Synopses & Reviews
Sociology Now: The Essentials reflects the discipline today and explores the big questions about multiculturalism and globalization that sociologists ask.
Sociology has always offered a way to make sense of the complex and sometimes contradictory forces that shape our social lives in any era. As Sociology Now explains sociology as both a body of knowledge and a "way of seeing," it shows how two such forces in particular have come to preoccupy sociologists and influence the way they look at the events and experiences of the early twenty first century:
The first is globalization--the economic, political, cultural, and social interconnections among people and institutions all over the world.
The second is multiculturalism--the recognition that race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, religion, and other statuses are sources of social inequality, but also the foundations of our identities.
Michael Kimmel, a leading sociologist and gender researcher, and co-author Amy Aronson, a journalist and media scholar, address these questions head-on as they make a compelling case for the importance of sociology in the contemporary world.
Review
Approach
"This text has a contemporary and fresh approach."
Cynthia Reed
Tarrant County Community College
"I found the author's approach to teaching sociology refreshing and intriguing. The way in which the author integrated the new perspectives of globalization and multiculturalism clearly communicated that sociology is and will continue to change and expand in order to more accurately explain societal shifts and transformations."
Kell Stone
El Camino College
"The author's approach is very contemporary and unlike many texts does not seem formulaic."
Cynthia Reed
Tarrant County Community College
"The text's major strength is its unique approach to teaching introductory sociology. The focus on integrative thinking rather than either/ or thinking and the move to new theoretical perspectives rather than the usual functionalism/ conflict theory/ symbolic interactionism focus are both unique in the field of introductory textbooks."
Jennifer Lerner
North Virginia Community College
"The book's major strengths are the way it compares to all the other books on the market."
Jennifer Lerner
North Virginia Community College
"He does an excellent job of showing how sociologists see the world in complex ways."
Adam Moskowitz
Columbus State Community College
"This text appeals to me because of its focus on race, gender, and class as primary and intersecting themes that organize our social worlds and our lives as well as a contemporary approach to sociology through the lens of multiculturalism and globalization. If instructors are interested in helping their students see the complexity and astonishing nature of our everyday life, this could be the text for them."
Kristine De Welde
University of Denver
“Kimmel’s approach is exactly what I am looking for in a sociology text. It addresses the students’ realities, it moves beyond the “big three” theoretical approach to an approach grounded in postmodernism and aware of the integration of issues typically dealt with as binaries.”
Amy Lynch - George Washington University
“I believe the approach to be quite connected to the field and mission of sociology. I believe that linking the text to ideas outside of the field of sociology is what progressive sociological thinkers continually try to do.”
Risa Garelick - Coconino Community College
“The major strength of this book is that it delves deeply into topics and gives very insightful information.”
Dean Wagstaffe — Indian River Community College
“One great strength of this text is the ability to break down information in a palatable format. The sections are not too long, enabling students to assimilate a large mass of material in comfortable formats. Each chapter seems to be well balanced with text, visuals [assuming from notes], and constructive questions for students to consider. The examples are current, also a strength for drawing in our contemporary students. The author provides humor and approachability with this writing style.”
Pamela Williams-Paez — College of the Canyons
“The major strengths of the text are that it incorporates global comparisons throughout the whole manuscript and not just in a globalization chapter.”
Shelly A. McGrath — Southern Illinois University
“The major strength of this text is that it captures the two intertwined emergent forces in society and weaves that influence throughout basic sociological theory and concepts.”
Susan Blackwell — Delgado Community College
“When reading the text I felt that it was about learning and piecing information together and not just about memorizing information.”
Shelly A. McGrath — Southern Illinois University — Carbondale
Students will enjoy the variety of current examples and the active discussions used throughout the text.”
Marybeth C. Stalp — University of Northern Iowa
“The author captures and maintains the reader’s attention throughout the entire chapter. There is full coverage of the topics and the material appears to be well-researched.”
Brenda Donelan — Northern State University
“Kimmel used a strong philosophical base to introduce the development of sociology as a discipline. The discussion of the various scholars/philosophers who contributed to the discipline of sociology was excellent. This was the best background information on the science of sociology I have read.”
“The author does an excellent job presenting sociology as a field of study driven by the scientific method. The discussion was readable, yet full of information.”
“I thought the author did an excellent job representing the major perspectives of sociology.”
Joseph Keith Price — West Texas A&M University
“The chapters are successful in promoting critical thinking skills in terms of building arguments, the use of data in those arguments pointing out different sides of the issue, and following up with questions that ask students to apply what they’ve learned.”
Lynette F. Hoelter - University of Michigan
Writing Style
"The writing style is both inviting and engaging. If it was a rating scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest positive rating, I would give it a 10."
