Handbook of Public Sociology

by Jeffries, Vincent; Adam, Barbara; Bell, Wendell; Burawoy, Michael; Cornell, Stephen; DeCesare, Michael; Elias, Sean; McPhail, Lee; Furedi, Frank; Gans, Herbert J.; Glenn, Norval D.; Hagan, John; Horowitz, Ruth; Howard-Hassmann, Rhoda E.; Hu, Lina; Kleidma

• ISBN13: 9780742566477
• ISBN10: 0742566471
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-08-19
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Summary

Public sociology--an approach to sociology that aims to communicate with and actively engage wider audiences--has been one of the most widely discussed topics in the discipline in recent years. The Handbook of Public Sociology presents a comprehensive look at every facet of public sociology in theory and practice. It pays particular attention to how public sociology can complement more traditional types of sociological practice to advance both the analytical power of the discipline and its ability to benefit society. The volume features contributions from a stellar list of authors, including several past presidents of the American Sociological Association such as Michael Burawoy, a leading proponent of public sociology. The first two sections of the Handbook of Public Sociology look at public sociology in relation to the other three types of practice--professional, policy, and critical--with an emphasis on integrating the four types into a holistic model of theory and practice. Subsequent sections focus on issues like teaching public sociology at various levels, case studies in the application of public sociology, and the role of public sociology in special fields in the discipline. The concluding chapter by Michael Burawoy, a past president of the American Sociological Association and a leading proponent of public sociology, addresses current debates surrounding public sociology and presents a constructive vision for the future that embraces and improves upon all four types of sociology. The Handbook of Public Sociology with its examination not only of public sociology but also of how it can enhance and complement other types of practice, transcends differences in the field and will appeal to a wide range of academics, students, and practitioners.

Author Biography

Vincent Jeffries is professor of sociology at California State University, Northridge.

Table of Contents

Redefining the Nature and Future of Sociology: Toward a Holistic Sociology	p. 1
Exploring and Elaborating the Holistic Model
Burawoy's Holistic Sociology and Sorokin's "Integralism": A Conversation of Ideas	p. 27
Rethinking Burawoy's Public Sociology: A Post-Empiricist Reconstruction	p. 47
Social Justice and Critical Public Sociology	p. 71
Public Sociology and the Future: The Possible, the Probable, and the Preferable	p. 89
The Scientific System of Public Sociology: The Exemplar of Pitirim A. Sorokin's Social Thought	p. 107
Establishing and Perfecting the Model
A Sociology for Public Sociology: Some Needed Disciplinary Changes for Creating Public Sociology	p. 123
Some Suggested Standards for Distinguishing between Good and Bad Public Sociology	p. 135
On Writing Public Sociology: Accountability through Accessibility, Dialogue, and Relevance	p. 151
Recapturing the Sociological Imagination: The Challenge for Public Sociology	p. 171
Teaching and Public Sociology
Presenting Sociology's Four "Faces": Problems and Prospects for the High School Course	p. 187
Teaching and Public Sociology	p. 205
The Practice of Organic Public Sociology: Case Studies
From Data to Drama: Returning Research to Convicted Survivors	p. 225
Integrating the Four Sociologies: The "Baigou Project" in China	p. 245
Becoming Public Sociology: Indigenous Nations, Dialogue, and Change	p. 263
Talking about Racial Disparities in Imprisonment: A Reflection on Experiences in Wisconsin	p. 281
Public Membership on Medical Licensing Boards: An Integrated Public and Professional Project	p. 299
Counting the Deaths in Darfur: Pitfalls on the Pathway to a Public Sociology	p. 319
Special Fields and Public Sociology
Engaged Social Movement Scholarship	p. 341
Public Sociology and Universal Human Rights	p. 357
Altruism, Apology, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation as Public Sociology	p. 375
A Public Sociology for a Global Age: Recovering the Political	p. 391
Global Altruism: Some Considerations	p. 409
Futures in the Making: Sociological Practice and Challenge	p. 429
Future Directions
The Public Sociology Wars	p. 449
Index	p. 475
About the Contributors	p. 491
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