An introduction to sociology : feminist perspectives / Pamela Abbott, Claire Wallace and Melissa Tyler.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

This third edition of this best-selling book confirms the ongoing centrality of feminist perspectives and research to the sociological enterprise, and introduces students to the wide range of feminist contributions in key areas of sociological concern. Completely revised, this edition includes:

In addition, the theoretical elements have also been fully rethought in light of recent developments in social theory. Written by three experienced teachers and examiners, this book gives students of sociology and women's studies an accessible overview of the feminist contribution to all the key areas of sociological concern.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• List of tables (p. ix)
• Preface (p. xi)
• Acknowledgments (p. xvii)
• 1 Introduction: feminism and the sociological imagination (p. 1)
• Setting the agenda (p. 1)
• Gendering the sociological imagination (p. 4)
• Ideologies of sexual difference (p. 6)
• The sex-gender distinction (p. 8)
• The feminist critique of malestream sociology (p. 9)
• Towards a feminist sociology (p. 11)
• Conclusions (p. 14)
• Summary (p. 14)
• Further reading (p. 15)
• 2 Feminist sociological theory (p. 16)
• Feminist perspectives and sociology (p. 17)
• An invitation to feminist sociology (p. 18)
• The insights of sociology (p. 19)
• The historical context of sociology (p. 21)
• Theory and theorising (p. 23)
• Feminist theory (p. 27)
• Feminist debates on sexual difference (p. 29)
• Feminist theoretical perspectives (p. 31)
• Postfeminism (p. 51)
• Conclusions (p. 55)
• Summary (p. 56)
• Further reading (p. 56)
• 3 Stratification and inequality (p. 57)
• Gender-based stratification (p. 59)
• Social class-based stratification (p. 64)
• Race, ethnicity and stratification (p. 70)
• Disability and stratification (p. 76)
• Global stratification (p. 80)
• Conclusions (p. 87)
• Summary (p. 87)
• Further reading (p. 88)
• 4 Education (p. 89)
• Girls' educational achievements (p. 91)
• The history of girls' education in Britain (p. 95)
• Explaining girls' continued disadvantage (p. 99)
• Global inequalities in literacy and education (p. 107)
• Feminist perspectives on education (p. 109)
• Masculinity and education (p. 114)
• Conclusions (p. 115)
• Summary (p. 115)
• Further reading (p. 116)
• 5 The life course (p. 117)
• Childhood (p. 117)
• Adolescence (p. 126)
• Adulthood (p. 132)
• Ageing (p. 135)
• Conclusions (p. 141)
• Summary (p. 142)
• Further reading (p. 143)
• 6 The family and the household (p. 144)
• Sociological perspectives on the family (p. 145)
• Feminist approaches to the family (p. 147)
• Industrialisation and the origins of the family wage (p. 148)
• Diversity in family forms and practices (p. 151)
• Familial ideology (p. 157)
• Gendered experiences of family life (p. 158)
• Conclusions (p. 168)
• Summary (p. 169)
• Further reading (p. 170)
• 7 Health, illness and caring (p. 171)
• Women and medicine (p. 172)
• Iatrogenic medicine (p. 180)
• Gender, power and medicine (p. 183)
• Women as providers of health care (p. 190)
• Conclusions (p. 196)
• Summary (p. 197)
• Further reading (p. 197)
• 8 Sexuality (p. 198)
• Essentialist perspectives on sexuality (p. 199)
• Sociological perspectives on sexuality (p. 203)
• Postmodern sexualities (p. 206)
• Feminist perspectives on sexuality (p. 210)
• Women's sexual experiences and attitudes (p. 213)
• Sexuality and power relations (p. 215)
• Race, ethnicity and sexuality (p. 225)
• Sexuality and HIV/AIDS (p. 226)
• Conclusions (p. 228)
• Summary (p. 229)
• Further reading (p. 229)
• 9 Work and organisation (p. 231)
• Gender ideology and the sexual division of labour (p. 232)
• Industrialisation and the gendered organisation of work (p. 234)
• The gendered division of domestic labour (p. 236)
• Men, women and the labour market (p. 240)
• Feminist studies of the workplace (p. 250)
• Gender and the professions (p. 258)
• Managerial work (p. 261)
• Sexuality and work (p. 264)
• Explaining the gendered labour market (p. 265)
• The changing nature of work (p. 267)
• Conclusions (p. 270)
• Summary (p. 270)
• Further reading (p. 271)
• 10 Crime, violence and criminal justice (p. 272)
• Explaining crime - women as criminals (p. 272)
• Men, women and crime (p. 274)
• The need for feminist theory (p. 278)
• Feminist theories of crime (p. 279)
• Violence, fear and social control (p. 286)
• Crimes against women (p. 288)
• Women, violence and male power (p. 299)
• Conclusions (p. 300)
• Summary (p. 301)
• Further reading (p. 301)
• 11 Politics (p. 303)
• Men, women and voting studies (p. 303)
• Defining feminist politics (p. 306)
• Feminist political activism (p. 307)
• Women and the state (p. 311)
• Conclusions (p. 316)
• Summary (p. 316)
• Further reading (p. 316)
• 12 Mass media and popular culture (p. 318)
• 'Culture': a brief history of the concept (p. 322)
• The sociology of culture and the emergence of cultural studies (p. 323)
• Cultural studies as ideology studies (p. 325)
• Studying media culture (p. 327)
• Sociological perspectives on media culture (p. 329)
• Youth culture and rebellion (p. 335)
• Postmodern cultural forms (p. 338)
• The feminist critique of cultural studies (p. 340)
• Feminist studies of media culture (p. 344)
• Masculinity and media culture (p. 351)
• Feminist perspectives on language (p. 354)
• New media technologies and cyberfeminism (p. 359)
• Conclusions (p. 361)
• Summary (p. 363)
• Further reading (p. 363)
• 13 Feminist knowledge (p. 364)
• Doing feminist research (p. 366)
• Feminist epistemologies (p. 370)
• Epistemic communities (p. 382)
• Conclusions (p. 383)
• Summary (p. 384)
• Further reading (p. 385)
• References (p. 386)
• Additional web-based resources (p. 411)
• Author index (p. 412)

Author notes provided by Syndetics