Elizabeth Pare
Wayne State University
"I think the best thing about this text is the refreshingly open writing style and lack of pretence. I think that students would be more likely to read, and hopefully remember something that is written for them rather than for the instructor."
William Housel
Northwestern Louisiana State University
"I found the writing style engaging and believe the students would too."
Cynthia Reed
Tarrant County Community College
"Excellent...explains things very well, uses good examples, speaks directly to the audience, and very engaging."
Adam Moskowitz
Columbus State Community College
"The book forces students to think more analytically than other texts."
Amy Kirk
Sam Houston State University
“The writing style is very easy to follow along and stay interested.”
Amy Lynch - George Washington University
“I think the writing style is a major plus of this book.”
Barry B. Kass – SUNY Orange
“The writing style is very engaging and appropriate for students at the introductory level. Furthermore, the author does an excellent job of providing adequate definitions of terms. I also thought the author used colorful and relevant examples throughout the text.”
Christy M. Glass – Utah State University
“The writing style is lucid and easy to follow. I feel it is very accessible to students and that they would generally find it engaging.”
Ralph B. Brown – Brigham Young University
“The writing style of the author is excellent. I was immediately immersed into the author’s discussion. The author presents material in a very straight-forward manner that will be appealing to the student. His language is not too technical or “scholarly” that he will lose his readers.”
Joseph Keith Price – West Texas A&M University
Research
"The research used was broad-based and sound. The references included the "traditional" references found in most textbooks, as well as, more contemporary perspectives."
Kell Stone
El Camino College
“The references cited were thought provoking and well placed for critical thinking.”
Boyd Bergeson — Oregon Health and Sciences University
“The research examples in the text are interesting and compelling.”
Joseph Keith Price — West Texas A&M University
Diversity/ Globalization
"The focus on global issues, as well as race-class-gender, is important and reflects a more current approach than most other texts."
Jennifer Lerner
North Virginia Community College
"I found it refreshing that the author was able to competently integrate sexual orientation not as a mere subject of sociology, but as a normal part of human society."
Kell Stone
El Camino College
"The book does a good job of expressing the idea that the social world is filled with more than just each student's individual experiences. The book speaks to religious issues, gender issues, class issues, global issues, and race issues."
Adam Moskowitz
Columbus State Community College
"A real innovation of this book is its emphasis on globalization, and the explicit way in which the text seeks to "open students' eyes" by looking at a variety of different scenarios from various cultures at various time periods. The book forces students to think more analytically than other texts."
Amy Kirk
Sam Houston State University
“A major strength is the way the author grapples with the complexity of society, bringing in cross-cultural and international issues alongside the issues typically presented.”
Lynette F. Hoelter - University of Michigan
“I really like how the author frames and defines the lenses, globalization and multiculturalism, by which contemporary sociologists understand.”
Amitra Hodge — SUNY Buffalo
“The chapters show how society is complex and every issue is complex. The author also successfully incorporates globalization and multiculturalism throughout the chapters. Each of the chapters are filled with race, class, and gender and how each of these influences and effects the issue at hand.”
Shelly A. McGrath — Southern Illinois University
“By drawing comparisons to the U.S. and other countries, students are able to develop an understanding of differences and similarities.”
Brenda Donelan – Northern State University
“The author’s approach goes beyond what many other texts use. Most others that I have come across discuss functionalism and conflict perspectives but not globalization and multiculturalism. These two concepts are very important since we have moved into a global network.”
Shelly A. McGrath – Southern Illinois University
“The text is unique because it incorporates global issues throughout the whole thing and not just in one chapter.”
Shelly A. McGrath – Southern Illinois University
“Kimmel/Aronson did a good job of integrating terms, topics, and concepts into a larger story line about social shifts – primarily globalization and multiculturalism.”
Ralph B. Brown – Brigham Young University
“The author provided a range of excellent research on class, gender, race, and ethnicity.”
Christy M. Glass – Utah State University
Chapter Openers
"What I like most about the openings is that each is unique; they are not formulaic."
Cynthia Reed
Tarrant County Community College
What Do You Think? feature
"I thought the questions were thought provoking and can encourage critical thinking."
Cynthia Reed
Tarrant County Community College
"The What Do You Think tied to the What Does America Think? sections throughout the chapters are a refreshing take on having the student learn to critically assess his/ her own beliefs, the larger social paradigms related, and to understand some of the basic application of research."
Elizabeth Pare
Wayne State University
“The What Do You Think activity was well-written and conducive to a class discussion.”
Pamela Williams-Paez – College of the Canyons
“These boxes help lead to discussion throughout the chapter, which is an important part of teaching. They also make critical thinking an integral part of the chapter.”
