Full Description
This classic introduction to sociology as a perspective gives students a sound understanding of key sociological concepts as well as insight into how sociologists view society and human beings. Clearly written and organized, it shows students how the various aspects of sociology fit together—and are relevant to their own lives.
Contents
IN THIS SECTION:
1.) BRIEF
2.) COMPREHENSIVE
BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Preface
Part I: The Nature of Sociology
Chapter 1 The Discipline of Sociology
Chapter 2 Sociology as a Perspective: How Sociologists Think
Chapter 3 Humans Are Embedded in Social Organization
Chapter 4 Social Structure
Part II: The Nature of Social Organization
Chapter 5 Inequality in Society
Chapter 6 Culture
Chapter 7 Social Institutions
Chapter 8 Organizations, Societies, and Globalization (Written by Joel Charon and Lee Vigilant)
Part III: Order and Power in Social Organization
Chapter 9 Social Order, Social Control, and Social Deviance
Chapter 10 Social Power
Part IV: The Dynamic Nature of Social Life
Chapter 11 Symbols, Self, and Mind: Our Active Nature
Chapter 12 Social Change
Chapter 13 The Family in Society
Chapter 14 Religion, Society, and the Individual (Written by Lee Vigilant and Joel Charon)
Part V: Conclusion
Chapter 15 The Meaning and Uses of Sociology
Index
COMPREHENSIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Preface
Part I: The Nature of Sociology
Chapter 1 The Discipline of Sociology
What Is Sociology?
Sociology Is an Academic Discipline
Sociology Focuses on Our Social World
Sociology Asks Three Questions
Sociology Focuses on Five Topics
Sociology Is a Scientific Discipline
The Meaning of Sociology: A Summary
The Beginnings of Sociology
Science Was an Inspiration ...
And So Were the Problems of Industrialization ...
And the Need to Understand Revolution ...
As Well as Experiences with Other Peoples and Societies ...
And a Climate for New Ideas Arose
The Development of Sociology
Conclusion and Summary
Questions to Consider
Recommended Reading
Chapter 2 Sociology as a Perspective: How Sociologists Think 27
Humans Are Social Beings 29
Humans Exist Within Social Patterns 31
Humans Are Socialized 33
Durkheim: The Study of Suicide 36
Durkheim's Theory 37
Durkheim's Evidence 38
Extending His Theory 40
Durkheim's Influence 42
Sociology: A Summary 44
Questions to Consider 45
Recommended Reading 45
Chapter 3 Humans Are Embedded in Social Organization 49
Organization Begins with Social Action 51
Mutual Social Action Is Social Interaction 53
Social Organization Is Patterned Social Interaction 56
The Forms of Social Organization 59
Dyads Are Twos 59
Groups Are More 59
Formal Organizations Write Down Their Rules 62
Communities Are Self-Sufficient Units of Organization 64
Societies Are the Most Inclusive Form of Organization 65
Social Organization Seems to Sit Right on Top of Us 66
Questions to Consider 69
Recommended Reading 69
Chapter 4 Social Structure 74
We All Fill Positions in Social Structure 75
Roles Are Attached to Positions 77
Roles Are Not as Simple as a Script in a Play 80
Status Positions Form Our Identities 84
Positions Are Unequal 87
Unequal Power 88
Unequal Prestige 89
Unequal Privileges 90
Our Positions Also Give Us Our Perspectives 91
Summary: The Meaning and Importance of Structure 93
Questions to Consider 94
Recommended Reading 94
Part II: The Nature of Social Organization
Chapter 5 Inequality in Society 99
The Meaning of Social Class 103
Gender and Race 106
Class, Race, and Gender Structures Are Special Social Structures 107
Social Stratification Affects Placement in Other Social Organizations 109
The Origin of Social Stratification Systems 111
Social Mobility 113
Structural Change 114
Marx's View of Social Stratification 116
Summary 118
Questions to Consider 119
Recommended Reading 119
Chapter 6 Culture 129
Culture Is a Shared Perspective on the World 130
Culture Is Learned 131
Culture Is a Social Inheritance 132
Culture Is a Body of "Truth" 134
Culture Is a Set of Values 136
Values Are Reflected in Action 138
There Is an American Value System, but It Is Complex and Often Inconsistent 139
Culture Is a Set of Goals 141
Culture Is a Set of Norms 142
Culture, Subculture, and Counterculture 144
Culture Is Important 146
The Real Significance of Culture: The Social Construction of Reality 147
Summary 148
Questions to Consider 148
Recommended Reading 149
Chapter 7 Social Institutions 154
Institutions Are Social Patterns 155
Social Institutions Are the Most Central Grooves in Society 156
Institutions Are the Central Ways a Society Functions and Solves Its Ongoing Problems 156
