Table Of ContentDictionoafr y
SOCIOLOGY
PENGUIN REFERENCE
The Penguin Dictionary of Sociology
Nicholu$ Abercrombie retired in 2004 from the University of lancaster, where
he wos deputy v�honcellor and professor of sociology. His academic inteU!'sts
include ihe mau medio, the sociology of culture and the sociology of money,
He has also published extensively in introductory sociology, most re<.:ently in
Contemporary British Society (2000), Readings in Contemporary Brilish Society
{20001 ond SociclqJy{2004J,
Steph!W Hill is principal of Royal Holloway, University of London. He b obo
proressor of management at the University of L011d01'1 and wos previously pro-
fessor of sociology. He is a former deputy director of the London School of
Economics. His ocodemic interests cover �onomic sociology and the future of
work, sodol slratiftcotion ond ospeds of sodol theory, and he has published
extensively in books and ioumols. He edited the 8Tilish Journal of Sociology
between 1996 and 2002.
Bryan S. Turner was professor of s«lology ot !he Universily of Cambridge
between 1998 ond 2005 ond is cunenJiy professor of sociology ol lhe-Asia
Re.semch lnslitule, Nationol University of Singapore, His most recent publication
is The New Medico/ Sociology (2004!.
The three authors have collobo(oted extensively, porticulor!y in writing The
Dominant tdoology Thesis !1980!, Sovereign Individuals of Copitolism (1986)
and Dominartt tdoologies ! 1990),
PENGUIN REFERENCE
The Penguin Dictionary of Sociology
Nicholu$ Abercrombie retired in 2004 from the University of lancaster, where
he wos deputy v�honcellor and professor of sociology. His academic inteU!'sts
include ihe mau medio, the sociology of culture and the sociology of money,
He has also published extensively in introductory sociology, most re<.:ently in
Contemporary British Society (2000), Readings in Contemporary Brilish Society
{20001 ond SociclqJy{2004J,
Steph!W Hill is principal of Royal Holloway, University of London. He b obo
proressor of management at the University of L011d01'1 and wos previously pro-
fessor of sociology. He is a former deputy director of the London School of
Economics. His ocodemic interests cover �onomic sociology and the future of
work, sodol slratiftcotion ond ospeds of sodol theory, and he has published
extensively in books and ioumols. He edited the 8Tilish Journal of Sociology
between 1996 and 2002.
Bryan S. Turner was professor of s«lology ot !he Universily of Cambridge
between 1998 ond 2005 ond is cunenJiy professor of sociology ol lhe-Asia
Re.semch lnslitule, Nationol University of Singapore, His most recent publication
is The New Medico/ Sociology (2004!.
The three authors have collobo(oted extensively, porticulor!y in writing The
Dominant tdoology Thesis !1980!, Sovereign Individuals of Copitolism (1986)
and Dominartt tdoologies ! 1990),
FIFTH EDITION
The Penguin Dictionary of
SOCIOLOGY
Nicholas Abercrombie
Stephen Hill
. BryanS. Turner
PENGUIN BOOKS
FIFTH EDITION
The Penguin Dictionary of
SOCIOLOGY
Nicholas Abercrombie
Stephen Hill
. BryanS. Turner
PENGUIN BOOKS
l
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First publi� 19B4
f'ublbh«i !ll'rnu!t<:aenously by Allan l.olw
Secund ltdi!ioo l9BB
Third ed!!!oo }994
Fourth edilian 2000
Fiflh oditk>n 2006
3
Copyright © NiGholot Abe«:Qmbie, Stephen Hill and Bryrm S. Turner, 1984,
1'?88, 1994,2000, 2006
All righ� fe!<)!'Ved
&!!ln 7,5/9.75 ptfiC Stone
Typewl by Rowland �;"9 Ltd, Bury St Edttrunlh, Sv!Jplk
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UMotd, hired out, or otht»wliB<: irl!l.llaled withovtlt!. publi�har'$
prior comMt In Oi'!y form of binding or oover 01!w lhr.!n tho! in
whi<:h it it publi� and without o �imilar wndillon inclvding !hll.
condiliM being i� Qfl the ���b��.�enl puu:ho$1r1
!SBN-13: 978-0-lAl-01375-6
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PENGUIN BOOKS 1'
Pllbli�hed by the Penguin Group
f'lmguin Books Ltd, 130 Strond, lomkm WC2R �t. EngiQnd
PengulnGtbllp (USA)Irn:.:, 37$ Hvds..m Sfte.l, NIIIWYork, New Yolk 10014, USA
Penguin GrOIIP (Canoc;IQI, 90 £gl!ntoo lwc�W�J &w, Surto 700, Toronto, OniQrio, Conoda M41' 2Y3
{a divmon of Peor10n Penguin Cailoda lne,J
PcowAA lffllond, 25 Sl5t�;�phen's G�n, Dublin 2, lreiaml
Ia division of Pef!GVin Boob Ud)
Pcnguifl Gnwp {AuWa!ioJ, 250 CambmweH Rood,
Combefwef!, Victoria 3124, AtHtrQ:!io {a divi�lon of Peorton Auslrolio GrOIJ? Ply Lid)
Penguin Bobo Indio Pvtl!d, II Community Centre,
Ponchtheel Park, New O.lhi-110 017, Indio
Penguin Grovp (NZ), GM Ai!borneond Rosedale Rom:b, AI bony,
For Bren, Eileert and Siobhan
Audland lJ 10, New Zeoland {o dWition ofPoomll! New Zoo land l!dj
Penguln Bocl:s i5ov1h Afrka) (?ty) Lid, 24 S!utdM �.