Shelly A. McGrath – Southern Illinois University – Carbondale
Sociology and Our World feature
"I really like the Sociology and Our World boxes. The one on common sense (Chapter 1) is an excellent presentation, as well as a good conversation starter."
William Housel
Northwestern Louisiana State University
"The Sociology and Our World features are very good. I love to use "Myth Busters" as teaching points in my class, and these are excellent examples of how to break up the "common sense" argument.
William Housel
Northwestern Louisiana State University
Did You Know? feature
"A good spring board for engaging student participation."
Elizabeth Pare
Wayne State University
"The Did You Know? boxes are very interesting little tidbits that make the characters they describe more human, rather than some distant historical giant. Very useful."
William Housel
Northwestern Louisiana State University
"These are great; they provide attention grabbing data for the students to think about and discuss."
Adam Moskowitz
Columbus State Community College
“The How Do We Know What We Know? feature along with the Did You Know? boxes are both interesting and informative. They also address critical thinking skills as readers are able to reflect on what they already know and question assumptions.
Pamela Williams-Paez – College of the Canyons
How Do We Know What We Know? boxes
"The How Do We Know What We Know boxes are uniformly excellent, providing the students with some additional depth that is often missing in other texts."
William Housel
Northwestern Louisiana State University
"This type of box does a good job of demonstrating the connection between research and how we know answers to basic questions."
Adam Moskowitz
Columbus State Community College
How Do We Know What We Know? was very interesting and will be well received by students. It made the manuscript more pertinent to the student and his life.”
Joseph Keith Price — West Texas A&M University
“The How Do We Know What We Know? feature along with the Did You Know? boxes are both interesting and informative. They also address critical thinking skills as readers are able to reflect on what they already know and question assumptions.
Pamela Williams-Paez — College of the Canyons
Try It
"I like the "try it" feature because it does provide some exercises to help the instructor in developing curriculum for assignments and essays."
Adam Moskowitz
Columbus State Community College
About the Author
Michael S. Kimmel is a Professor of Sociology at SUNY at Stony Brook. He is the author of Guyland: The Perilous World Where Boys Become Men (HarperCollins, 2008) which was featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America and featured on over one hundred radio and newspaper and blog reviews. His other books include Changing Men (1987), Men’s Lives(8th edition, 2009) Against the Tide: Profeminist Men in the United States, 1776-1990 (1992), The Politics of Manhood (1996), Manhood: A Cultural History (1996, 10th anniversary second edition, 2006), and The Gendered Society (3rd edition, 2008). He co-edited The Encyclopedia on Men and Masculinities (2004) and Handbook of Studies on Men and Masculinities (2004). He is the founder and editor of Men and Masculinities, the field’s premier scholarly journal, a book series on Gender and Sexuality at New York University Press, and edited the Sage Series on Men and Masculinities. He lectures extensively in corporations and on campuses in the U.S. and abroad. He lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife and co-author, Amy Aronson, and their 10 year old son, Zachary.
Amy Aronson is Assistant Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at Fordham University. She is the author of Taking Liberties: Early American Women's Magazines and Their Readers and an editor of the international quarterly, Media History. She has co-edited several books, including a centennial edition of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Women and Economics and the two-volume Encyclopedia of Men and Masculinities, which was honored by the New York Public Library with a Best of Reference Award in 2004. A former editor at Working Woman and Ms., her work has also appeared in publications including Business Week, Global Journalist and the Sunday supplement of The Boston Globe.
Table of Contents
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CHAPTER 1: WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY?
Sociology as a Way of Seeing
Beyond Either/Or: Seeing Sociologically
Making Connections: Sociological Dynamics
Sociological Understanding
Doing Sociology
Sociology and Science
Getting beyond Common Sense
Where Did Sociology Come From?
Before Sociology
The Invention of Sociology
Classical Sociological Thinkers
American Sociological Thinkers
The Other Canon
Contemporary Sociology
Symbolic Interactionism and the Sociology of the Self
Structural Functionalism and Social Order
Conflict Theories: An Alternative Paradigm
Globalization and Multiculturalism: New Lenses, New Issues
Sociology in the 21st Century, Sociology and You
CHAPTER 2: CULTURE AND SOCIETY
Culture
Cultural Diversity
Subcultures and Countercultures
Elements of Culture
Material Culture
Symbols
Language
Ritual
Norms
Values
Cultural Expressions
Universality and Localism
High Culture and Popular Culture
Forms of Popular Culture
The Politics of Popular Culture
The Globalization of Popular Culture
Culture as a Tool Kit
Cultural Change
Culture in the 21st Century
CHAPTER 3: SOCIETY: INTERACTIONS, GROUPS, AND ORGANIZATIONS
Society: Putting Things in Context
The Social Construction of Reality
Cooley and the Looking-Glass Self
Goffman and the “Dramaturgical” Self
Nonverbal Communication
Patterns of Social Interaction
Verbal Communication
Elements of Social Structure
Status
Roles
Groups
Groups and Identity
Types of Groups
Group Dynamics
Social Networks
Networks and Social Experience
Networks and Globalization
Organizations
Types of Organizations
Are We a Nation of Joiners?
