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Consequently, Brzezi'nski sees this as a "liminal" stage in Bauman's work, as he moved between differing conceptions of culture. It is also in this period that Brzezi'nski suggests Bauman links his theory of culture to transformation, most notably in his consideration of socialism as an active utopia. By bringing this Polish work into consideration of Bauman's I oeuvre i , Brzezi'nski has provided us with a valuable overview of continuities and changes in Bauman's sociology. [Extracted from the article]

A biological understanding of the apparent sex bias in autism is lacking. Here we have identified Cntnap2 KO mice as a model system to help better understand this dimorphism. Using this model, we observed social deficits in juvenile male KO mice only. These male-specific social deficits correlated with reduced spine densities of Layer 2/3 and Layer 5 pyramidal neurons in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex, a forebrain region prominently associated with the control of social behaviour. Furthermore, in male KO mice, microglia showed an increased activated morphology and phagocytosis of synaptic structures compared to WT mice, whereas no differences were seen in female KO and WT mice. Our data suggest that sexually dimorphic microglial activity may be involved in the aetiology of ASD, disrupting the development of neural circuits that control social behaviour by overpruning synapses at a developmentally critical period. Sexual dimorphism in the social behaviour of Cntnap2-null mice correlates with disrupted synaptic connectivity and increased microglial activity in the anterior cingulate cortex of males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteotomy around the knee joint enjoys a unique identity in the armamentarium of the surgeon treating degenerative disease. This ESSKA consensus was conceived with the everyday osteotomy surgeon in mind when dealing with the commonest indication for osteotomy around the knee. More specifically, the key objective was to educate the everyday knee surgeon in the subject of osteotomy for the painful degenerative varus knee. 2013; 21; 1: 3-22. 1:STN:280:DC%2BC3s%2FjvFajug%3D%3D. 10.1007/s00167-012-2206-0. 23052110 17 Snow M, Jermain P, Mandalia V, Murray J, Khakha R, McNicholas M, Dawson M. A 2021 consensus statement on osteotomies around the knee by the UK Knee Osteotomy consensus Group (KOG). [Extracted from the article]

In this piece I explore how Bhambra and Holmwood's Colonialism and Modern Social Theory implies three different questions that can be asked concerning the connections between colonialism and social theory. With reference to their discussion of Durkheim, I suggest the answers they offer to these possible questions return us to what Kurasawa termed the 'constitutive paradox' of Durkheim's relation to colonialism, namely a mix of political acceptance while also questioning its ideological legitimacy. While exploring Durkheim's comments on colonialism, race, the state and his own Jewishness, I emphasise the need for a careful historical sociology which reckons with the different possible connections between social theory and colonialism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on Bauman's maleness and ignorance of gender. Topics include drawing strong connection drawn between socialism and Judaism in Poland; strength of anti-Semitism rests in the ability for seeing one's position of power as a marker of Jewishness; and calling for decolonising sociology and critical theory.

