The Basics is a highly successful series of accessible guidebooks which provide an overview of the fundamental principles of a subject area in a jargon-free and undaunting format.
Intended for students approaching a subject for the first time, the books both introduce the essentials of a subject and provide an ideal springboard for further study. With over 50 titles spanning subjects from Artificial Intelligence to Women’s Studies, The Basics are an ideal starting point for students seeking to understand a subject area.
Each text comes with recommendations for further study and gradually introduces the complexities and nuances within a subject.
By Megan E. Birney
June 12, 2023
Self and Identity: The Basics is a jargon-free and accessible introduction that draws on key theories and ideas in Social Psychology to explore the ways that other people affect our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Highlighting selfhood as a function of identity, the book shows that it is our ...
By Michael D. Reiter
June 01, 2023
Family Therapy: The Basics provides a clear and concise overview of the field of family therapy and its foundational models. This text explores the history, skills, and theories upon which family therapy rests, highlighting the main figures, concepts, ethical principles, and methods.Focusing on the...
By Salvatore Schiavo-Campo
May 31, 2023
Public administration is the set of instruments – the rules, incentives, organizations, information, systems and people – to implement public policy. Public Administration: The Basics is a reader-friendly and up-to-date synthesis of the subject, complete with relatable examples, analogies, and...
By Ruth O'Shaughnessy, Katherine Berry, Rudi Dallos, Karen Bateson
April 04, 2023
This book provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to key concepts of attachment theory, from the work of its founder John Bowlby to the most recent research within the field. The first part of the book gives readers a clear understanding of attachment theory during infancy, ...
By Philip Corr, Anke Plagnol
March 31, 2023
The second edition of Behavioral Economics: The Basics summarizes behavioral economics, which uses insights from the social sciences, especially psychology, to explain real-world economic behavior. Behavioral economic insights are routinely used not only to understand the choices people make but ...
By Erik Banks
March 31, 2023
Now in its fourth edition, Finance: The Basics is a clear and practical introduction to the world of finance. It thoroughly explains essential financial statements, tools, and concepts; fundamental financial instruments and transactions; and global financial participants, markets, and systems. ...
By Michael Pasquier
March 29, 2023
Religion in America: The Basics is a concise introduction to the historical development of religions in the United States. It is an invitation to explore the complex tapestry of religious beliefs and practices that shaped life in North America from the colonial encounters of the fifteenth century ...
By G. Hussein Rassool
March 23, 2023
Islamic Psychology: The Basics is a jargon-free and accessible introduction that explores psychology from an Islāmic perspective, and provides a foundation level overview of the fundamental principles and practices of Islāmic psychology. The book introduces concepts, models, approaches, themes, and...
By Neelima Shukla-Bhatt
March 07, 2023
Hinduism: The Basics introduces readers to the third largest, and arguably the oldest, living religious tradition. It opens a vista into the rich and dynamic ethos of the Hindu religious tradition in India and other parts of the world. The book explores the variety of philosophical schools, ...
By Candi Cann
December 30, 2022
Death and Religion: The Basics provides a thorough and accessible introduction to dying, death, grief, and conceptions of the afterlife in world religions. It leads readers through considerations of how we understand meanings of death and after-death, and the theories and practices attached to ...
By Heidi A. Campbell, Wendi Bellar
December 30, 2022
Digital Religion: The Basics explores how digital media and internet platforms are transforming religious practice in a digital age and the impact this has had on religious culture in contemporary society. Through exploring six defining characteristics of how religion is acted out online, including...
By Anne M. Hamilton, Walter Byongsok Chon
December 30, 2022
Dramaturgy: The Basics introduces the art of dramaturgy, explaining how dramaturgy works, what a dramaturg is, and how to appreciate their unique contribution to theatre-making. A wide-ranging account of the role of this vital element of theatre helps students and aspiring performance makers to ...