Institutions Are Widely Accepted and Deeply Entrenched 158
Social Institutions Are Real Forces Working on Actors 161
The Meaning of Institutions: A Summary 162
Institutions Are Important 165
Institutionalization and Deinstitutionalization 166
The Rejection of Social Institutions 167
Summary 169
Questions to Consider 170
Recommended Reading 170
Chapter 8 Organizations, Societies, and Globalization (Written by Joel Charon and Lee Vigilant) 175
Social Organizations Influence Each Other 176
Society in the World Order 179
Karl Marx: A Future Worldwide Capitalist Order 179
Immanuel Wallerstein: Core Societies, Semi-Peripheral Societies, and
Peripheral Societies 180
Globalization in the Twenty-First Century: Economic, Cultural, and Political 181
The Meaning of Globalization 181
Economic Globalization 183
Cultural Globalization 184
Political Globalization 185
Criticisms of Globalization 186
Conclusion and Summary 187
Questions to Consider 188
Recommended Reading 189
Part III: Order and Power in Social Organization
Chapter 9 Social Order, Social Control, and Social Deviance 191
Social Order Is Established Through Structure and Culture 194
Social Order Depends on Working Institutions 197
Social Order Depends on Socialization 198
Loyalty to the Organization Is the Fifth Foundation for Social Order 202
Social Controls Contribute to Social Order 205
Social Deviance 207
Summary 211
Questions to Consider 211
Recommended Reading 212
Chapter 10 Social Power 217
The Meaning of Social Power 218
Three Definitions of Power 218
Resources and Social Power 219
Influence, Control, and Powerlessness 220
Authority 221
The Inevitability of Inequality in Organization 223
Class Position and Power 225
Organization as Power 226
Three Theories of Power 227
Pluralism 228
The Power Elite 230
The Corporate Elite 231
Summary 233
Questions to Consider 234
Recommended Reading 235
Part IV: The Dynamic Nature of Human Social Life
Chapter 11 Symbols, Self, and Mind: Our Active Nature 240
Individuality and Freedom 242
How Can We Explain Individuality? 245
The Origin of Human Freedom 246
Human Beings Are Symbol Users 247
The Meaning of Symbols 247
The Importance of Symbols 249
Symbols and Freedom 250
We Possess Self and Mind 252
Summary 255
Questions to Consider 256
Recommended Reading 256
Chapter 12 Social Change 259
Individual Change and Social Change 260
Acts of Individuals and Groups Change Organization 262
Social Conflict Changes Organization 266
External Social Organizations and Environments Change
Social Organization 268
Technology Changes Social Organization 271
Changes in Population Change Social Organization 274
Change in Social Patterns Causes Change in Other Social Patterns 276
Summary 279
Questions to Consider 280
Recommended Reading 280
Chapter 13 The Family in Society 28
The Importance of the Family to Sociology 286
Meaning of the Family 288
Is the Family Universal? 288
Why Is Definition Difficult? 289
The Family: A Primary Group in a Household 289
The Family: The Socialization Function 290
The Family: Economic and Social Functions 291
The Family: The Social Class Placement Function 291
The Family: The Expressive Function 292
The Meaning of the Family: A Summary 293
Marriage as an Institution 293
The Changing Structure of Marriage 295
Marital Satisfaction 297
Divorce 299
Children and Socialization in the Family 300
Individual Choice and the Changing Family 302
Summary 304
Questions to Consider 306
Recommended Reading 306
Chapter 14 Religion, Society, and the Individual (Written by Lee Vigilant and Joel Charon) 309
The Industrial Revolution: Religion, and the Beginning of Sociology 310
Auguste Comte (1798-1857): The Death of the Sacred 311
Ferdinand Tonnies (1855-1936): Religion and Community 313
Karl Marx (1818-1883): Religion as the Opiate of the Masses 314
Emile Durkheim (1858-1917: Meaning and Function of Religion 316
Religion and the Creation of the Sacred 316
Religion's Creation and Function Is Social 317
Religion Creates and Upholds the Morality of Society 318
Religion Is Important for the Individual 318
The Future of Society 319
Max Weber (1864-1920): Religion, the Rationalization of Life, and Social Change 319
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism: Religious Thought Influences Economic Action 320
Rationalization of Life and the Future of Religion 321
Charismatic Authority and the Role of Religion in Social Change 322
Weber: A Summary 323
The Heritage of Sociology from the Early Sociologists: Conclusion 323
The Study of Religion in the Late-Modern World 324
Secularization: Is Religion Becoming Less Important Today? 324