This paper argues against assigning Zygmunt Bauman to the category of a 'white', 'European' theorist and the tendency to speak of an undifferentiated 'Eurocentrism'. To argue this, I return to a set of articles by Bauman which reflected on the history of European Jewry. These encourage us to place Bauman in a historical and social context in which he is best identified as emerging from the racialized and classed politics of East European Jewry. Bauman traces how this group were made the outsiders of the assimilatory project of West European Jewry then, as Jewish socialists, were victims of the political anti-Semitism of communist regimes. Not only does this encourages us to be critical of the claims that he spoke from an elite 'white European' position, it also has further lessons for sociology which, in its own 'war against forgetfulness', has tended to impose simplistic racialized and political categories onto theorists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This ‘Families and Relationships’ e-Special Issue contains a selection of 10 articles previously published in Sociology. In this Introduction, we first outline the broader sub-disciplinary context and explain our selection criteria. The increased popularity of families and relationships as a focus of sociological study is reflected in the dominance of articles published in the 1990s and later. Our selection highlights the following developments within the field: the shift from the sociology of the family to a sociology of families; the debates surrounding late modernity and the individualisation thesis; increased diversity regarding types of family and kinds of issue that have been researched; and continued theoretical development that has widened the scope of study. We include reflections on how the selected articles speak to developments in the discipline at large and in the field of families and relationships, as well as what the future might hold for the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short piece considers how participant recruitment can have ethical elements. With reference to a qualitative research project on asexuality we explore the challenges associated with recruiting from an emerging, and politically charged, identity group. In our attempt to broaden the representation of asexual stories we sought to recruit people who may not fully identify with the emerging term ‘asexual’ as a sexual orientation while also not equating this with a lifestyle choice of abstinence. This was attempted through crafting suitable recruitment materials via the use of the Mass Observation archive and expanded sampling criteria. Our efforts met with mixed success, on which we reflect. We conclude by suggesting how such ethical questions related to recruitment will remain ‘gaps’ in ethical regulation, calling for a greater reflexive approach from researchers about sampling criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper is a comparison of the views of Max Weber and Émile Durkheim on socialism; these two have yet to be compared on this topic. They offered shared critiques of socialism, but differed in assessment of its overall worth, with Durkheim being more welcoming. After considering possible explanations for this divergence I argue it reflects the contrasting methodologies adopted by both. Whilst Weber places questions of the 'value' of socialism solely in the conscious of the individual, and therefore beyond sociology, Durkheim sees this as a social question and therefore part of the practical concerns of sociologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses findings from research diaries to explore the use of practices of intimacy among asexual people. While much of the literature to date has focused on the supposedly transformative and political nature of uniquely asexual practices of intimacy, our findings suggest something different. Rather than seeking to transform the nature of intimate relationships, asexual people make pragmatic adjustments and engage in negotiations to achieve the forms of physical and emotional intimacy they seek. We discuss this in relation to three areas: friendships, sex as a practice of intimacy, and exclusion from intimacy. Our findings suggest the importance of not only considering the social context in which asexual people practise intimacy, but also how the practices in which they engage may be shared with non-asexual people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues for a return to the social thought of the often ignored early 20th-century English thinker GDH Cole. The authors contend that Cole combined a sociological critique of capitalism and liberal democracy with a well-developed alternative in his work on guild socialism bearing particular relevance to advanced capitalist societies. Both of these, with their focus on the limitations on ‘free communal service’ in associations and the inability of capitalism to yield emancipation in either production or consumption, are relevant to social theorists looking to understand, critique and contribute to the subversion of neoliberalism. Therefore, the authors suggest that Cole’s associational sociology, and the invitation it provides to think of formations beyond capitalism and liberal democracy, is a timely and valuable resource which should be returned to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is an attempt to contribute a view on the economic crisis from classical sociology, a voice often missing from the sociological response to the crisis. The work of Émile Durkheim provides a unique perspective here centred on morality and inequality produced in a historical context akin to our neoliberal times. It is argued there are four key points to take from Durkheim’s work. First, that the initial credit crunch can be more fully understood with reference to the economic anomie which Durkheim sees as ‘chronic’ in a time of marketisation. Second, that this creates an antagonistic relationship between a supposedly