Schools and Society: A Sociological Approach to Education

Offering a wide array of theoretical perspectives and methods, a broad range of resources, and both classic and contemporary studies, this fully updated Fourth Edition uses the open systems approach to provide readers with a framework for understanding and analyzing the book s disparate topics. Edited by Jeanne H. Ballantine and Joan Z. Spade, both of whom actively teach Sociology of Education courses, this text includes dozens of readable articles that illustrate major concepts and theoretical perspectives in the field.

This reader for graduate students and advanced undergraduates can be used in courses such as sociology of education, social foundations of education, and social contexts of education. The readings have been selected from books, journals, scientific studies, and reports to illuminate major concepts and theoretical perspectives, blending classic studies with newer and sometimes controversial topics. The readings are grouped into 11 chapters on areas such as research methods, schools as organizations, and the roles of administrators, teachers, and students. Other subjects are race, class, and gender in education, globalization and education, and educational reform. Chapter introductions demonstrate the relationships between various issues in education; each chapter concludes with student project ideas. Each reading is preceded by comments and questions to guide student reading. An appendix lists web resources for further exploration. This fourth edition uses an open system approach to provide readers with a framework for understanding the book's many topics. It contains an additional 27 readings. Ballantine teaches sociology at Wright State University. Spade teaches sociology at The College at Brockport, State University of New York. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)