Summary
Contents
Subject index
Sharp, bold and engaging, this book provides a contemporary account of why medical sociology matters in our modern society.
Combining theoretical and empirical perspectives, and applying the pragmatic demands of policy, this timely book explores society's response to key issues such as race, gender and identity to explain the relationship between sociology, medicine and medical sociology.
Each chapter includes an authoritative introduction to pertinent areas of debate, a clear summary of key issues and themes and dedicated bibliography.
Chapters include: social theory and medical sociology; health inequalities; bodies, pain and suffering personal, local and global.
Brimming with fresh interpretations and critical insights this book will contribute to illuminating the practical realities of medical sociology.
This exciting text will be of interest to students of sociology of health and illness, medical sociology, and sociology of the body.
Social Theory and the Sociology of Health and Medicine
Social Theory and the Sociology of Health and Medicine
Introduction
Given the broad and eclectic nature of the sociology of health and medicine, any account needs to attend to the substantive research topics as well as the theoretical frameworks that have underpinned or justified the approach to research. As noted in the Prologue, theoretical frameworks derived from sociology (an inherently fragmented discipline [Johnson et al., 1984]) predominate in the sociology of health and medicine. Furthermore, the problem-solving orientation and hybrid disciplinary nature of much research relevant to medical sociology, with its strong empirical tradition, means that a theoretical position is not always explicitly described in published research. Researchers have often taken a very pragmatic approach to theory, picking ...
- Loading...
