In Praise of Sociology


Book Description

In this lively and entertaining book, Gordon Marshall explores ten classic studies of British society to demonstrate the valuable qualities of British sociology, and its importance for understanding contemporary society. In each case he provides a precis of the research undertaken, assuming no prior knowledge on the part of the reader, a series of points that can be made in praise or criticism of the research, and an assessment of the sociological contribution made by the researchers. The ten studies chosen are: Goldthorpe on social mobility, Townsend on poverty, Rex and Moore on race and the inner city, the Affluent Worker project, Wallis on sectarianism, Jackson and Marsden on education and the working class, Brown and Harris on clinical depression among women, Cohen on deviance, Bott on families and social networks, and Burns and Stalker on management and new technology. An excellent introduction for the student to the concerns and values of sociology, this book gives a powerful statement of the achievements of post-war British sociologists, and a manifesto for good sociology in the 1990s.




The Sociology Book


Book Description

Learn about how we organize our society in The Sociology Book. Part of the fascinating Big Ideas series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and easy to follow format. Learn about Sociology in this overview guide to the subject, great for beginners looking to learn and experts wishing to refresh their knowledge alike! The Sociology Book brings a fresh and vibrant take on the topic through eye-catching graphics and diagrams to immerse yourself in. This captivating book will broaden your understanding of Sociology, with: - More than 80 ideas from the world's most renowned sociologists - Packed with facts, charts, timelines and graphs to help explain core concepts - A visual approach to big subjects with striking illustrations and graphics throughout - Easy to follow text makes topics accessible for people at any level of understanding The Sociology Book is the perfect introduction to a range of societal issues, ranging from government and gender identity to inequalities and globalization, aimed at adults with an interest in the subject and students wanting to gain more of an overview. Here you'll find biographies of key sociologists and social activists that give a historical context to each idea. Your Sociology Questions, Simply Explained This book explores the similar issues that affect us all; the tension between the needs of the individual and society, the changing workplace, and the role of everything from government to mass culture in our lives. If you thought it was difficult to learn about social theory, The Sociology Book presents key information in a clear layout. Learn about issues of equality, diversity, identity, and human rights; the role of institutions; and the rise of urban living in modern society, with fantastic mind maps and step-by-step summaries. The Big Ideas Series With millions of copies sold worldwide, The Sociology Book is part of the award-winning Big Ideas series from DK. The series uses striking graphics along with engaging writing, making big topics easy to understand.




Playing to Win


Book Description

"Many parents work more hours outside of the home and their lives are crowded with more obligations than ever before; many children spend their evenings and weekends trying out for all-star teams, traveling to regional and national tournaments, and eating dinner in the car while being shuttled between activities. In this vivid ethnography, based on almost 200 interviews with parents, children, coaches and teachers, Hilary Levey probes the increase in children's participation in activities outside of the home, structured and monitored by their parents, when family time is so scarce. As the parental "second shift" continues to grow, alongside it a second shift for children has emerged--especially among the middle- and upper-middle classes--which is suffused with competition rather than mere participation. What motivates these particular parents to get their children involved in competitive activities? Parents' primary concern is their children's access to high quality educational credentials--the biggest bottleneck standing in the way of, or facilitating entry into, membership in the upper-middle class. Competitive activities, like sports and the arts, are seen as the essential proving ground that will clear their children's paths to the Ivy League or other similar institutions by helping them to develop a competitive habitus. This belief, motivated both by reality and by perception, and shaped by gender and class, affects how parents envision their children's futures; it also shapes the structure of children's daily lives, what the children themselves think about their lives, and the competitive landscapes of the activities themselves"--




