The challenges of teaching a successful introductory sociology course today demand materials from a publisher very different from the norm. Texts that are organized the way the discipline structures itself intellectually no longer connect with the majority of student learners. This is not an issue of pandering to students or otherwise seeking the lowest common denominator.

On the contrary, it is a question of again making the practice of sociological thinking meaningful, rigorous, and relevan...

A History of the Muslim World to 1750 traces the development of Islamic civilization from the career of the Prophet Muhammad to the mid-eighteenth century. Encompassing a wide range of significant events within the period, its coverage includes the creation of the Dar al-Islam (the territory ruled by Muslims), the fragmentation of society into various religious and political groups including the Shi'ites and Sunnis, the series of catastrophes in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries that threa...

Public Policy Analysis, the most widely cited book on the subject, provides students with a comprehensive methodology of policy analysis. It starts from the premise that policy analysis is an applied social science discipline designed for solving practical problems facing public and nonprofit organizations. This thoroughly revised sixth edition contains a number of important updates: Each chapter includes an all-new "big ideas" case study in policy analysis to stimulate student interest in ti...

A History of Psychology places social, economic, and political forces of change alongside psychology’s internal theoretical and empirical arguments, illuminating how the external world has shaped psychology’s development, and, in turn, how the late twentieth century’s psychology has shaped society. Featuring extended treatment of important movements such as the Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution, the textbook approaches the material from an integrative rather than wholly linear...

The Athletic Skills Model offers an alternative to dominant talent development theories in the form of holistic broad-based movement education, focusing on health and wellbeing. It places the emphasis on 'physical intelligence' - including attributes such as agility, flexibility and stability - through adaptable and varied training programmes, creating a skilled athlete before introducing sport specialization. The book sets out the scientific underpinnings of the ASM before going on to offer ...

GIS and the Social Sciences offers a uniquely social science approach on the theory and application of GIS with a range of modern examples. It explores how human geography can engage with a variety of important policy issues through linking together GIS and spatial analysis, and demonstrates the importance of applied GIS and spatial analysis for solving real-world problems in both the public and private sector. The book introduces basic theoretical material from a social science perspective a...

The governance of international sport is dominated by the SINGOs (sporting international non-governmental organisations). The IOC, FIFA, IAAF and the FIA wield global influence, but how exactly do such complex organisations operate? This important book examines the rise of the SINGOs, their structures, organisational behaviour and their power in the context of modern sport and international politics. Written by two world-leading experts, the book sheds new light on the relationship between th...

Written by leading experts in the field, this book offers an introduction to recent developments in port and hinterland strategies, operations and related specializations. The book begins with a broad overview of port definitions, concepts and the role of ports in global supply chains, and an examination of strategic topics such as port management, governance, performance, hinterlands and the port-city relationship. The second part of the book examines operational aspects of maritime, port an...

Strategic management has traditionally concerned itself with delivering objectives based on an assessment of resources and the market environment. However, there are many actors considered outside the firm that inevitably shape the dynamics within the market. Nonmarket strategies entail social, political, and legal arrangements that reinforce or enable market strategies, providing a comprehensive approach to improving performance and gaining a competitive advantage.

This book introduces nonma...

Port Economics is the study of the economic decisions (and their consequences) of the users and providers of port services. A port works as an "engine" for economic development. This book provides a detailed discussion of port freight service users, such as freight water and land carriers, that have their ships and vehicles serviced and their cargoes unloaded by ports, as well as passenger services such as ferry carriers which are serviced by ferry passenger ports.

This text continues to enha...