9780072884111

Like its predecessors, the fifth edition of this concise text reflects Rick Schaefer's mission to bring readers a comprehensive, up-to-date presentation that teaches them how to think critically about society and their own lives from a wide range of classical and contemporary perspectives. Combining balanced coverage of theory with current research findings, distinctive social policy sections, examples and issues of interest to students, and abundant learning aids and exercises, this text will help students develop a sociological imagination."In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, sociology has been called on to explain the social consequences of the attacks.... The introductory sociology class provides the ideal laboratory in which to study our own society and those of our global neighbors. Sociology can help students to better understand the workings of their own lives as well as of their society and other cultures."-- Richard T. Schaefer

List of Boxes
List of Social Policy Sections
List of Maps
Preface
1 Understanding Sociology
What Is Sociology?
The Sociological Imagination
Sociology and the Social Sciences
Sociology and Common Sense
What Is Sociological Theory?
The Development of Sociology
Early Thinkers
mile Durkheim
Max Weber
Karl Marx
Modern Developments
Major Theoretical Perspectives
Functionalist Perspective
Conflict Perspective
Interactionist Perspective
Feminist Perspective
The Sociological Approach
Developing the Sociological Imagination
Theory in Practice
Research in Action
The Significance of Social Inequality
Speaking across Race, Gender, and National Boundaries
Social Policy throughout the World
SOCIOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY: Women in Public Places Worldwide
RESEARCH IN ACTION: Looking at Sports from Four Theoretical Perspectives
APPENDIX: Careers in Sociology
2 Sociological Research
What Is the Scientific Method?
Defining the Problem
Reviewing the Literature
Formulating the Hypothesis
Collecting and Analyzing Data
Developing the Conclusion
In Summary: The Scientific Method
Major Research Designs
Surveys
Observation
Experiments
Use of Existing Sources
Ethics of Research
The Right to Know versus the Right to Privacy
Preserving Confidentiality
Neutrality and Politics in Research
Technology and Sociological Research
Social Policy and Sociological Research: Studying Human Sexuality
SOCIOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY: Sent-down in China
RESEARCH IN ACTION: Framing Survey Questions about Interracial Friendships
TAKING SOCIOLOGY TO WORK: Paul Donato, Chief Research Officer, NielsenMedia Research
3 Culture
Culture and Society
Development of Culture around the World
Cultural Universals
Innovation
Globalization, Diffusion, and Technology
Elements of Culture
Language
Norms
Sanctions
Values
Culture and the Dominant Ideology
Cultural Variation
Aspects of Cultural Variation
Attitudes toward Cultural Variation
Social Policy and Culture: Bilingualism
SOCIOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY: Life in the Global Village
SOCIAL INEQUALITY: Cultural Sensitivity on the Beat
4 Socialization
The Role of Socialization
Environment: The Impact of Isolation
The Influence of Heredity
Sociobiology
The Self and Socialization
Sociological Approaches to the Self
Psychological Approaches to the Self
Socialization and the Life Course
The Life Course
Anticipatory Socialization and Resocialization
Agents of Socialization
Family
School
Peer Group
Mass Media and Technology
Workplace
The State
Social Policy and Socialization: Child Care around the World
SOCIOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY: Raising Amish Children
RESEARCH IN ACTION: Impression Management by Students after Exams
5 Social Interaction and Social Structure
Social Interaction and Reality
Defining and Reconstructing Reality
Negotiated Order
Elements of Social Structure
Statuses
Social Roles
Groups
Social Networks and Technology
Social Institutions
Social Structure in Global Perspective
Tnniess Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft
Lenskis Sociocultural Evolution Approach
Social Policy and Social Structure: The AIDS Crisis
RESEARCH IN ACTION: Womens Social Networks
SOCIAL INEQUALITY: Disability as a Master Status
6 Groups and Organizations
Understanding Groups
Types of Groups
Studying Small Groups
Understanding Organizations
Formal Organizations and Bureaucracies
Characteristics of a Bureaucracy
Bureaucracy and Organizational Culture
Voluntary Associations
Technology Impact on the Workplace
Telecommuting
Electronic Communication
Social Policy and Organizations: The State of the Unions
SOCIOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY: Management, Russian Style
RESEARCH IN ACTION: Pizza Delivery Employees as a Secondary Group
7 The Mass Media
Sociological Perspectives of the Media
Functionalist View
Conflict View
Feminist View
Interactionalist View
The Audience
Who Is in the Audience?
The Segmented Audience
Audience Behavior
The Media Industry
Media Concentration
The Medias Global Reach
Social Policy and Mass Media: Media Violence
SOCIOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY: Good Morning, Bhutan!
SOCIAL INEQUALITY: The Color of Network TV
8 Deviance and Social Control
Social Control
Conformity and Obedience
Informal and Formal Social Control
Law and Society
Deviance
What Is Deviance?
Explaining Deviance
Crime
Types of Crime
Crime Statistics
Social Policy and Socialization: The Death Penalty in the United States andWorldwide
RESEARCH IN ACTION: Defining Deviancy Down: From Professional Wrestling to the Backyards
SOCIAL INEQUALITY: Discretionary Justice
TAKING SOCIOLOGY TO WORK: Tiffany Zapata-Mancilla, Victim WitnessSpecialist, Cook County States Attorneys Office
9 Stratification in the United States and Worldwide
Understanding Stratification
Systems of Stratification
Perspectives on Stratification
Is Stratification Universal
Stratification by Social Class
Measuring Social Class
Wealth and Income
Poverty
Life Chances
Social Mobility
Open versus Closed Stratification Systems
Types of Social Mobility
Social Mobility in the United States
Stratification in the World System
The Legacy of Colonialism
Multinational Corporations
Modernization
Stratification within Nations: A Comparative Perspective
