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Ideas in Profile: Small Introductions to Big TopicsIn a world that is constantly changing, understanding the world has never been more important. But by thinking in neat segments, we miss the big picture. When economists think about globalisation, they often see trade; politicians see institutions and power; artists see a new global aesthetic. Social theory is what sees them all together.Renowned theorist William Outhwaite takes us on a journey through the major thinkers and topics of this often misunderstood discipline. We move from the the work of Rousseau to the still powerful insights of Marx and on to the great sociologists, Weber and Durkheim. We probe the big questions - why is religion powerful, where does capitalism come from - and move through the key ideas of the twentieth century thought from the Frankfurt School to Bourdieu and Giddens. Lastly Outhwaite questions the role of social theory today. Where does this vital discipline go next and how will its wide horizons help us stand up to the challenge of the twenty-first century?

Ideas in Profile: Small Introductions to Big TopicsAt the heart of criticism lies one question: What do you think of it? Every time we comment on an artefact, whether a poem, a play, a painting, a novel or a piano concerto, we are acting as critics, making our own judgements and interpretations. Among the most fundamental of human intellectual activities, criticism offers a starting point for many of our journeys towards understanding.Focusing particularly on stories, plays and poems, Criticism traces the central concepts and controversies in criticism, from Plato to Derrida, and from Romanticism to the death of the author. In the process, it reflects on criticism itself, the possibilities and options that confront casual readers, as well as reviewers, members of reading groups, students and teachers of English. How far do we make conscious choices about how and what we read (or view)? What do we conventionally look for in fiction? And what might we look for if we went beyond the conventional?

One of the world's leading thinkers on truth explains what it is, the different ways of approaching and understanding it, and why it matters.

A short, authoritative and lively introduction to feminism.

A sparkling introduction to the Ancient World that brings its peoples and cultures vividly to life.

An accessible introduction to politics from David Runciman, Professor of Politics at Cambridge University. The first title in the IDEAS IN PROFILE series - world class introductions to topics that matter.

A clear and accessible introduction to geography by two experts in the topic, part of the Ideas in Profile series.

A richly detailed guide to our culture, our history, our heritage and our art from religious painting to postmodernism by one of the world's greatest art historians.