THE SOCIOLOGY OF MEDICINE

The International Library of Critical Writings in Sociology series

Edited by William C. Cockerham, Professor of Sociology, Medicine and Public Health and Chair of the Department of Sociology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, US

The Sociology of Medicine is a collection of essays and research findings representing the work of medical sociologists in several different countries which focus on current ideas, concepts and issues in medical sociology. The selections provide a contemporary overview of the field in the following areas: sociological theory and health, social factors and disease, social demography, social stress, health and illness behaviour, alternative forms of medicine, health professions and occupations, hospitals, and health care delivery and social change.

‘Cockerham has been very successful . . . as he has brought together a range of articles which demonstrate the richness and diversity of research and theory currently within medical sociology. Overall, this book will be a valuable resource to those working in the area . . . it does offer an accessible and interesting overview of many key issues and debates within medical sociology. It furthermore familiarises the reader with the range of theories and methods used in this sub-discipline and illustrates the importance of comparative work. The real strength of the book appears to be its ability to interest readers from varied perspectives and thus provide them with an opportunity to consider how they might contribute themselves to the development of the field.’
– Kathy Kendall, Reviewing Sociology