self-dependent rich and lazy poor. Third, this conception of self-dependency and individual initiative makes any attempt to regulate the economy akin to sacrilege. Finally, the state is unwilling to intervene due to the emergence of ‘pseudo-democracies’. Therefore, Durkheim’s theory accounts for the initial crisis, austerity and double-dip recessions in a sociological framework. The article concludes by returning to the centrality of morality to the crisis for Durkheim and highlighting the omission of this in contemporary debates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to contribute a Symbolic Interactionist approach to the study of asexuality. Previous research in psychology, sexology and sociology has had an individualized focus, which has downplayed the interactive and relational dimensions of asexual identities. In order to capture such elements we demonstrate the relevance of some key Symbolic Interactionist concepts: meaning, negotiation, social selfhood and trajectory. In doing so, we suggest it is possible to see asexual identity as a process of becoming within the context of negotiation with intimate others. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Scholars analysing Durkheim’s relation to socialism have generally focused on whether Durkheim was personally a socialist and/or his discussion of socialism as a ‘social fact’. This article focuses on whether Durkheim had a socialist theory. I will highlight how Durkheim’s normative and socialist political sociology aimed its critique at: the dominance of the market economy; economic polarization; class conflict; the ‘capitalist state’; and the impossibility of universal individual realization without radical economic change. From here Durkheim’s framework for an alternative political society will be outlined. This alternative, with its advocacy of political organization in ‘corporations’, can be located within a tradition of ‘libertarian’ socialism found most prominently in the work of the early 20th-century English social theorist, G.D.H. Cole. It will be argued Durkheim offers a powerful explanation for the continued dominance of neoliberal ideas ‘after the crash’ and the resulting ‘Occupy’ protests. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper is an attempt to take a critical sociological look at the UK government’s flagship ‘Big Society’ policy. To do this I utilize the political sociology of Émile Durkheim, specifically what I call his ‘socialist theory’. This overlooked aspect of Durkheim’s sociology contains a strong normative critique and alternative project concerning the role of the State, private property, economic regulation and inequality. By applying this to the Big Society it is argued that the latter will result in: increased moral fragmentation, the furthering of economic inequality and the development of a ‘postcode lottery’. Instead, Durkheim’s advocacy of functional representation in the form of the ‘corporations’ seems to hold some contemporary relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This is a review article of the substantial sociological literature on individualization. It is especially concerned with empirical research that questions the largely theoretical claims of Zygmunt Bauman, Ulrich Beck and Anthony Giddens. I argue that this literature can be split into three camps: Modernist, Interactionist, Discourse. Although all three perspectives come to different conclusions, and use different methods to get there, a synthesis of their conclusions can give us a more empirically informed conception of individualization. This includes an increased focus on: inequality, collective identification and the political nature of individualization. The review concludes by suggesting that we can differentiate between a form of ‘disembedded’ individualization, which lacks empirical backing, and an ‘embedded’ conception, which does not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zygmunt Bauman’s sociology has often been seen as a bleak worldview; he has been called the ‘sociologist of misery’. This article argues that assigning pessimism and misery to Bauman’s work relies on a reading which does not fully consider his sociology of morality. When this is accounted for, Bauman can be seen to have a very optimistic worldview. The significance of such an observation rests on where Bauman’s optimism lies—namely in the hands of inevitably moral individuals who can acquiesce to, reject or modify the demands of liquid modernity. This article argues, with reference to G.H. Mead’s concept of the ‘genius’, that this is where the potential for agency lies in Bauman’s conception of liquid modernity. This is given a political dimension by both Mead and Bauman’s advocacy of democratic forms to help realise this agency. Democracy operates as a ‘societal’ form of morality which builds upon Bauman’s ‘pre-societal’ discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the greater criticisms noted in the field of marriage and family therapy (MFT) research is the lack of clear and concise definitions, concepts, and treatment protocols. Given this, the field of MFT would benefit from research methodology to assist in the understanding of areas of previous confusion or dissension. This paper argues for the application of Delphi studies to serve this occasion. A description ofthe methodology ofthe Delphi and a discussion of Delphi studies implemented in MFT research literature are presented. Recommendations for the use of the Delphi in the field of MFT are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Current evidence around the management of osteotomy‐related infection is insufficient to robustly underpin the expert statements formulated by a recent European consensus statement. We present a review of a large case series in a high‐volume osteotomy practice to contribute to the understanding of the incidence, management and outcome of infection in this subspecialty area. Methods: Analyses of two prospectively collected databases