Critical Choices Applying Sociological Insight in Your Life, Family, and Community

by Sernau, Scott

• ISBN13: 9780195329735
• ISBN10: 0195329732
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-01-01
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Scott Sernau's Critical Choices shows students how to apply sociological insights to their own lives in ways that challenge complacency and easy answers. In exploring the connections between their social world and day-to-day lives--their plans, aspirations, and life choices--students sharpentheir critical-thinking skills. Written in an engaging, conversational tone, Critical Choices helps instructors communicate the relevance of studying sociology to students--how it can make us more savvy, successful, and empathetic social actors. The book's interactive, critical-thinking approach calls on students to apply data ontrends and patterns, confront myth-challenging facts, examine tables and charts, and explore the social underpinnings of current controversies. Included are global concerns and issues of race, health, community, and gender--all crucial in the contemporary context of making critical choices. "Reaching Out" sections extend to interaction with the student's particular community. These include a wide range of hands-on learning experiences, such as short field projects, content analyses, ethnographic writing, and other community activities to encourage habits of thoughtful involvement.Critical Choices offers a key resource to instructors seeking to convey both the intrigue and the practicality of sociology--and to spark fresh sociological imaginations. The table of contents is designed to match the range of topics found in most core introductory texts.

Table of Contents

Introduction: At the Juncture of History and Biography Understanding the Links Between Social Context and Personal Experience

Building Bridges in the Global Village

The Crucible of Culture in an Interconnected

World Communication and Understanding Across Cultures Seeing Ourselves and Others: Broadening Our View Toward a Multicultural Vision

You've Come a Long Way, Maybe Media Messages on Gender Traits and Views of Success Gender, Socialization, and Interaction

Gender Expectations on Campus: Who Do You Believe, How Should You Act?

The Corporate Life Cocktails and Tall Tales: The Art of the Reception and the Presentation of Self Manipulation, Intimidation, and the Art of Saying No Groupthink: When You Are Afraid to Disagree

The Dynamics of Deadlock: When Groups Can't Get Things Done Up the Organization: Gender, Status, and Power Corporate Culture: Should You Fit in, Dare You Be Different?

Planning Ahead, Getting Ahead, Keeping Your Head Education, Jobs, and Income: Prospects, Strategies, Pitfalls

Assessing the Returns to Education Job Seeking, Job Trajectories, and Job Satisfaction American Class Structure: Pervasive Effects of Social Class

Trends in Employment and Wages

A Cohort of Many Colors Race and Ethnicity on Campus and in the Workplace: Dealing with Stereotypes, Handling Discrimination, and Challenging Bias Commanding and Communicating Respect: Reaching Across the Color Line

Family Values and Valuing Families Rules, Roles, and Relationships: Taking a Look at What Your Family Was, Is, and Might Be Passing on and Rethinking Traditions, Values, and Faith Living Well, Staying Well: Health, Aging, and Family Support

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally Reading

Your Community

What Your Neighborhood Says About You

Community Choice

Community Action, and Community Involvement Making Sense of the New World Disorder

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.