Sheelagh Strawbridge

This text addresses contemporary society in an immediate and thought-provoking manner and will be a timely and topical introduction to the dynamic and critical dimensions of sociology. It adopts a broad social science approach which reflects both the authors' competencies and also the widening and overlaying boundaries of the social sciences. Starting with the problem-oriented agenda of the social sciences, it explores the tensions between structure, agency and process via the idea of a structure-bound and yet creative and participatory self.

This text explores the difficulties of defining a sociology of 'culture', emphasising the complex, interdisciplinary nature of 'cultural studies', and the variety of theoretical contributions from sociology, literature, history and anthropology. Intended for a wide range of undergraduates, the text covers areas not usually included in cultural studies, together with those more familiar to the field. It deals with the development and breakdown of key conceptual distinctions, like structure/culture, culture/knowledge, objective reality/subjective experience and the implications for the study of culture.