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6 THE ISA HANDBOOK IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIOLOGY
benefits are raising new problems worldwide, illustrates the impact of choices by the State
among them, Health Care (Browne). on national economic outcomes. Teune looks
Additional problems are pin-pointed in the at attitudes toward democracy among heads
domain of economic life: Markets and Labour of local councils in Sweden, Russia, and
(Webster and Lambert) and Political Poland, and presents insights into how the
Consumerism (Silvestro). The two remaining local may be aligned with global institutions
chapters relate to the problems that computer to reduce conflicts. De Oliveira discusses
development has created – Digital Futures how modes of address reflect and guide the
(Schulz), and to the prevalence of Crime tangling and untangling of negotiation.
in Rural Communities (Donnermeyer, Jobes, Finally, five researchers, Couton, Denis,
and Barclay). This last article constitutes Laczko, Pietrantonio, and Theriault, examine
a reminder that crime is not exclusively a different aspects of ethno-linguistic diversity
function of modern urbanism. in Canada and more specifically in Québec,
By contrast with the first three sections with a special emphasis on how the issues are
which provide wide-ranging views of orien- often dealt with in contradictory ways
tations, subfields, and problems, the eight between the two jurisdictional levels.
chapters of Part 4 present ‘Illustrative In the final chapter of the Handbook, we
Case Studies’ which exemplify the workings sum up implications for the development of
of conflict, competition, and cooperation in sociology in the twenty-first century of
particular contexts. Koc brings findings from the various meanings of conflict, competition,
research on the distribution of food through- and cooperation that are elaborated in
out the world. Gohn describes how different the kaleidoscope of approaches presented here.
theoretical orientations interpret social
movements in Brazil as moved by conflict or
by competition or by cooperation. Armony
analyzes the meanings of social justice and NOTES
social mobilization in El Salvador and
in Honduras by examining the discourse of 1 Authors’ names are listed alphabetically, since
activists in responses to open questions. Sitas both contributed equally.
2 In the case of those not representing a Research
looks at industrial relations in South Africa,
Committee, Working Group or Thematic Group, par-
while Pereira explains how Singapore’s ticipants were asked to examine the issues in the field
continuously evolving investment strategy of research in which they had an interest.