Sociological Wisdom is based on applying the basic principles of sociology to the world around us. Sociologists study patterns of behavior in order to draw general conclusions about a social issue that transcend the effect of the problem or issue on any particular individual. This is not to say that sociologists are unconcerned about individuals and their lives, but sociology's emphasis is on the way individuals relate to others, people's positions in society, and the interdependence between society and individuals. This text teaches students that it is more important than ever to study human behavior, social groups, and society utilizing critical thinking skills and careful analysis associated with sociological wisdom.
Preface Table of Contents Chapter 1Discovering Sociology What is Sociological Wisdom? The Sociological Imagination Life in a Global Society Common Sense versus Common Nonsense The Rise and Fall of Science Structural Functionalism Conflict Theory Feminist Perspectives Symbolic Interaction Sociological Wisdom: Taking an Integrated Approach Chapter 2Doing Sociology How Do We Know Things Are Not What They Seem? Sociology and Scientific Knowledge Theory-Building Process Scientific Method Types of Research Quantifying Social Life Qualitative Studies Ethical Issues in Sociological Research Chapter 3Understanding Society and Culture Types of Societies Components of Culture Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism Ideal versus Real Culture Subcultures and Countercultures Popular Culture Chapter 4Becoming a Social Being Nature and Nurture Developing a Social Self Agents of Socialization Socialization over the Life Course Desocialization and Resocialization Chapter 5Interacting in Everyday Life Statuses and Roles Personal Space Patterns of Social Interaction Social Networks Role of Technology Redefining Social Interaction Chapter 6Organizing Our Social World Social Groups Formal Organizations Bureaucracies and Us Social Institutions Chapter 7Controlling Social Behavior Range of Tolerance Relativity of Deviance Deviance and Stigma Power of the Media Cyberporn, Cybersex, and Internet Addiction Popular Explanations of Deviance Sociological Theories of Deviance and Conformity Types of Social Control Chapter 8Emphasizing Differences Inequality: Why Life's Not Fair Importance of Social Class Socioeconomic Status Race, Ethnicity, and Minority Groups Sex and Gender Age and Ageism Intersectionality Chapter 9Creating Social Change Collective Behavior Macro-level and Micro-level Change Modern Social Movements Technology and Change Looking to the Future Chapter 10Sustaining the Planet Demography Population Growth Urbanization and Suburbanization Ecology and the Environment Where Do We Go From Here?
