Jonathan Scourfield

How do we learn to be religious? To make sense of this process should we emphasise the habitual reinforcement of bodily rituals? Or the active role of individuals in making decisions about faith at key moments? Or should we turn to cognitive science to explain the universal structures on which religiosity is built? And how does a relatively devout minority pass on religion in a generally secular Western context? What significance does religion have for family life in this situation? And how does a religious identity interact with other kinds of collective identification, for example with a nation, ethnic group or a locality? These are some of the questions that Muslim Childhood deals with. This book is about ordinary British Muslims' everyday religious socialisation of children in early and middle childhood. It provides a detailed description of how Muslim families in a secular Western context attempt to pass on their faith to the next generation. It is rooted in detailed qualitative research with 60 Muslim families in one British city. The authors' own analysis of survey data suggests that Muslims in the UK more effectively pass on their faith to the next generation than other religious groups. This book is in part an attempt to explain why that might be.

Social workers spend their time trying to ease social suffering. They encounter the extreme casualties of social inequality: the victims of poverty, illness, addiction, and abuse; they work with abusers and offenders; and operate in the space between the State and the poor or marginalized. Social work is replete with vivid human stories: the troubled teenage boy who cannot settle in a foster home; the frail older woman who is desperate for social contact; the community seeking a way to tackle gang violence; the sex offender leaving prison; and the disputed territory of international adoption. Social work therefore holds a fundamental importance throughout the modern world. In this Very Short Introduction, Sally Holland and Jonathan Scourfield explain what social work is and look at its rich historical development. Reflecting international human stories of social problems and social work relationships, as well as the philosophies behind the practice and the evidence about what works throughout the world, they look at the various definitions, history, and debates about purpose and effectiveness, theory, and methods. Including wide ranging examples of social work practice around the world and within particular population groups, they reflect the international variation of social work theory and practice, as well as highlighting all of the main controversies and debates. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

'Working with Men in Health and Social Care is a very welcome contribution to the stock of books on men and masculinities. It is especially useful for those interested in direct practice and policy applications in the fields of welfare, and for those who work with the problems men create, the problems men experience, and their interconnections' - Jeff Hearn, co-editor Men and Masculinities, University of Huddersfield and Linköping University Working with Men in Health and Social Care is an important and timely book that introduces the complex issues and debates involved in working with men in a range of professional settings. The authors locate academic and popular discourse on masculinities within the specific context of health and social care settings, critically analysing the theory and policy that underpin and inform practice, and continually linking theoretical frameworks to 'real-life' practice examples. Section 1 contextualises the topic with a discussion of gender theory, social policy and the occupational culture of relevant organisations Section 2 provides a summary of practice models, examining practice with men as individuals, as well as in groups, families and communities Section 3 is organised according to specific groups of service users and includes chapters on fathers, abusive men, physical and mental health, boys, and older men This thought-provoking and topical book will be essential reading for students and academics in social work, health care, probation, counselling, and allied disciplines, and for those facing the reality of working with men in their day-to-day practice.

'Working with Men in Health and Social Care is a very welcome contribution to the stock of books on men and masculinities. It is especially useful for those interested in direct practice and policy applications in the fields of welfare, and for those who work with the problems men create, the problems men experience, and their interconnections' - Jeff Hearn, co-editor Men and Masculinities, University of Huddersfield and Linköping University Working with Men in Health and Social Care is an important and timely book that introduces the complex issues and debates involved in working with men in a range of professional settings. The authors locate academic and popular discourse on masculinities within the specific context of health and social care settings, critically analysing the theory and policy that underpin and inform practice, and continually linking theoretical frameworks to 'real-life' practice examples. Section 1 contextualises the topic with a discussion of gender theory, social policy and the occupational culture of relevant organisations Section 2 provides a summary of practice models, examining practice with men as individuals, as well as in groups, families and communities Section 3 is organised according to specific groups of service users and includes chapters on fathers, abusive men, physical and mental health, boys, and older men This thought-provoking and topical book will be essential reading for students and academics in social work, health care, probation, counselling, and allied disciplines, and for those facing the reality of working with men in their day-to-day practice.

In this, the first sociology book to consider the important issue of how children identify with place and nation, the authors use original research and international case studies to explore this topic in depth. The book is rooted in original qualitative research the authors conducted with a diverse sample of children (aged eight to eleven) across Wales, but this data is also located in the context of existing international research on place identity.The book features analysis of lively exchanges between children on their local, national and global identities, politics, language and race. It engages with important social and political questions such as whether cultural distinctiveness can be preserved in a context of globalization, whether we are destined to passively receive dominant representations of the nation or can creatively construct our own versions; and whether national identities are necessarily exclusive. Most importantly, the book focuses on what local and national identities mean to children in an era of cultural and economic globalization. Including material on racialization, language, politics, class and gender, Children, Place and Identity will be a valuable resource to students and researchers of childhood studies and the sociology of childhood.

In this, the first sociology book to consider the important issue of how children identify with place and nation, the authors use original research and international case studies to explore this topic in depth. The book is rooted in original qualitative research the authors conducted with a diverse sample of children (aged eight to eleven) across Wales, but this data is also located in the context of existing international research on place identity.The book features analysis of lively exchanges between children on their local, national and global identities, politics, language and race. It engages with important social and political questions such as whether cultural distinctiveness can be preserved in a context of globalization, whether we are destined to passively receive dominant representations of the nation or can creatively construct our own versions; and whether national identities are necessarily exclusive. Most importantly, the book focuses on what local and national identities mean to children in an era of cultural and economic globalization. Including material on racialization, language, politics, class and gender, Children, Place and Identity will be a valuable resource to students and researchers of childhood studies and the sociology of childhood.