The Sociology of W. E. B. Du Bois


Book Description

The first comprehensive understanding of Du Bois for social scientists The Sociology of W. E. B. Du Bois provides a comprehensive introduction to the founding father of American sociological thought. Du Bois is now recognized as a pioneer of American scientific sociology and as someone who made foundational contributions to the sociology of race and to urban and community sociology. However, in this authoritative volume, noted scholars José Itzigsohn and Karida L. Brown provide a groundbreaking account of Du Bois’s theoretical contribution to sociology, or what they call the analysis of “racialized modernity.” Further, they examine the implications of developing a Du Boisian sociology for the practice of the discipline today. The full canon of Du Bois’s sociological works spans a lifetime of over ninety years in which his ideas evolved over much of the twentieth century. This broader and more systematic account of Du Bois’s contribution to sociology explores how his theories changed, evolved, and even developed to contradict earlier ideas. Careful parsing of seminal works provides a much needed overview for students and scholars looking to gain a better grasp of the ideas of Du Bois, in particular his understanding of racialized subjectivity, racialized social systems, and his scientific sociology. Further, the authors show that a Du Boisian sociology provides a robust analytical framework for the multilevel examination of individual-level processes—such as the formation of the self—and macro processes—such as group formation and mobilization or the structures of modernity—key concepts for a basic understanding of sociology.




Public Sociology


Book Description

From the future of work to the nature of our closest relationships, how do we understand the links between our personal troubles and wider public issues in society today? Now into its fourth edition, Public Sociology continues to highlight the relevance of a grounded sociological perspective to Australian social life, as well as encouraging students to apply a sociological gaze to their own lives and the communities in which they live. Public Sociology presents a wide range of topics in a user-friendly and accessible way, introducing key theories and research methods, and exploring core themes, including youth, families and intimate relationships, class and inequality and race and ethnic relations. All chapters have been extensively revised to bring them up to date in a fast-changing social world, reflecting the latest sociological debates in response to changing lifestyles and evolving political landscapes. In addition to updated statistics and research findings, an expanded glossary and the latest citations to the scholarly literature, the text features a completely new chapter on gender and sexualities with expanded discussion of LGBTIQ+. This new edition also explores contemporary issues ranging from the #MeToo movement to marriage equality, fake news and 'alt facts'. This is the essential sociological reference to help students make sense of a complex and challenging world. NEW TO THE FOURTH EDITION: * A new chapter on gender and sexualities and expanded discussion of intersectionality * Exploration of the latest social issues including #MeToo, rising inequality, and the 'post-truth' age * All chapters thoroughly revised and updated with the latest research * Updated book website with extra readings, YouTube clips, and case studies * A new feature, Visual Sociology, helps the reader analyse the power of visual messaging 'With a firm base in the richest traditions of the discipline and with a remarkably approachable format, this book offers an excellent introduction to a wide array of sociology's concerns, making it suitable for all Australian social science undergraduates.' Gary Wickham, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Murdoch University 'A sophisticated yet accessible introduction to social identities, differences and inequalities, and social transformations.' Jo Lindsay, Professor in Sociology, Monash University 'Sweeping and lucid...communicates with ease and simplicity.' Toni Makkai, Emeritus Professor, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University




Sociology is a Martial Art


Book Description

Table of Contents Introduction Gisèle Sapiro ix Part I On Journalism and Television 1 Journalism and Politics 3 On Television 11 The Olympics-an Agenda for Analysis 62 The Power of Journalism 65 From Miscellany to a Matter of State 75 Questions of Words 78 Part II Acts of Resistance: Against the Tyranny of the Market 83 To the Reader 85 The Left Hand and the Right Hand of the State 86 Sollers tel quel 94 The Status of Foreigners: A Shibboleth 97 Abuse of Power by the Advocates of Reason 100 The Train Driver's Remark 102 Against the Destruction of a Civilization 104 The Myth of "Globalization" and the European Welfare State 108 The Thoughts of Chairman Tietmeyer 121 Social Scientists, Economic Science, and the Social Movement 127 For a New Internationalism 133 Return to Television 141 The Government Finds the People Irresponsible 147 Job Insecurity Is Everywhere Now 149 The Protest Movement of the Unemployed, a Social Miracle 155 The Negative Intellectual 158 Neoliberalism, the Utopia (Becoming a Reality) of Unlimited Exploitation 160 Part III Firing Back: Against the Tyranny of the Market 2 171 Letter to the American Reader 173 Preface 175 For a Scholarship with Commitment 179 The Imposition of the American Model and Its Effects 186 The Invisible Hand of the Powerful 191 Against the Policy of Depoliticization 200 For a European Social Movement 212 Grains of Sand 220 Culture Is in Danger 222 Unite and Rule 234 Part IV Interviews and New Acts of Resistance 245 For a Real Mobilization of Organized Forces 247 For a Permanent Organization of Resistance to the New World Order 251 The Intellectual Is Not Ethically Neutral 255 A Sociologist in the World 261 Epilogue: Remembering Pierre Bourdieu Craig Calhoun 279 Priscilla Parkhurst Ferguson's Translator's Note: On Television 288 References 291 Notes 295 Permissions 309




