Connecting Sociology to Our Lives : An Introduction to Sociology

by Delaney,Tim

• ISBN13: 9781612051055
• ISBN10: 1612051057
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2012-03-30
• Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS

Summary

Many introductory texts claim to make sociology relevant to student interests. Perhaps no other text has done this so completely-and engagingly-as Connecting Sociology to Our Lives. Tim Delaney not only portrays popular and contemporary culture examples, he explains sociology thoroughly within the frame of the contemporary culture of students-a culture that reigns from political, economic, environmental, and other trends just as much as it involves today's pop stars. Engage your students in sociology through the prism of their own culture. Involve them in critical thinking and classroom discussion through the book's many What Do You Think? inserts. Inspire them to careers with this book's unique chapter, Sociology's Place in Society: Completing the Connection. Enjoy the fruits of an engaged classroom by assigning this remarkably vivid and concise new text. Features of this text: Emphasizes contemporary examples of the relevance of sociological concepts-from song, film, television, sports, web media, and more. Covers all the standard sociological topics in a concise, fourteen-chapter book that allows time for classroom interaction and further readings. Chapter theme boxes include Taking a Closer Look, Connecting Sociology to Popular Culture, and What Do You Think? Focus on American culture along with coverage of sociology in the global community Unique concluding chapter helps students consider the lines of work they can consider with a sociology degree. Encourages an engaged sociology and engaged students. Pedagogy includes: Discussion questions designed to stimulate student thinking at the end of each chapter Chapter opening stories designed to stimulate student thought Chapter reviews of key sociological concepts, terms, and issues, including critical issues relevant to each chapter (e.g., an examination of the obesity epidemic in the United States in Chapter 14) Taking a Closer Look boxes and/or narratives on special topics Clearly written and to the point

Author Biography

Tim Delaney is Associate Professor and Department Chair at the State University of New York at Oswego. He is the author of numerous scholarly books, including Classical and Contemporary Social Theory: Investigation and Application (2nd edition 2012), as well as more popular books including Seinology: The Sociology of Seinfeld and Simpsonology: There's a Little Bit of Springfield in All of Us.

Table of Contents

List of Boxes and Tables	p. x
Preface and Acknowledgments	p. xiii
About the Author	p. xv
Sociology: An Introduction	p. 1
Introductory Story	p. 2
The Sociological Perspective	p. 5
The Limitations of "Common Sense"	p. 10
The Sociological Imagination	p. 15
The Origins and Development of Sociology	p. 18
Applying the Sociological Perspective	p. 27
Summary, Glossary, Discussion Questions, Web Links	p. 28
Social Theory: Explaining How We View the World	p. 31
Introductory Story	p. 32
Social Theory	p. 33
Early Sociologists: European Origins	p. 35
Early Sociologists in the United States	p. 46
The Major Theoretical Perspectives of Sociology	p. 52
Summary, Glossary, Discussion Questions, Web Links	p. 63
Research Methods: Testing Our View of the World	p. 68
Introductory Story	p. 69
Using the Scientific Method	p. 70
The Research Model	p. 75
Research Methods	p. 77
Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches	p. 92
Ethics and Ideal Research	p. 98
Summary, Glossary, Discussion Questions, Web Links	p. 103
Culture and Social Structure	p. 106
Introductory Story	p. 107
Defining Culture	p. 108
Material Culture	p. 116
The Allure of Popular Culture	p. 120
The Diversity of Culture	p. 125
Social Structure: Groups, Organizations, and Social Institutions	p. 132
Summary, Glossary, Discussion Questions, Web Links	p. 139
Socialization	p. 143
Introductory Story	p. 144
The Socialization Process	p. 145
Theories of Socialization and Human Development	p. 150
Agents-of Socialization	p. 156
Virtual Socialization	p. 167
Adult Socialization	p. 174
Summary, Glossary, Discussion Questions, Web Links	p. 177
Deviance, Crime, and Social Control	p. 180
Introductory Story	p. 181
Social Deviance	p. 182
Sociological Explanations of Deviance	p. 186
Crime	p. 195
Social Control and the Criminal Justice System	p. 207
Summary, Glossary, Discussion Questions, Web Links	p. 214
Social Stratification	p. 218
Introductory Story	p. 219
Stratification and Social Class	p. 221
Theories of Social Stratification	p. 227
Social Stratification Systems and Social Mobility	p. 231
Social Stratification Systems	p. 232
Poverty and Homelessness	p. 236
Global Stratification and Inequahty	p. 244
Summary, Glossary, Discussion Questions, Web Links	p. 248
Race and Ethnicity	p. 251
Introductory Story	p. 252
The Social Construction of Race and Ethnicity	p. 253
Racial and Ethnic Stratification in the United States	p. 260
The We-They Character of Race and Ethnicity	p. 271
The Causes and Effects of Prejudice and Discrimination	p. 278
Patterns of Interracial and Interethnic Contact	p. 283
Summary, Glossary, Discussion Questions, Web Links	p. 289
Gender Inequality	p. 294
Introductory Story	p. 295
The Social Construction of Gender	p. 296
Learning Gender Roles and Gender Appropriateness	p. 297
Understanding Gender Stratification	p. 305
Feminism	p. 311
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Persons	p. 314
Summary, Glossary, Discussion Questions, Web Links	p. 321
Marriage and Family	p. 323
Introductory Story	p. 324
Romantic Love, Marriage, and Divorce	p. 325
The Family	p. 336
Dimensions and Functions of the Family	p. 339
The Changing Family	p. 342
Family Abuse and Violence	p. 349
Summary, Glossary, Discussion Questions, Web Links	p. 350
Education and Religion	p. 353
Introductory Story	p. 354
Education: A Right for All	p. 355
Sociological Perspectives on Education	p. 359
Problems in Education	p. 362
Other Issues in Education	p. 369
The Institution of Religion	p. 372
Sociological Perspectives on Religion	p. 375
Organizing Religion	p. 379
The Major World Religions and Estimated Membership	p. 380
Summary, Glossary, Discussion Questions, Web Links	p. 387
Economics and Politics	p. 391
Introductory Story	p. 392
Economics: Development, Sectors, and Modern Systems	p. 393
Consumerism	p. 402
Globalization and Multinationals	p. 406
Sociological Perspectives on Economics	p. 409
Politics: Systems and Parties	p. 411
The Possession of Political Power, Authority, and Influence	p. 418
Sociological Perspectives on Politics	p. 421
Summary, Glossary, Discussion Questions, Web Links	p. 429
Health Care and the Environment	p. 432
Introductory Story	p. 433
The Sociological Perspective on Health and Medicine	p. 434
Health Care in the United States	p. 436
Mental Health	p. 448
The Environment	p. 453
Threats to the Environment	p. 454
Saving the Ecosystem	p. 459
Sociological Perspectives on the Environment	p. 461
Summary, Glossary, Discussion Questions, Web Links	p. 463
Sociology's Place in Society: Completing the Connection	p. 466
Introductory Story	p. 467
The Importance of Introductory Sociology Courses	p. 468
The Value of Sociology	p. 469
Careers and the Liberal Arts Degree	p. 472
Careers and the Undergraduate Sociology Degree	p. 477
Careers and the Graduate Sociology Degree	p. 482
The Future of Sociology: Not a Conclusion, but a Continuation…	p. 483
Summary, Discussion Questions, Web Links	p. 484
References	p. R1
Index	p. I1
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