The Basics
About the Book Series
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.
Political Theology: The Basics
1st Edition
By Adam Kotsko
March 24, 2027
The field of political theology is exceptionally diverse, approaching the relationship between religion and politics from every possible direction. This book helps readers navigate this complex field. It engages with the two major strains of political theology, both the genealogical version that ...
Finance: The Basics
5th Edition
By Erik Banks
March 18, 2027
Now in its fifth 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. This ...
Psychopathology: The Basics
1st Edition
By Lance Workman, Sandie Taylor
March 17, 2027
Psychopathology: The Basics is a comprehensive introduction to the study of mental health issues that are considered abnormal. Adopting a broadly biomedical classification, the book also discusses the assumptions and limitations of this approach. It provides a clear, balanced, and accessible ...
Spirituality: The Basics
1st Edition
By Morgan Shipley
March 17, 2027
Spirituality: The Basics offers an accessible guide to the diverse expressions and practices of contemporary spirituality, moving beyond rigid definitions to explore how it functions across secular and nonreligious contexts as a vital resource for purpose, meaning, and belonging. Presenting ...
Embodiment: The Basics
1st Edition
By Samantha Kwan, Trenton M. Haltom
March 03, 2027
Embodiment: The Basics provides an introduction to a sociological perspective of the body. It illustrates how meanings about the body, as well as experiences of embodiment, are connected to and contingent upon social structures. The book examines social and cultural meanings about the body across ...
Existentialism: The Basics
1st Edition
By Jonathan Webber
February 16, 2027
Existentialism: The Basics is an engaging introduction to one of the most influential philosophical movements of the twentieth century. This lively and lucid book details the existentialist vision of human being and the existentialist demand to respect human freedom. Written by a leading expert in ...
Free Speech: The Basics
1st Edition
By Robert Mark Simpson
February 16, 2027
Although it’s a fundamental tenet of liberal thought and democratic freedom, free speech is nevertheless under attack from many quarters, including the threat of imprisonment, restrictions on the right to protest, and “cancel culture”. Where do we draw the line over free speech? Is there is a line?...
Bilingualism: The Basics
1st Edition
By Esther de Leeuw
January 18, 2027
Bilingualism: The Basics provides the reader with a state-of-the-art overview of research into individual bilingualism. Very generally, a bilingual individual is someone who has two or more languages embedded in their life. The majority of the world is either bilingual or multilingual. Few people ...
Stammering: The Basics
1st Edition
By Victoria Cummings, Nicola Darby
December 31, 2026
This book provides a clear overview of what stammering is, addressing the observable features, the cognitive and emotional aspects of stammering, as well as the impact that a stammer can have on a person’s life. Using a multi-factorial approach, the current research regarding the physiological, ...
User Experience: The Basics
1st Edition
By Jason C.K. Tham
December 23, 2026
Understanding user experience (UX) is essential for designers in today’s digital world. This accessible guide demystifies UX principles, showing how thoughtful design shapes our daily interactions with products, services, and systems far beyond digital screens. Through real-world examples and case ...
Hasidism: The Basics
1st Edition
By Marcin Wodziński, Wojciech Tworek
December 22, 2026
Hasidism: The Basics offers a clear and accessible introduction to one of the most influential socioreligious movements shaping Jewish religious, social, and cultural life from the eighteenth century to the present. The book outlines Hasidism as a dynamic movement that profoundly transformed ...
Ecofeminism: The Basics
1st Edition
By Susan Buckingham
December 14, 2026
Ecofeminism: The Basics introduces the ecofeminist approaches to understanding how humans interact with, dominate and are embedded within the natural environment, of which we are a part. Tracing ecofeminism from Françoise d’Eaubonne’s coining of the term in Feminism or Death through to the mid-...