for all osteotomy around the knee and infections related to osteotomy were performed, along with a review of hospital readmission data to capture all osteotomy‐related infections. Clinical notes were reviewed to assess patient demographics, incidence of infection, how infection was managed and clinical outcome. Results: In a series of 822 osteotomies in 755 patients, there were 21 (2.8%) cases of suspected infection. Twelve (1.6%) were contemporaneously deemed 'superficial' and nine confirmed 'deep' infections (1.2%). Deep infections were all successfully managed with wound debridement, with or without plate removal, depending on union and time from initial surgery. One of these infections was noted during a revision procedure, but no revision was carried out as a direct result of infection, no external fixation was required and no infected nonunions were experienced. Conclusion: All of the cases in this series were managed successfully with debridement ± removal of the plate, without the need for revision or external fixation. Any potential signs of infection around an osteotomy, especially in the case of medial high tibial osteotomy, should raise awareness for deep infection and the need for further surgery due to the limited overlying soft tissue cover. This evidence supports the recent European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy algorithm. Level of Evidence: Level IV, case series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to the sociology of the prison, the sociology of probation has been much neglected. In Europe and the United States, that neglect is beginning to be addressed by a number of scholars, both empirically and conceptually. Where these scholars have looked to the founding figures in the sociology of punishment, they have tended to examine probation through a Foucauldian or Marxist lens. This paper takes a different direction, re-examining Durkheim’s ideas about social solidarity and penal evolution to try to offer some analytical resources for making sense of probation’s historical development and contemporary struggles. In so doing, we hope to illustrate both the continuing value of Durkheimian analyses of penality and the need to extend such analyses beyond the prison. More broadly, we aim to briefly illustrate and to stimulate new cultural analyses of probation’s historical emergence and contemporary adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article evaluates the relative contributions of diaries and interviews in multiple methods qualitative research exploring asexual identities and intimacies. Differentiated by three core differences: reflective time-frame (the day just had/lifetime), context (alone/with researcher) and mode (written/verbal), these methods had the potential to generate a multidimensional view of our topics. Using five cases in which data from both interviews and diaries were collected, this article explores how the intermeshed issues of identity and intimacy were constructed in each method, as well as reflecting on what was gained by their combination. Our analysis leads us to conclude that multiple methods do not always produce a fuller or a more rounded picture of individual participants' lives. Nevertheless, the decision to collect data using different strategies did increase our chances of finding a method that suited individual participants, whether in style or focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to conventional models of positively 'becoming' an identity through social interaction, this article explores the inverse, negational process of 'non-becoming,' whereby actors start but do not continue along an identity career trajectory. Through cumulative attrition, interactions and encounters at key moments create an overall pattern of non-progression. Using asexuality as an example, we identify three main trajectory stages of non-awareness, communicative negation and non-consolidation, each involving interactional contingencies. With a wider applicability to other repudiated identities, this model shows how even negational symbolic social objects (non-issues, non-events, and non-identities) are constituted through social interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Assessing surgical accuracy and patient-recorded outcome measures for patients fitted with either the OPTY-LINE intramedullary realignment system or the Tomofix plate for medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO). Patients and methods: Two matched case series of patients with symptomatic medial compartment osteoarthritis without other significant knee pathology. One group comprised of 19 patients receiving the Tomofix plate, whereas another comprised of 12 patients receiving the OPTY-LINE intramedullary nail. Patella-centred long leg alignment radiographs were assessed to calculate surgical accuracy in all cases. Patients completed knee injury osteoarthritis outcome scores (KOOS) and osteotomy surgery patient satisfaction questionnaires pre-operatively and at 24 months post-surgery. Results: Absolute surgical accuracy at 2 years post-surgery was a mean 4.2 [standard deviation 3.7] for OPTY-LINE versus 9.2 [SD 7.8] for Tomofix (p = 0.11, Mann–Whitney U test). On average, patients in either the OPTY-LINE or Tomofix cohort reported at least a minimal perceptible clinical improvement—minimum average improvement of 15—for all five KOOS themes. No significant difference in change of KOOS scores over time or patient satisfaction levels were observed between the two cohorts. Conclusion: The OPTY-LINE device for HTO performs to a similar level as the Tomofix device. Surgical accuracy data are promising for OPTY-LINE, but does not seem to readily translate into difference in patient-reported outcomes compared to Tomofix. Even longer follow-up periods, to measure survival rates, and true randomised trials on larger samples can elucidate if there is a benefit for using one device over the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]