French Sociology


Book Description

French Sociology offers a uniquely comprehensive view of the oldest and still one of the most vibrant national traditions in sociology. Johan Heilbron covers the development of sociology in France from its beginnings in the early nineteenth century through the discipline’s expansion in the late twentieth century, tracing the careers of figures from Auguste Comte to Pierre Bourdieu. Presenting fresh interpretations of how renowned thinkers such as Émile Durkheim and his collaborators defined the contours and content of the discipline and contributed to intellectual renewals in a wide range of other human sciences, Heilbron’s sophisticated book is both an innovative sociological study and a major reference work in the history of the social sciences. Heilbron recounts the halting process by which sociology evolved from a new and improbable science into a legitimate academic discipline. Having entered the academic field at the end of the nineteenth century, sociology developed along two separate tracks: one in the Faculty of Letters, engendering an enduring dependence on philosophy and the humanities, the other in research institutes outside of the university, in which sociology evolved within and across more specialized research areas. Distinguishing different dynamics and various cycles of change, Heilbron portrays the ways in which individuals and groups maneuvered within this changing structure, seizing opportunities as they arose. French Sociology vividly depicts the promises and pitfalls of a discipline that up to this day remains one of the most interdisciplinary endeavors among the human sciences in France.




A Durkheimian Quest


Book Description

Durkheim, in his very role as a "founding father" of a new social science has become like a figure in an old religious painting, enshrouded in myth and encrusted in layers of thick, impenetrable varnish. This book undertakes detailed, up-to-date investigations of Durkheim's work in an effort to restore its freshness and reveal it as originally created. These investigations explore his particular ideas, within an overall narrative of his initial problematic search for solidarity, how it became a quest for the sacred, and how, at the end of his life, he embarked on a project for a new great work on ethics. A theme running through this is his concern with a modern world in crisis and a hope in social and moral reform. Accordingly, the book concludes with a set of essays on modern times and on a crisis that Durkheim thought would pass but which now seems here to stay.




The Scholar Denied


Book Description

In this groundbreaking book, Aldon D. Morris’s ambition is truly monumental: to help rewrite the history of sociology and to acknowledge the primacy of W. E. B. Du Bois’s work in the founding of the discipline. Calling into question the prevailing narrative of how sociology developed, Morris, a major scholar of social movements, probes the way in which the history of the discipline has traditionally given credit to Robert E. Park at the University of Chicago, who worked with the conservative black leader Booker T. Washington to render Du Bois invisible. Morris uncovers the seminal theoretical work of Du Bois in developing a “scientific” sociology through a variety of methodologies and examines how the leading scholars of the day disparaged and ignored Du Bois’s work. The Scholar Denied is based on extensive, rigorous primary source research; the book is the result of a decade of research, writing, and revision. In exposing the economic and political factors that marginalized the contributions of Du Bois and enabled Park and his colleagues to be recognized as the “fathers” of the discipline, Morris delivers a wholly new narrative of American intellectual and social history that places one of America’s key intellectuals, W. E. B. Du Bois, at its center. The Scholar Denied is a must-read for anyone interested in American history, racial inequality, and the academy. In challenging our understanding of the past, the book promises to engender debate and discussion.




Sociology of Religion


Book Description

This third edition of Sociology of Religion introduces students to key principles in the sociological understanding of religion, with revisions and updates throughout. The book offers an overview of the nature and function of religious institutions and practices, asking sociological questions about the changing role of religion in today’s “post-traditional” world. After an introduction to the many facets of religion and key theories for its study, the book examines central themes such as changes in religious life in the United States; the intersections between religion, social class, and power and between gender, sexuality, and religion; globalization and religion; religion in mass media; and more. The third edition features new material on the relationship of race and ethnicity to religion, the perceived rises of both secularism and fundamentalism, and the role of religion in public debates on sexuality. Sociology of Religion addresses both the foundations of the field and the profound changes it has undergone, placing new examples against their historical background. Charts, photos, down-to-earth examples, and a readable style make the book an ideal introduction for students.