British sociological textbooks from 1949

This article presents a study of all editions from 1949 to 2003 of British introductory sociological textbooks intended for university use. The market is described and related to institutional changes, and characteristics of the authors and the types of text produced are sketched. It is shown how the texts have changed in bulk and character over time; their explicit or implicit pedagogical strategies are considered, and their uses in a context of traditional hostility to textbooks are discussed. Typical areas of substantive and theoretical content, and their changes over time, are outlined. Finally, it is considered to what extent they are distinctively British.