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In this lively introduction suitable for students at any level, Lena Dominelli explores the extraordinary scope and importance of social work. Using engaging examples from contemporary social work practice, she clearly answers questions about what social work is, how social workers work in a variety of settings and the clients they are likely to deal with. She tackles head on the dilemmas social workers face in their day-to-day work and the challenges of working with limited resources and marginalized social groups such as the elderly, the homeless and abused children. This work will affirm the valuable contribution social workers can make to human wellbeing and demonstrate how the promise and potential of social work can be, and is, realized.

How can we understand gender in the contemporary world? What differences now exist between women and men? How are masculinities and femininities made? And what is the impact of globalization on gender issues? Raewyn Connell, one of the world's leading scholars in the field, answers these questions and more. In this book she provides a readable introduction to modern gender studies, covering empirical research from all parts of the world in addition to theory and politics. As well as introducing the field, Gender provides a powerful contemporary framework for gender analysis with a distinctive global awareness. Highlighting the multi-dimensional character of gender relations, Connell shows how to link personal life with large-scale organizational structures and how gender politics changes its form in changing situations. The second edition of this influential and accessible book brings the review of research up to date and includes new discussions of gender theory in the global periphery, the legacy of colonialism, the intersection of structures, the impact of deconstructionist theory and politics, and understanding transsexual and transgender lives. Gender is engaged scholarship that moves from personal experience to global problems and offers a unique perspective on gender issues today.

International Relations only emerged as a discipline in its own right in the early twentieth century as scholars and practitioners sought to study the causes of war and the conditions for peace in a more systematic and sustained way. The philosophical foundations of the discipline, however, draw on centuries of thinking about human nature, political authority and the relations between political communities.In this book, Stephanie Lawson adopts a broad historical and contextual approach to introduce students to the central themes and theoretical perspectives in the study of world politics. In particular, she examines the development of the discipline’s central institution, the state, and explains the ways in which it has both shaped, and been shaped by, political norms. Lawson also looks at key issues in the contemporary world, including security and insecurity, global governance and world order and the impact of globalization on the state.The range of issues that the discipline now encompasses, together with the development of new theoretical approaches and an increasing openness to interdisciplinary work, make international relations an important and dynamic field of study in today’s world. This book will appeal to students of politics and international relations at undergraduate level and beyond, as well as anyone with a general interest in world affairs.

Hartley Dean explains the extraordinary scope and importance of social policy. Introducing social policy as a broadly conceived study of human wellbeing, this extensively updated third edition examines ways in which governments and peoples throughout the world attend to, promote, neglect or even undermine the things that make life worth living.

Television Studies provides an overview of the origins, central ideas, and intellectual traditions of television studies. For all those wondering how to study television, or even why to study television, this new edition will provide a clear and engaging overview of key topics--

This book provides a concise overview of development studies, tracing its evolution since the mid-20th century. Jeffrey Haynes explores key themes, theories, and factors influencing development, such as globalization, conflict, and human rights. It's ideal for students and anyone interested in the dynamics of the developing world.