Exploring Twins: Towards a Social Analysis of Twinship

Rating:
Summary: An unusual & different approach to a fascinating topic!
Review: I eagerly read Dr. Stewart's book about the social analysis of twinship and was amazed by how many and in what ways others had conceptualised the phenomenon of twinship. This book, however, offers a completely unique approach to twinship. While it highlights these other approaches, it goes on to examine the social consequences of twinship, first from the point of view of various family members and then from the twins themselves' point of view. Stewart then explores the two research projects she carried out to find out the general public's perceptions of twins. She concludes by examining a wide variety of social theories about identity and the formation of the self and applies them to studying twinship.

Written in an accessible style , this involving book would be of interest not only to professionals involved in one way or another with twins, but equally as importantly to intelligent parents who could easily learn more about the twins they have produced.

Rating:
Summary: An unusual & different approach to a fascinating topic!
Review: I eagerly read Dr. Stewart's book about the social analysis of twinship and was amazed by how many and in what ways others had conceptualised the phenomenon of twinship. This book, however, offers a completely unique approach to twinship. While it highlights these other approaches, it goes on to examine the social consequences of twinship, first from the point of view of various family members and then from the twins themselves' point of view. Stewart then explores the two research projects she carried out to find out the general public's perceptions of twins. She concludes by examining a wide variety of social theories about identity and the formation of the self and applies them to studying twinship.

Written in an accessible style , this involving book would be of interest not only to professionals involved in one way or another with twins, but equally as importantly to intelligent parents who could easily learn more about the twins they have produced.

Rating:
Summary: Analyzing Twinship
Review: Stewart offers what may be the only sociological analysis of twins and twinship, emphasizing that "twinship is an irreducibly social phenomenon."

She covers the anthropoligical perspective by focusing on twins in mythology, and moves on to the psychological research that focuses on personality and individuation. Stewart's insight as a sociologist comes in the second half of the book, incoporating symbolic interactionism and sociological social psychology to discuss the social construction of twinship. She tackles the dilemma of individuality, the impact twins have on the family, how twinship links to socio-economic class, and how twins present themselves in different contexts.

Stewart's analysis of twinship is one of a kind. As a mother of twins and a European sociologist, her insight is keen.

Rating:
Summary: Analyzing Twinship
Review: Stewart offers what may be the only sociological analysis of twins and twinship, emphasizing that "twinship is an irreducibly social phenomenon."

She covers the anthropoligical perspective by focusing on twins in mythology, and moves on to the psychological research that focuses on personality and individuation. Stewart's insight as a sociologist comes in the second half of the book, incoporating symbolic interactionism and sociological social psychology to discuss the social construction of twinship. She tackles the dilemma of individuality, the impact twins have on the family, how twinship links to socio-economic class, and how twins present themselves in different contexts.

Stewart's analysis of twinship is one of a kind. As a mother of twins and a European sociologist, her insight is keen.