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.
Urban Anthropology: The Basics
1st Edition
By Julian Brash
June 16, 2026
This book is a clearly and accessibly written short guide to the contemporary state of urban anthropology. It outlines what urban anthropologists study, how they do so, and what they have learned about urbanization and urbanism in the past and present in a way that makes sense to readers new to the...
China: The Basics
1st Edition
By Anna L. Lora-Wainwright
May 28, 2026
Drawing on over two decades of research in and on China and on extensive reviews of current scholarship, China: The Basics introduces readers to the key aspects of Chinese society, culture and politics. The book provides an empirically rich overview of China’s global position and the challenges ...
Economic Geography: The Basics
1st Edition
By Julie MacLeavy, Kean Fan Lim, Allan Watson
May 27, 2026
Through a concise and accessible overview, Economic Geography: The Basics examines how geographical concepts – place, space, territory, networks, and scale – enable the study of economic phenomena from a spatial perspective. Readers will develop an understanding of the diverse theoretical ...
World History: The Basics
2nd Edition
By Peter N. Stearns
May 25, 2026
World history continues to evolve as one of the most popular and widely discussed approaches to the study of history. The second edition of World History: The Basics offers an updated introduction of this fast-growing field, addressing key questions such as: What is world history? How do we study ...
Queer Studies: The Basics
1st Edition
By Katherine Hubbard, David A Griffiths
May 20, 2026
Queer Studies: The Basics offers a concise and accessible introduction to the foundational principles, history, and contemporary concerns of queer studies. Organised across eight themed chapters, the book traces the development of queer theory from the late 20th century to the present, while ...
English Language: The Basics
1st Edition
By Philip Seargeant
May 07, 2026
This lively and engaging book traces English’s remarkable journey from a small, local language to the global resource it is today. The book follows the story of English from its earliest origins, through its growth and expansion over the last 1,500 years, to the part it plays in twenty-first ...
Oceanography: The Basics
1st Edition
By Jonathan Sharples
May 06, 2026
Earth’s oceans are vital for sustaining life on our planet. Oceanography is an intrinsically multidisciplinary science that explores how the ocean does this. The author uses plankton as a focus for the book, drawing together the physics of the ocean circulation, the chemistry of nutrients and ...
Global Migration: The Basics
2nd Edition
By Bernadette Hanlon, Thomas J. Vicino
April 22, 2026
Migration is a politically sensitive topic and an important aspect of contentious debates about social and cultural diversity, economic stability, terrorism, globalization, and nationalism. Global Migration: The Basics, Second Edition provides an accessible and balanced introduction to this ...
Media Studies: The Basics
3rd Edition
By Claire Pollard, Julian McDougall
April 22, 2026
Fully updated and revised, the third edition of Media Studies: The Basics is the ideal guide to the changing landscape of media and Media Studies. There have been seismic shifts in what constitutes (the) media in recent years with technological advances ushering in whole new categories of producers...
Misinformation: The Basics
1st Edition
By Justin P. McBrayer
April 20, 2026
This book introduces readers to the topic of misinformation. In recent years, many people have become worried about fake news, misinformation, disinformation, and the like. Is this concern justified or a moral panic over nothing? Misinformation: The Basics provides readers with a short, accessible ...
Anthropology: The Basics
2nd Edition
By Peter A. Metcalf
April 15, 2026
The ultimate guide for the student encountering anthropology for the first time, Anthropology: The Basics explains and explores anthropological concepts and themes. In this immensely readable book, Peter A. Metcalf makes large and complex topics both accessible and enjoyable, arguing that the ...
Unlocking Business Insights: The Basics
1st Edition
By Aneesh Banerjee
April 14, 2026
Unlocking Business Insights provides a practical framework for extracting meaningful business insights from data, guiding leaders through fundamental principles that transform overwhelming datasets into actionable business value. This book equips readers with essential analytical thinking skills ...