The Basics is a highly successful series of accessible guidebooks which provide an overview of the fundamental principles of a subject area in a jargon-free and undaunting format.
Intended for students approaching a subject for the first time, the books both introduce the essentials of a subject and provide an ideal springboard for further study. With over 50 titles spanning subjects from Artificial Intelligence to Women’s Studies, The Basics are an ideal starting point for students seeking to understand a subject area.
Each text comes with recommendations for further study and gradually introduces the complexities and nuances within a subject.
By Graeme Forbes
May 30, 2024
What is time? Does it pass? Is the future open? Why do we care? Philosophy of Time: The Basics doesn’t answer these questions. It does give you an opinionated introduction to thinking a bit more deeply about them. Written in a way that assumes no philosophical background from its readers, this book...
By Martin Shuster
May 27, 2024
Critical Theory: The Basics brings clarity to a topic that is confusingly bandied about with various meanings today in popular and academic culture. First defined by Max Horkheimer in the 1930s, “critical theory” now extends far beyond its original German context around the Frankfurt School and the...
By Christopher P. Hood
May 23, 2024
Japan: The Basics is an engaging introduction to the culture, society, and global positioning of Japan. Starting by looking at the common stereotypes, clichés, and tropes associated with Japan, this accessible introduction to the country is designed to arm readers with key skills and knowledge for...
By Sandie Taylor
May 09, 2024
This third edition of Forensic Psychology: The Basics continues to provide an accessible overview of the core topics and theories in this fascinating discipline. The book provides an engaging discussion of core topics and theory in forensic psychology, alongside information about the role of a ...
By Kath Browne, Dhiren Borisa, Mary Gilmartin, Niharika Banerjea
April 15, 2024
Social Geographies: The Basics introduces what social geography is, and what it might be. It outlines the key contours of social geographies, and also disrupts some of the conventions of the discipline in both its content and structure. This book approaches social geographies by beginning with the ...
By Stuart Glennan
April 22, 2024
Causation: The Basics explores questions about what causes are, and how we come to know them, describe them, and put them to use. The book begins with an introduction to the history of philosophical thinking about causation, followed by a series of chapters introducing important contemporary ...
By Katrin B. Anacker
April 05, 2024
Housing matters to people, be they owner, renter, housing provider, homeless individual, housing professional, or policymaker. Housing in the United States: The Basics offers an accessible introduction to key concepts and issues in housing—and a concise overview of the programs that affect housing ...
By Terry D. Shoemaker
April 01, 2024
Religions and Sports: The Basics introduces the many connections and interactions between religions and sporting activities. Readers will gain a foundational understanding of how to approach religions and sports analytically, theoretically, and methodologically. The book uses multiple relational ...
By Ann Yeoman, Kevin Lu
March 19, 2024
This new introduction to Jung’s Collected Works—written in lively and accessible style—provides a comprehensive guide to key concepts in analytical (Jungian) psychology while charting the creative evolution of Jung’s thought through his own words. Invaluable to both beginners and those more ...
By Bence Nanay
February 01, 2024
This book combines approaches from philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience in the study of perception. In addition to appealing to readers from all three of these disciplines, Perception: The Basics is a perfect introduction for students and general readers. Its interdisciplinary coverage of all ...
By Terence C.M. Tse
December 22, 2023
Corporate Finance: The Basics is a concise introduction to the inner workings of finance at the company level. It aims to take the fear out of corporate finance and add the fun in, presenting the subject in a way that is simple to grasp and easy to digest. Its aim is to explain – and demystify – ...
By Barry Keith Grant
December 22, 2023
Offering an accessible introduction to the study of film genres and genre films, this book examines the use of genre in cinema from its beginnings to the present day. This book explains the various elements of genre, the importance of genre in popular culture, problems of definition, Hollywood and ...