Publishing with Purpose
Textbooks
Education is at the heart of our mission to make a difference. Our goal is to support students’ learning with materials that foster understanding, confidence and skills.
We have a diverse and growing programme of textbooks and learning resources that are designed for Social Science courses at university and college level. We take pride in publishing quality content at affordable prices, and we cater to a wide range of learning styles in print and digital formats.
All of our textbooks are available on e-inspection (order here, or use the links on the book pages).
Lecturers are welcome to request inspection copies for potential recommendation on their reading lists and for student and library purchase. In return, we just ask for feedback on the books’ suitability for teaching purposes, in order to help us develop our publishing. You can submit your feedback using our short survey here.
Take a look at our textbooks below or browse by subject.
In line with our commitment to sustainable practice and environmental responsibility, all our textbooks are available primarily on digital inspection for lecturers. A select number of our titles are available on print inspection. Please email bup-textbooks@bristol.ac.uk to enquire.
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If you have any queries, or if you need to order a print inspection copy due to a sight or physical impairment, please email bup-textbooks@bristol.ac.uk.
*A limit of 3 inspection copies may be requested at any one time. A limit of 8 inspection copies may be supplied per person per year.
The Well-Connected Community
A Networking Approach to Community Development
There is a growing recognition of the importance of networking for the vitality and cohesion of community life. Now in its third edition, and substantially updated, this textbook combines practical experience and theory for people working with and for communities.

GBP 21.99GBP 17.59 Add to basketGBP 21.99GBP 17.59 Add to basket
Using Theory to Explore Health, Medicine and Society
This student-friendly textbook uses theoretical perspectives to bring to life social theories relating to health and illness. including binge drinking, obesity, the prominence of therapy and the search for happiness.

GBP 24.99GBP 19.99 Add to basketGBP 75.00GBP 60.00 Add to basketGBP 24.99GBP 19.99 Add to basketGBP 24.99GBP 19.99
US Foreign Policy
Domestic Roots and International Impact
This textbook provides a valuable introduction to the construction and application of US foreign policy in the modern era, encouraging readers to think about how ideas, institutions and goals have been at work in the foreign policy of recent presidential administrations.

Urban reflections
Narratives of place, planning and change
Drawing on geographical, cinematic and photographic readings, this unique book looks at how places change, the role of planners in bringing about urban change, and the public's attitudes to that change.

GBP 29.99GBP 23.99 Add to basketGBP 77.99GBP 62.39 Add to basket
Unequal Health
The Scandal of Our Times
This book shows conclusively that inequalities in health are the scandal of our times in the most unequal of rich nations and calls for immediate action to reduce these inequalities in the near future.

GBP 27.99GBP 22.39 Add to basketGBP 80.00GBP 64.00 Add to basketGBP 27.99GBP 22.39 Add to basketGBP 27.99GBP 22.39
Understanding theories and concepts in social policy
This lively textbook, part of the successful Understanding Welfare series, helps us to understand policy, politics and practice. It combines an in-depth exploration of selected theoretical perspectives and concepts with a student-friendly format.

GBP 22.99GBP 18.39 Add to basketGBP 70.00GBP 56.00 Add to basketGBP 22.99GBP 18.39 Add to basketGBP 22.99GBP 18.39
Understanding the policy process
Analysing welfare policy and practice
Using core concepts of policy analysis "Understanding the policy process" builds up a full explanation of social policy change that can be applied to any aspect of welfare policy, public and social policy. This second edition of the book updates the first edition for the post-Blair era with international case studies from numerous countries.

GBP 24.99GBP 19.99 Add to basketGBP 24.99GBP 19.99 Add to basketGBP 24.99GBP 19.99
Understanding the mixed economy of welfare
Although state provision may have dominated in Britain since 1945, there is a growing movement towards welfare pluralism - a mixed economy of welfare - involving private, voluntary and informal sectors. This book, written by social policy and welfare experts, sheds light on this neglected area of social policy.

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Understanding the Mixed Economy of Welfare
This updated edition, written by social policy and welfare experts, shows how the mixed economy of welfare links with the important conceptual and policy debates.

GBP 21.99GBP 17.59 Add to basketGBP 75.00GBP 60.00 Add to basketGBP 21.99GBP 17.59GBP 21.99GBP 17.59 Add to basket
Understanding the environment and social policy
Using an international and multi-disciplinary approach, this book provides a timely overview of the current issues in environmentalism and social policy. It explores many current debates, including: cities, housing and transport; citizenship and care; employment and green jobs; environmental governance and legislation; and globalisation.

GBP 24.99GBP 19.99 Add to basketGBP 75.00GBP 60.00 Add to basketGBP 24.99GBP 19.99 Add to basketGBP 24.99GBP 19.99
Understanding the Cost of Welfare
A substantial, authoritative, third edition of this important textbook about the impact of economic priorities and pressures on social policies at a time when neo-liberal arguments for reducing the burden of welfare are more dominant than ever before.

GBP 27.99GBP 22.39 Add to basketGBP 75.00GBP 60.00 Add to basketGBP 27.99GBP 22.39 Add to basketGBP 27.99GBP 22.39
Understanding social welfare movements
"Understanding social welfare movements" is the first text to bring together social policy and social movement studies. The book provides a timely and much needed overview of the changing nature of social welfare as it has been shaped by the demands of social movements.

GBP 22.99GBP 18.39 Add to basketGBP 75.00GBP 60.00 Add to basketGBP 22.99GBP 18.39GBP 22.99GBP 18.39 Add to basket