Sociology at Flinders

Cosmetic surgery is fast becoming an addiction to quell the insecurities of the modern workplace and enhance job prospects: according to Flinders University sociologist Professor Anthony Elliott, more and more people are undergoing the surgeon’s knife as a “quick fix”, fuelling a global boom in cosmetic surgical procedures. In his new book, Making the Cut: How Cosmetic Surgery Is Transforming Our Lives, he argues that global economic changes are creating a sense of uncertainty and fear, and that the move to cosmetic surgery is a key response.

Professor Charles Lemert will be visiting the department in May. As part of his visit he will be teaching a masterclass in social theory. Entitled "Death, Waste, and Time: Political Traction in New Global Spaces?", the class will explore both classic and subsequent social theories of global capitalism.

The masterclass will be held between 12-21 May.
All are welcome to apply...

Professor Riaz Hassan's new book, Inside Muslim Minds, is a ground-breaking comparative study of contemporary Islamic consciousness, an important insight into aspects of the Muslim faith, and its place in the twenty-first century. Using data gathered from more than six thousand Muslim respondents from Southeast, South and Central Asia and the Middle East, Hassan examines attitudes to issues such as religious commitment; the status of women; and the concept of jihad and its alleged links to terrorism.

Dr Mary Holmes' new book, What is Gender?, explores important and complex questions about whether gender is something done to us by society, or something we do? It also examines the relationship between gender and other inequalities and helps readers to critically analyse how women's and men's lives are shaped by the society in which they live. The book offers a comprehensive account of trends in sociological thinking, from a material and economic focus on gender inequalities to the debates about meaning initiated by the linguistic or cultural turn.

A new book, Culture and Education, published by Pearson Education, has been written by Flinders sociologists Dr Ben Wadham, Dr Jason Pudsey and Dr Ross Boyd with the aim of providing a relevant and timely analysis of key issues in the field of education through the lens of cultural theory. In particular the book draws attention to the shift away from social justice in education to economic management with its consequent implications for equitable quality education for all.