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This book explores what it means to be a twin and to what extent twins can shape or ´escape´ their identities as twins. It investigates how social expectations about twins shape twins´ lives and how twins utilize their bodies, space and talk to actively display and perform their own identities.

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Introduction: Situating Twins in Society PART I: STRUCTURING CONTEXTS Discourses Parents PART II: AGENCY CONTEXTS Bodies Space Talk Conclusions: Moving Through Life as a Twin Appendix A Notes Bibliography Index

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´This is an engaging book that makes an important contribution to our understanding of twinship. Underpinned by a sociological theoretical framework and brought to life by the detailed perspectives of twins, their siblings and their parents, the book offers new and challenging insights.´ - Paul Connolly, Professor of Education, Queen´s University Belfast, UK

´This is a timely addition to the growing research on the sociology of siblingship. It is an accessibly written and comprehensive text which fills a gap by offering great insights into the social construction of twinship.´ - Dr Samantha Punch, University of Stirling, UK

´At last, a sophisticated but accessible socio-culturally informed, life course analysis of twins and twinship. Bacon´s study of British twins stands out from more traditional arenas of twin research with its sustained focus on twin and twins´ identities as complex, sometimes contradictory social constructions. As a sociologist, Bacon incorporates multiple perspectives including those of parents, researchers, and different types of twins, themselves. Twins in Society makes a welcome and timely contribution to the twin research literature.´ - Dona Lee Davis, Professor of Anthropology, University of South Dakota, USA

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KATE BACON is Lecturer in Sociology in the School of Education and Social Science at the University of Central Lancashire, UK. She has published on twin identity and conducting research with children.

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