'The Sociological Ambition is a superb book...It is beautifully written, expertly edited and renders complex and original ideas entirely accessible...This is a modern classic' - Journal of Contemporary Religion 'For all social scientists who are fed up with corporate-style textbooks, which appeal to[...]

'Once in a while a manuscript stops you in your tracks...What we are offered here is no recovering of old ground but a step change in perspectives on "body matters" that is both innovative and of fundamental importance to anyone working on this sociological terrain...This text is groundbreaking an[...]

Unrivalled in its clarity and coverage, this sparkling new edition of Chris Shilling's classic text is a masterful account of the emergence and development of body matters in sociology and related disciplines. A timely, well reasoned response to current concerns and controversies across the globe, i[...]

Where are we at with studies of Body & Society? What are the key accomplishments in the field? This book provides the clearest and most comprehensive account of work in this area to date. Based on a novel theory of action it surveys the terrain by arguing that human identity, social relationships [...]