, it provides a vivid insight into the diversity of living gender in today's world. The book will be essential reading for students and professionals in cultural studies, gender studies and sexuality studies as well as those in sociology, social policy, law, politics and philosophy. It will also be of interest to health and educational students, trainers and practitioners. Sally Hines is a lecturer in sociology and social policy at the University of Leeds. Her teaching and research interests fall within the areas of identity, gender, sexuality, the body and citizenship.

This book offers a unique multi-disciplinary perspective on tackling health inequalities in a rich country, examining the New Labour policy agenda for tackling health inequalities and its inherent challenges.

Paul Spicker's new book takes the three founding principles of the French Revolution - Liberty, Equality, Fraternity - and examines how they relate to social policy today. The book considers the political and moral dimensions of a wide range of social policies, and offers a different way of thinking about each subject.

The starting point of Ann Oakley's fascinating book is the fracture of her right arm in the grounds of a hotel in the USA. What begins as an accident becomes a journey into some critical themes of modern Western culture: the crisis of embodiment and the perfect self; the confusion between body and identity; the commodification of bodies and body parts; the intrusive surveillance and profiteering of medicine and the law; the problem of ageing; and the identification of women, particularly, with bodies - from the intensely ambiguous two-in-one state of pregnancy to women's later transformation into unproductive, brittle skeletons. Fracture mixes personal experience (the author's and other people's) with 'facts' derived from other literatures, including the history of medicine, neurology, the sociology of health and illness, philosophy, and legal discourses on the right to life and people as victims of a greedy litigation system. The book's genre spans fiction/non-fiction, autobiography and social theory.

This important book brings together some of the best known international scholars working within a critical gerontology perspective to review and update our understanding of how the field has developed over and provide a challenging assessment of the complex practical and ethical issues facing older people, and those who conduct research on ageing.

This book provides a much-needed introductory guide to the issues surrounding pension policy and offers a critique of some of the dominant ideas and assumptions. Noting the intense debate that currently surrounds the subject, the book explores a wider view of the continuing issues about pension policy.

New Zealand has experienced both sweeping economic and social reform and growing poverty and income inequality in the last twenty years. This book explores the changes to social security provision and coverage in the context of these developments and of widening national and international poverty and inequality.

This book provides a critical analysis of ways in which risk assessment and management are defined and applied in policy, theory and practice in relation to children and young people. It explores the complexities of balancing responsibility for protecting the young with the benefits of risk-taking and the need to allow experimentation.

This book builds upon popular texts addressing anti-discriminatory frameworks but focuses specifically upon black perspectives in social work. It addresses new developments and charts the impact of social changes and new literature shaping social work theory and practice with black and minority individuals, families and communities.

Drawing on research integrated with practitioner experience, this book creates fresh 'practice wisdom' for engaging effectively with offenders. Recognising that there are no instant solutions to changing offending behaviour, it provides a practice text encouraging a sense of confidence, enhancing readers' skill when working with offenders.

This Handbook is the definitive resource for anyone wishing to quickly look up and understand key concepts and measurements relating to socioeconomic position and inequalities.

The book provides an essential background to understanding debates surrounding immigration and refugee policy. It examines different theoretical approaches to immigration and explores links between immigration policy, welfare and social exclusion, as well as documenting migrants' experiences in negotiating and challenging these policies.