Social Policy and Stratification: Rethinking Welfare in North America and Europe
SOCIOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY: Slavery in the Twenty-first Century
RESEARCH IN ACTION: When Jobs Disappear
10 Racial and Ethnic Inequality
Minority, Racial, and Ethnic Groups
Minority Groups
Race
Ethnicity
Prejudice and Discrimination
Discriminatory Behavior
Institutional Discrimination
Studying Race and Ethnicity
Functionalist Perspective
Conflict Perspective
Interactionist Perspective
Patterns of Intergroup Relations
Amalgamation
Assimilation
Segregation
Pluralism
Race and Ethnicity in the United States
Racial Groups
Ethnic Groups
Social Policy and Race and Ethnicity: Global Immigration
RESEARCH IN ACTION: Prejudice against Arab Americans and Muslim Americans
SOCIAL INEQUALITY: The Latino Middle Class
TAKING SOCIOLOGY TO WORK: Delores Cleary, Assistant Professor, Central Washington University
11 Stratification by Gender and Age
Social Construction of Gender
Gender Roles in the United States
Cross-Cultural Perspective
Explaining Stratification by Gender
The Functionalist View
The Conflict Response
The Feminist Perspective
The Interactionist Approach
Women: The Oppressed Majority
Sexism and Sex Discrimination
Sexual Harassment
The Status of Women Worldwide
Women in the Workforce of the United States
Women: Emergence of a Collective Consciousness
Aging and Society
Explaining the Aging Process
Functionalist Approach: Disengagement Theory
Interactionist Approach: Activity Theory
The Conflict Approach
Age Stratification in the United States
The Graying of America
Wealth and Income
Ageism
Competition in the Labor Force
The Elderly: Emergence of a Collective Consciousness
Social Policy and Gender Stratification: The Battle over Abortion from a
Global Perspective
SOCIOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY: The Head Scarf and the Veil:
Complex Symbols
SOCIAL INEQUALITY: Theory of Cumulative Disadvantage
TAKING SOCIOLOGY TO WORK: Stacey Karp, President of San Francisco Chapter of NOW (National Organization for Women)
12 The Family and Intimate Relationships
Global View of the Family
Composition: What Is the Family?
Kinship Patterns: To Whom Are We Related?
Authority Patterns: Who Rules?
Studying the Family
Functionalist View
Conflict View
Interactionist View
Feminist View
Marriage and Family
Courtship and Mate Selection
Variations in Family Life and Intimate Relationships
Child-Rearing Patterns in Family Life
Divorce
Statistical Trends in Divorce
Factors Associated with Divorce
Impact of Divorce on Children
Divorce Lifestyles
Cohabitation
Remaining Single
Lesbian and Gay Relationships
Marriage without Children
Social Policy and the Family: Reproductive Technology
SOCIOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY: Domestic Violence
RESEARCH IN ACTION: The Lingering Impact of Divorce
13 Religion and Education
Durkheim and the Sociological Approach to Religion
World Religions
The Role of Religion
The Integrative Function of Religion
Religion and Social Support
Religion and Social Change
Religion and Social Control: A Conflict View
Religious Behavior
Belief
Ritual
Experience
Religious Organization
Ecclesiae
Denominations
Sects
New Religious Movements or Cults
Comparing Forms of Religious Organization
Sociological Perspectives on Education
Functionalist View
Conflict View
Interactionist View
Schools as Formal Organizations
Bureaucratization of Schools
Teachers: Employees and Instructors
Student Subculture
Social Policy and Religion: Religion in the Schools
SOCIOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY: Jainism in India and the United States
RESEARCH IN ACTION: Violence in the Schools
TAKING SOCIOLOGY TO WORK: Ray Zapata, Business Owner and Former Regent, Texas State University
14 Government, the Economy, and the Environment
Economic Systems
Capitalism
Socialism
Power and Authority
Power
Types of Authority
Political Behavior in the United States
Political Socialization
Participation and Apathy
Women in Politics
Models of Power Structure in the United States
Power Elite Models
Pluralist Model
The Changing Economy
The Face of the Workforce
Deindustrialization
E-commerce
The Contingency Workforce
The Environment
Environmental Problems: An Overview
Functionalism and Human Ecology
Conflict View of Environmental Issues
Environmental Justice
Social Policy: Affirmative Action
SOCIOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY: Terrorist Violence
SOCIAL INEQUALITY: Working Women in Nepal
TAKING SOCIOLOGY TO WORK: Peter Schaefer, Research Coordinator, Safer Yards
15 Population, Health, and Communities
Demography: The Study of Population
Malthuss Thesis and Marxs Response
Studying Population Today
Elements of Deomography
World Population Patterns
Demographic Transition
The Population Explosion
Fertility Patterns in the United States
The Baby Boom
Stable Population Growth
Sociological Perspectives on Health and Illness
Functionalist Approach
Conflict Approach
Interactionist Approach
Labeling Approach
Social Epidemiology and Health
Social Class
Race and Ethnicity
Gender
Age
How Did Communities Originate?
Early Communities
Preindustrial Cities
Industrial and Postindustrial Cities
Urbanization
Functionalist View: Urban Ecology
Conflict View: New Urban Sociology
Types of Communities
Central Cities
Suburbs
Rural Communities
Social Policy: World Population Policy
RESEARCH IN ACTION: Store Wars
SOCIAL INEQUALITY: To Inform or Not to Inform? How Race and Ethnicity Affect Views of Patient Autonomy
16 Social Movements, Social Change, and Technology
Social Movements
Relative Deprivation
Resource Mobilization
Gender and Social Movements
New Social Movements
Theories of Social Change
Evolutionary Theory
Functionalist Theory
Conflict Theory
Global Social Change
Resistance to Social Change
Economic and Cultural Factors
Resistance to Technology
Technology and the Future
Computer Technology
Biotechnology
Technological Accidents
Technology and Society
Culture and Social Interaction
Social Control
Stratification and Inequality
Social Policy and Technology: Privacy and Censorship in a Global Village
RESEARCH IN ACTION: Virtual Social Movements
SOCIAL INEQUALITY: Global Disconnect
Glossary
References
Acknowledgments
Photo Credits
Index edits
Index