Rowbank, Johonnd:rurg 2196, South Afr!Ga
Pensvin Boob ltd, Rogi:.!e«ld Ofli<:e�� 80 Strond, loodon WC2R ORl, Engkmd
www.penguin.wm
First publi� 19B4
f'ublbh«i !ll'rnu!t<:aenously by Allan l.olw
Secund ltdi!ioo l9BB
Third ed!!!oo }994
Fourth edilian 2000
Fiflh oditk>n 2006
3
Copyright © NiGholot Abe«:Qmbie, Stephen Hill and Bryrm S. Turner, 1984,
1'?88, 1994,2000, 2006
All righ� fe!<)!'Ved
&!!ln 7,5/9.75 ptfiC Stone
Typewl by Rowland �;"9 Ltd, Bury St Edttrunlh, Sv!Jplk
Ptlmed in Englend by Clays l!d, Sllves pic
Except in !he United Slot111 of AmDri<:o, lhi� boko i:o sold lUbjoef
to the condi1lon !hot it d!t�ll nat, by way of !mdaor otherwi$e, be len!,
UMotd, hired out, or otht»wliB<: irl!l.llaled withovtlt!. publi�har'$
prior comMt In Oi'!y form of binding or oover 01!w lhr.!n tho! in
whi<:h it it publi� and without o �imilar wndillon inclvding !hll.
condiliM being i� Qfl the ���b��.�enl puu:ho$1r1
!SBN-13: 978-0-lAl-01375-6
!S&N-10: 0-141-01375-3
Contents
Acknowledgements vi!!
Preface to the Fifth Editior; ix
How to Use This Dictionary xii
Dictionary of Sociology
Bibliography 439
Contents
Acknowledgements vi!!
Preface to the Fifth Editior; ix
How to Use This Dictionary xii
Dictionary of Sociology
Bibliography 439
I
rl
Acknowledgements Preface to the Fifth Edition
The authors. would like to thank the staff of Penguin for their help In preparing this A dictionary of sociology must strike a balance between the changing intellectual
fifth edition of The Penguin Dictionary ofS aciology.Jn particular, we thank Sarah debates of an evolving discipline, whlch requires entries on contemporary issues
Waldram for her scrupulous copy�editing, where these are perceived to be important and durable, and recogniZing the impor�
tance of the classical sodological tradition. The Penguin Dictionary of Sociology has
attempted to present the classical legacy in its diversity and complexity, whUe also
keeping abreast of the emerging intellectual needs of different .student generations.
We have in particular been conscious of the intellectual requirements of students
of sodology for systematic entries on key concepts, ample discussion of major
theorists, and informed commentary on important social developments in indus
trial society. The dictionary aims to be informative, discursive and prescriptive. It
seeks to be 'user friendly' in providing extensive bibliographies of contemporacy
and classical sociology, entries that systematically cover topics, concepts and
authors, and upwto-date information on such matters as criminal statistics. The
system of cross-referencing pennits readers to explore Issues Within a cluster of
concepts.
Sociology continues to develop and expand as an academic discipline, and the
fifth editlon reflects new trends and developments in theory and research. The
prlndpal difficulty is what to exclude rather than what to include. Our selection
attempts to express what we feel are genuine contributions to the vocabulary of
sodology. We also want to provide students with concepts and theories that directly
respond to the academic needs of programmes in sociology and related areas.
Sociology, like other disciplines in the social sciences, is influenced by the social
and political circumstances within which it is located. The early editions of the
Penguin Dictionary of Sociology reflected a post-war British sodety that was relatively
stable and which had benefited from the growth of higher education during
post�war reconstruction. The dictionary therefore initially reflected a set of con
cerns about the distribution of resources in a welfare state in which inequality was
illustrated by social differences in terms of social class and gender.
This new edition of the dictionary has been written within a very different social
and political ronrext. The terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York
in 2002 transformed how sodologists think about globalization, the impact of
terrorism, the rise of fundamentalism, the growth of political Islam and the conse*
quences of new wars. Before the 9/n attack.-sociologists had generally seen globaliz
ation as a relatively benign, if complex, social phenomenon. After 9/II there has
been greater focus on terrorist networks, the globalization of crime, the continuity
of slavery, the sex tourism industry and drug wars. Jn short, the world in which we
Uve appears to be unstable, uncertain and unpredictable. It is perhaps not surprising
