Introduction to Sociology

An Introduction to Sociology is your essential guide to understanding the social forces that shape our lives and the world around us.

This innovative textbook introduces you to the key theories, themes, and concepts in the discipline of sociology and helps you to develop as a sociologist by providing comprehensive coverage of all the main areas of study. Presenting you with the history, current debates and recent research developments for each topic, this book covers everything from classical sociologies and traditional subjects such as class, families, and religion, through to more progressive areas like digital society, social media, migration, and the interconnectedness of modern global society. The book's extensive coverage means it can be used throughout your studies, from first year to final year.

Key features:

• Each chapter is written by an internationally renowned expert who uses specialist insight and the latest research to provide a reliable and up-to-date overview.
• Includes a selection of unique learning features such as "Hear from the Expert" boxes and "Key Cases" from around the world, as well as reflective activities and revision questions that will enhance your knowledge.
• Features a section titled "What is sociology useful for?" which includes chapters on the public value of sociology and the role of sociology in contemporary society.

The book is supported by a wide-ranging collection of online teaching and learning resources including exclusive video content from SAGE Video, links to SAGE Journal Articles, sample essay questions, and a selection of multiple-choice questions.

This definitive text is perfect for first-year sociology undergraduates and anyone studying sociology at university or college level.

List of contents

Part One Thinking Sociologically
Introduction to Part One
Chapter 1 Approaching Sociology
Chapter 2 What is Sociological about the Digital Society?
Chapter 3 What is Sociological about the Environment?
Chapter 4 What is Sociological about Crime?
Chapter 5 What is Society?
Chapter 6 Sociology of an Interconnected World
Part Two Theories and Methods
Introduction to Part Two
Chapter 7 Classical Sociologies
Chapter 8 Contemporary Social Theory
Chapter 9 Beyond the Qualitative/Quantitative Divide
Chapter 10 Visual and Digital Methods of Research
Part Three Inequalities and Identities
Introduction to Part Three
Chapter 11 Class
Chapter 12 Gender
Chapter 13 Race
Chapter 14 Age
Part Four Connecting the Personal and the Social
Introduction to Part Four
Chapter 15 Families and Households
Chapter 16 Intimacies, and Relationships
Chapter 17 Work
Chapter 18 Health
Chapter 19 Education
Chapter 20 Religion
Part Five Sociological Frontiers
Introduction to Part Five
Chapter 21 Cultures and Consumption
Chapter 22 War and Violence
Chapter 23 Science and Technology
Chapter 24 Migrations
Chapter 25 Social Movements
Part Six What is Sociology Useful For?
Introduction to Part Six
Chapter 26 Sociology as a Science?
Chapter 27 Public Sociology
Chapter 28 Using Sociology

About the author

Karim Murji is Professor of Social Policy at the University of West London. His research and publications cover areas such as racism, race equality and social policy, migration, and policing. With John Solomos and others, he is currently working on an ESRC-funded project on the Open City, which investigates how the city accommodates new forms of urban life, through the social reconfiguration of its spaces and places, and looks at the ways urban government at the city-wide and borough scales reflect, promote or limit the idea of the open city, using London as a case study. With Sarah Neal he is the Editor of Current Sociology, and they were previously the editors of Sociology.Sarah Neal is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Sheffield. Sarah researches and writes in the fields of race, ethnicity, multiculture, community, belonging, and place. Recent publications include The Lived Experience of Multiculture: The New Spatial and Social Relations of Diversity (Routledge, 2018, with K. Bennett, A. Cochrane and G. Mohan) and Friendship and Diversity: Ethnic and Social Relations in the City (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018, with Carol Vincent and Humera Iqbal). She is the coeditor of Current Sociology and an editorial board member of Ethnic and Racial Studies
John Solomos is a professor of Sociology at the University of Warwick.

His teaching is focused on the sociology of race and racism, sociological theory, human rights and social theory, qualitative research methods and multiculturalism and citizenship.

He has supervised a wide range of PhD students in both his own areas of research interest and in other fields of sociology. He welcomes the opportunity to work with PhD students and is interested to receive informal inquiries from prospective research students. He is currently supervising students working on a range of issues, including migration and refugees, minority families and social capital, Turkish-speaking youth in London and Cuban music and popular culture.

He serves on the Strategic Research Board of the Economic and Social Research Council. He is also joint editor with Martin Bulmer of the international journal Ethnic and Racial Studies, published 12 times a year by Routledge.

Summary

An introductory guide to the key concepts, themes, and topics in the discipline of sociology, providing sociology students with comprehensive coverage of all the main areas of study for their first year and beyond.

Report

Each chapter of this particularly comprehensive and thoughtful Introduction to Sociology  has the great virtue of being written by a particularly knowledgeable expert able to convey what it means to approach a topic sociologically. The book provides a perfect foundation for the first years of study for students who want to understand social reality through more complex and accurate analytical lenses. As such, it is an essential tool for undergraduate intellectual development.
  Professor Michele Lamont

Product details

• Authors: Karim Neal Murji
• Assisted by: Karim Murji (Editor), Sarah Neal (Editor), Neal Sarah (Editor), John Solomos (Editor), Solomos John (Editor)
• Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.01.2022
• EAN: 9781526492791
• ISBN: 978-1-5264-9279-1
• No. of pages: 528
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > Sociological theories; Sociology, SOCIAL SCIENCE / General, Social Theory, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology / Social Theory, For undergraduate education and equivalents, Textbook, coursework