Is cleanliness next to godliness? What does such a concept really mean? Why does it recur as a universal theme across all societies? And what are the implications for the unclean? In Purity and Danger Mary Douglas identifies the concern for purity as a key theme at the heart of every society. In lively and lucid prose she explains its relevance for every reader by revealing its...(展开全部)

D.W. Winnicott, a psychoanalyst of extraordinary grace and originality, left a body of work distinguished by fierce independence of mind, profound playfulness and technique, and passionate intelligence. Holding and Interpretation, a verbatim record of his sessions with a psychotic patient, vividly illustrates his enormous contribution to psychoanalytic theory and technique, his...(展开全部)

Herbert J. Gans, author of Levittowners and The Urban Villagers, is professor of sociology at Columbia University and the former president of the American Sociological Association.

One of the world's most respected sociologists updates his classic work on public views of popular and high culture. Is NYPD Blue a less valid form of artistic expression than a Shakespearean drama? Who is to judge and by what standards? In this new edition of Herbert Gans's brilliantly conceived and clearly argued landmark work, he builds on his critique of the universality ...(展开全部)

Innumerable studies have appeared in recent decades about practically every aspect of women's lives in Western societies. The few such works on Buddhism have been quite limited in scope. In "The Power of Denial", Bernard Faure takes an important step toward redressing this situation by boldly asking: does Buddhism offer women liberation or limitation? Continuing the innovative ...(展开全部)

‘Tibetan Typeforms’ presents in-depth research regarding the origin, development, and typographical function of letter types in Tibetan writing, from their beginnings in 1738 to the present. Besides introducing the characteristics of Tibetan script and the chronological evolution of letter design and typographic techniques, it also offers a comparative visual and analytical inv...(展开全部)

Renowned psychoanalyst Erich Fromm examines the creator of psychoanalysis and his followers With his creation of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud redefined how people relate to themselves and to the larger world. In Sigmund Freud’s Mission, Freud scholar and psychoanalyst Erich Fromm demonstrates how Freud’s life experiences shaped his creation and practice of psychoanalysis. From...(展开全部)

Giddens's analysis of the writings of Marx, Durkheim and Weber has become the classic text for any student seeking to understand the three thinkers who established the basic framework of contemporary sociology. The first three sections of the book, based on close textual examination of the original sources, contain separate treatments of each writer. The author demonstrates the...(展开全部)