Leslie Irvine

A weary-looking man stands at an intersection, backpack at his feet. Curled up nearby is a mixed-breed dog, unfazed by the passing traffic. The man holds a sign that reads, ¿Two old dogs need help. God bless.¿ What¿s happening here? Leslie Irvine breaks new ground in the study of homelessness by investigating the frequently noticed, yet underexplored, role that animals play in the lives of homeless people. Irvine conducted interviews on streetcorners, in shelters, even at highway underpasses, to provide insights into the benefits and liabilities that animals have for the homeless. She also weighs the perspectives of social service workers, veterinarians, and local communities. Her work provides a new way of looking at both the meaning of animal companionship and the concept of home itself.

Homeless People and Their Animals

My Dog Always Eats First

The fate of animals in disasters depends on practical solutions informed by compassion and common sense.

Animal Welfare in Disasters

Filling the Ark

An insider's view of codependency and the group therapy established to deal with it uses extensive interview with members of Codependents Anonymous to show how group members derive an alternative sense of self from the group.

The Invention of Self in a Twelve Step Group

Codependent Forevermore

Narrowing the gulf between humans and animals.

Understanding Our Connection With Animals

If You Tame Me

Kathy Charmaz

Scott R. Harris

An engaging text that enables readers to understand the world through symbolic interactionism This lively and accessible book offers an introduction to sociological social psychology through the lens of symbolic interactionism. It provides students with an accessible understanding of this perspective to illuminate their worlds and deepen their knowledge of other people’s lives, as well as their own. Written by noted experts in the field, the book explores the core concepts of social psychology and examines a collection of captivating empirical studies. The book also highlights everyday life—putting the focus on the issues and concerns that are most relevant to the readers’ social context. The Social Self and Everyday Life bridges classical theories and contemporary ideas, joins abstract concepts with concrete examples, and integrates theory with empirical evidence. It covers a range of topics including the body, emotions, health and illness, the family, technology, and inequality. Best of all, it gets students involved in applying concepts in their daily lives. Demonstrates how to use students’ social worlds, experiences, and concerns to illustrate key interactionist concepts in a way that they can emulate Develops key concepts such as meaning, self, and identity throughout the text to further students’ understanding and ability to use them Introduces students to symbolic interactionism, a major theoretical and research tradition within sociology Helps to involve students in familiar experiences and issues and shows how a symbolic interactionist perspective illuminates them Combines the best features of authoritative summaries, clear definitions of key terms, with enticing empirical excerpts and attention to popular ideas Clear and inviting in its presentation, The Social Self and Everyday Life: Understanding the World Through Symbolic Interactionism is an excellent book for undergraduate students in sociology, social psychology, and social interaction.

Understanding the World Through Symbolic Interactionism

The Social Self and Everyday Life

Friendships between humans and non-human animals were once dismissed as sentimental anthropomorphism. After decades of research on the emotional and cognitive capacities of animals, we now recognize human–animal friendships as true reciprocal relationships. Friendships with animals have many of the same characteristics as friendships between humans. Both parties enjoy the shared presence that friendship entails along with the pleasures that come with knowing another being. Both friends develop ways of communicating apart from, or in addition to, spoken language.

Leslie Irvine

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