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CHOICE Review

Parton seeks to place child abuse within political context, specifically that of Britain, supplemented with evidence from the US. Parton's presentation of historical perspectives, contemporary explanations, and current research is excellent. He asserts that child abuse is ``THE issue that present social forces seeking to redefine the social market economy have coalesced around,'' thus making social workers pawns and victims of these forces. Parton analyzes the disease concept, as applied to child abuse, and finds it defective. Next, he studies ecological and socioculture approaches; his conclusions suggest they are needed more than used. Parton admits that solutions he offers are not startingly innovative. Research indicates structural causes of child abuse, whereas British and US politicians prefer to seek individual causes. He believes a more socialistically oriented system would aid in improving structures for effective prevention of child abuse. His study directly attacks the conservative leadership views of Thatcher and Reagan. Excellent print, binding, typeset, and format; the excellent endnotes, however, are not placed for easy use. The work is most useful for historical perspective and research review, weakest in charting new directions. General and academic readership, upper-division undergraduate level and beyond.-P.C. Campbell, University of Minnesota-Duluth