In the second edition of this highly successful text, postmodernity is seen as the social condition of the twenty-first century, in which some of the most familiar features of the modern world are not only called into question, but actually undermined by novel trends. The key carriers of the postmodern--new technologies and consumerism--emerged in thoroughly modern contexts, but so profoundly affect everyday social life that modernity itself is changing shape. Postmodernity is a way of describing a new society-in-the-making without supposing (...) that modernity has been entirely left behind. While some dub these changes as "high" or "late" modern, this book argues that "postmodernity" best captures today's transformations or modernity. (shrink)

Theory of Communicative Action, Volume 2 is a Beacon Press publication.

Compassionate care: a moral dimension of nursingThis paper focuses on the concept of compassion and its meaning for nursing practice. Compassion is often considered to be an essential component of nursing care; however, it is difficult to identify what exactly comprises compassionate care. To begin with, there is a general discussion of the meaning of compassion and an examination of its common usage. An argument then is presented that compassion is more than just a natural response to suffering, rather that (...) it is a moral choice. The paper outlines the extent to which this concept has implications for nursing care, highlighting some of the obstacles that nurses need to overcome in order to maintain this essential moral value of the caring role. (shrink)

This text provides an introduction to a new and emerging area of nursing scholarship, that of philosophy of nursing. It describes the nature of the philosophy of nursing and then focuses on three areas of enquiry central to nursing theory and practice: knowledge, persons and care. Having developed positive accounts of these key areas, the nature of nursing is then examined. Throughout there is critical engagement with the work of leading nurse writers, in particular Benner and Wrubel, and Carper.

This book will appeal to second- and third-year undergraduates, and graduates and academics in sociology and social theory, politics, cultural studies and other ...