1st Edition
Sleep and Society Sociological Ventures into the Un(known)
Exploring the sociological aspects of sleep and their links to current health debates, this unique text discusses why sleep has been so neglected in sociological literature and examines significant modern issues such as:
- the 24-hour society
- sleep and work
- homelessness
- dream analysis
- the medicalization and commodification of sleep.
Written by a key international figure in medical sociology, this is the first sociological examination of sleep, making it important reading for academics and advanced students of medical sociology, health studies, and sociology, as well as for professionals and policy makers involved in the area.
1. Changing Theories and Explanations of Sleep 2. Sleep Through the Centuries 3. Sleep, Embodiment and the Lifeword 4. The Social Patterning and Social Organization of Sleep 5. Colonizing/Capitalizing on Sleep 6. Conclusions
Biography
Simon Williams is Reader in Sociology at the University of Warwick. He has published widely within the sociology of health, the sociology of the body, and the sociology of emotions. He is currently involved in a range of sleep-related projects and is co-organiser of the new Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) seminar series on ‘Sleep and Society’.
'Sleep and Society will make social scientists aware of the neglected third of social life and raise questions central to our lives. It belongs in the book shelf of every social scientist.' - Sociological Inquiry
