Policy Press

Sociology and Social Theory

Sociology is a growth area for us and our books in sociology and social theory include exciting work from new authors and well-known academics, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate textbooks.

Our wide range of sociology and social theory books include high quality research and range from textbooks through to specialised monographs. Many also ‘make a difference’ in a tangible way, whether it be informing a key policy or practice debate, or improving the education of students.

Showing 1-12 of 285 items.

The Dynamics of Young Fatherhood

Understanding the Parenting Journeys and Support Needs of Young Fathers

Around 1 in 10 children born in the UK are fathered by men under the age of 25, and this book tackles the overlooked views and needs of these young fathers. Challenging negative popular and media discourses, this book showcases future policy and practice directions designed to nurture the potential of these young men and their children.

Policy Press

The Degree Generation

The Making of Unequal Graduate Lives

This book traces the transition to the graduate labour market of a cohort of middle-class and working-class young people. Using personal stories and voices, it provides fascinating insights into their experience of graduate employment and how their life-course transitions are shaped by their social backgrounds and education.

Bristol Uni Press

Redemptive Criminology

Challenging concepts and practices of rehabilitation, this text draws on criminology, philosophy and theology to develop a theory of ‘redemptive criminology’ that could revolutionise the rehabilitation system. It offers new insights into punishment and retribution and explores the connections between victims, perpetrators and the community.

Bristol Uni Press

Case Studies of Famous Trials and the Construction of Guilt and Innocence

From the trials of Oscar Pistorius to O. J. Simpson and Michael Jackson, this innovative book provides a critical review of 11 high profile criminal cases. It delivers an accessible examination of the sociological and psychological processes underpinning the construction of guilt and innocence in criminal trials, the media and wider society.

Bristol Uni Press

Disproportionate Minority Contact and Racism in the US

How We Failed Children of Color

Drawing on original data, this book addresses the issue of color-blind racism through an examination of the circular logic used by the juvenile justice system to criminalize non-White youth. It calls for a need to understand racial inequality in the justice system from a structural perspective rather than simply at the level of individual bias.

Bristol Uni Press

Medical Doctors in Health Reforms

A Comparative Study of England and Canada

Health and legal experts from England and Canada consider the influence of medical doctors on reforms in this comparative study. With reflections on participation since the inception of publicly-funded healthcare systems, they show how the status of doctors affects change.

Policy Press

The Criminalisation of Social Policy in Neoliberal Societies

From anti-terrorism agendas, to the punishment of the poor and the governance of parenting, this book explores how diverse fields of social policy intersect more deeply than ever with crime control and in so doing, deploy troubling strategies.

Bristol Uni Press

The Growing Challenge of Youth Unemployment in Europe and America

A Cross-Cultural Perspective

This book provides a culturally nuanced analysis of key issues relating to youth unemployment. Examining the causes and consequences of youth unemployment, it assesses ways forward to promote economic self-sufficiency.

Bristol Uni Press

Men’s Activism to End Violence Against Women

Voices from Spain, Sweden and the UK

EPUB and EPDF available Open Access under CC-BY-NC-ND licence. This book draws attention to those men who take action to end violence against women. The authors demonstrate what we can learn from their experiences to help build the movement to end violence against women.

Policy Press

Criminal Justice and the Pursuit of Truth

Can the criminal justice system achieve justice based on its ability to determine the truth? This book investigates the concept of truth and scrutinises how well the criminal justice process facilitates truth-finding. It bridges the gap between what people expect from the justice system and what it can legitimately deliver.

Bristol Uni Press

The Public and Their Platforms

Public Sociology in an Era of Social Media

Cutting across multiple disciplines, this book maps out a new role for the public sociologist in the post-COVID world. It envisions a new kind of public sociology that brings together “the digital” and "the physical” to create public spaces where critical scholarship and active civic engagement can meet in a mutually reinforcing way.

Bristol Uni Press

History and Memories of the Domestic Violence Movement

We've Come Further Than You Think

In this captivating book, activist and scholar Gill Hague recounts the inspiring story of the violence against women movement in the UK and beyond from 1960s onwards, examining the transformatory politics behind this movement through an important historical and international lens.

Policy Press