Publications

The changes in the world today are characterized by new levels of complexity and contradiction. These changes generate tensions for which education is expected to prepare individuals and communities by giving them the capability to adapt and to respond. This publication contributes to rethinking education and learning in this context. It builds on one of…

Article available in Welsh only In recent years, considerable attention has been given to the experiences of minority groups which are marginalised within a rural context. However, little attention has been paid to religious minorities in rural regions. This scarcity of attention is surprising considering the attention paid to religion in issues of multiculturalism and…

The present analysis heeds recent calls for a refocusing and reconceptualising of the substantive representation of women (SRW). It examines the parliamentary scrutiny of Westminster governments’ legislative programmes. The findings show that whilst the proportion of SRW legislative proposals remains small (<1%), there has been a substantial increase in the amount of attention/visibility given to…

Drawing on qualitative interview data, this article examines how grandfatherhood relates to the assertion and transformation of masculinities in later life. Recent attention to ageing and masculinities has identified how older men are challenged to succeed in maintaining connections to hegemonic masculinity in light of altered family and life circumstances. We consider men’s engagement with…

Alain Touraine’s distinctive contributions to sociology include his sociological theory of action, the method of ‘sociological intervention’ in the study of social movements, and his critique of modernity which offers a ‘post-social’ approach to contemporary societies. This article explains the key stages of Touraine’s work in the context of post-war social theory in France. It…

Earlier work has tended to overlook the formative origins of child care policy in liberal democracies. Accordingly, this study examines mandate-seeking and parties’ envisioning of child care with reference to issue salience and policy framing in party manifestos in U.K. Westminster and regional elections. It reveals a significant increase in issue salience following its emergence…

An overview of Saskia Sassen’s keynote from the launch of the WISERD Civil Society centre in 2014.

A unique interdisciplinary guide to minority ethnic communities and identity in Wales, which critically assesses the idea of Welsh tolerance. This chapter specifically addresses Wales’ ethnic diversity in relation to public policy.

Strikes are complicated phenomena, and the miners’ strike that began in 1984 is no exception. Its complexity defies simple generalisations. It has changed the lives of many people and its consequences are still being experienced after 30 years. It is, however, possible to evaluate. In doing so it is useful to remember the words of…

Stretching the Sociological Imagination calls for renewed attention to the concept of the sociological imagination, allowing social scientists to link private issues to public troubles. Inspired by the eminent Glasgow-based sociologist and co-founder of the Glasgow Media Group, John Eldridge, it re-engages with the concept and shows how it can be applied to analyzing society…