I wish to thank my former colleagues in the Sociology Department at the University of Essex for covering my duties when I was writing the first draft of this book while on sabbatical leave. I also wish to thank my new colleagues in the Department of Applied Social Science at Lancaster University for the space and encouragement they provided me to complete the final draft of this book. A number of individuals have been particularly helpful. Kevin Armstrong, Jon Garland, Kay Goodall, Jo Goodey, Krista Jansson, Ruth Keen, Vicky Keilinger, Spiridoula Lagou, Gill McIver, Hannah Mason-Bish, Les Moran, Bennett Obong, Susan Paterson, Sue Penna, Barbara Perry, Winston Pickett, Gareth Piggott, Mark Rowland, David Smith, Abe Sweiry, Angela Turton and Alan Weston have either assisted with suggestions and ideas, provided data, or read draft chapters. I also wish to thank the anonymous reviewers who provided helpful comments on earlier drafts of this book. And special thanks go to the Lagou family for the hospitality they provided while the bulk of the draft was being written.