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Sociology: A Brief Introduction with Reel Society Interactive Movie 1.0 CD-ROM and PowerWeb

Sociology: A Brief Introduction with Reel Society Interactive Movie 1.0 CD-ROM and PowerWeb

0072884118

Summary

Table of Contents

List of Social Policy Sections

List of Maps

Preface

1 Understanding Sociology

What Is Sociology?

The Sociological Imagination

Sociology and the Social Sciences

Sociology and Common Sense

What Is Sociological Theory?

The Development of Sociology

Early Thinkers

mile Durkheim

Max Weber

Karl Marx

Modern Developments

Major Theoretical Perspectives

Functionalist Perspective

Conflict Perspective

Interactionist Perspective

Feminist Perspective

The Sociological Approach

Developing the Sociological Imagination

Theory in Practice

Research in Action

The Significance of Social Inequality

Speaking across Race, Gender, and National Boundaries

Social Policy throughout the World

SOCIOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY: Women in Public Places Worldwide

RESEARCH IN ACTION: Looking at Sports from Four Theoretical Perspectives

APPENDIX: Careers in Sociology

2 Sociological Research

What Is the Scientific Method?

Defining the Problem

Reviewing the Literature

Formulating the Hypothesis

Collecting and Analyzing Data

Developing the Conclusion

In Summary: The Scientific Method

Major Research Designs

Surveys

Observation

Experiments

Use of Existing Sources

Ethics of Research

The Right to Know versus the Right to Privacy

Preserving Confidentiality

Neutrality and Politics in Research

Technology and Sociological Research

Social Policy and Sociological Research: Studying Human Sexuality

SOCIOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY: Sent-down in China

RESEARCH IN ACTION: Framing Survey Questions about Interracial Friendships

TAKING SOCIOLOGY TO WORK: Paul Donato, Chief Research Officer, NielsenMedia Research

3 Culture

Culture and Society

Development of Culture around the World

Cultural Universals

Innovation

Globalization, Diffusion, and Technology

Elements of Culture

Language

Norms

Sanctions

Values

Culture and the Dominant Ideology

Cultural Variation

Aspects of Cultural Variation

Attitudes toward Cultural Variation

Social Policy and Culture: Bilingualism

SOCIOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY: Life in the Global Village

SOCIAL INEQUALITY: Cultural Sensitivity on the Beat

4 Socialization

The Role of Socialization

Environment: The Impact of Isolation