Organizations: Race and Gender and Inequality?
Bureaucracy: Organization and Power .
Problems with Bureaucracy
Globalization and Organizations
Groups ‘R’ Us: Groups and Interactions in the 21st Century
CHAPTER 4: HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WE KNOW? THE METHODS OF THE SOCIOLOGIST
Why Sociological Methods Matter
Sociology and the Scientific Method
The Qualitative/Quantitative Divide
Doing Sociological Research
Types of Sociological Research Methods
Observational Methods
Analysis of Quantitative Data
Content Analysis
Making the Right Comparisons
Social Science and the Problem of “Truth”
Predictability and Probability
Causality
Issues in Conducting Research
Remain Objective and Avoid Bias
Avoid Overstating Results
Maintain Professional Ethics
The Institutional Review Board
Social Science Methods in the 21st Century: Emergent Methodologies
CHAPTER 5: SOCIALIZATION
Socialization and Biology
Socialization in Action
Feral Children
Isolated Children
Primates
Models of Socialization
Mead and Taking the Role of Others
Piaget and the Cognitive Theory of Development
Kohlberg and Moral Development
Freud and the Development of Personality
Problems with Stage Theories
Anticipatory Socialization
Resocialization
Agents of Socialization
Family
Education
Religion
Peers
Mass Media
The Workplace
Socialization and the Life Course
Childhood (Birth to Puberty)
Adolescence (Roughly the Teen Years)
Adulthood
Gender Socialization
Socialization in the 21st Century
CHAPTER 6: DEVIANCE AND CRIME
What Is Deviance?
Conformity and Social Control
Stigma
Deviant Subcultures
Deviance and Social Coherence
Explaining Deviance
Deviance and Inequality
Deviance and Crime
Strain Theory
Broken Windows Theory
Criminal Subcultures
Opportunity Theory
Conflict Theory
Types of Crimes
Crime at Work
Cybercrime
Hate Crime
Crime in the United States
Crime and Guns
Crime and Gender
Crime and Race
Crime and Age
Crime and Class
The Criminal Justice System
Police
Courts
Punishment and Corrections
Globalization and Crime
Deviance and Crime in the 21st Century
CHAPTER 7: STRATIFICATION AND SOCIAL CLASS
What Is Social Stratification?
Why Do We Have Social Stratification?
Systems of Stratification
Social Class
Theories of Social Class
Socioeconomic Classes in the United States
America and the Myth of the Middle Class
Income Inequality
Class and Race
Poverty in the United States and Abroad
Who Is Poor in America?
The Feminization of Poverty
Explaining Poverty
Poverty on a World Scale
Reducing Poverty
Social Mobility
Dynamics of Mobility
Social Mobility Today
Global Inequality
Classifying Global Economies
Explaining Global Inequality
Global Mobility
Class Identity and Class Inequality in the 21st Century
CHAPTER 8: RACE AND ETHNICITY
Distinguishing between Race and Ethnicity
What Is Race?
Biraciality and Multiraciality
The Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
Minority Groups
Majority Groups
Prejudice
Stereotypes
Racism
Discrimination
Institutional Discrimination
Segregation and Integration
Affirmative Action or “Reverse Discrimination”?
Hate Groups
Theories of Prejudice and Discrimination
Doing Something about It
Overcoming Prejudice
Ethnic Groups in the United States
People from Europe
People from North America
People from Latin America
People from Sub-Saharan Africa
People from East and South Asia
People from the Middle East
Ethnicity and Conflict
Melting Pot (Assimilation) and Multiculturalism (Pluralism)
Bilingualism
Race and Ethnicity in the 21st Century
CHAPTER 9: SEX AND GENDER
Sex and Gender: Nature and Nurture
The Biology of Sex and Gender
Evolutionary Imperatives
Brain and Hormone Research
Exploring Cross-Cultural Variations of Sex and Gender
The Value of Cross-Cultural Research
Blurring the Boundaries of Gender
Becoming Gendered: Learning Gender Identity
Gender Socialization
The Social Construction of Gender
Gendered Institutions
Gender Inequality on a Global and Local Scale
Gender Inequality in the United States
The Gendered World of Work
Gender Inequality in School
Gender Inequality in Everyday Life
The Politics of Gender
Opposition to Gender Roles
The Women’s Movement(s)
Feminism
Gender Inequality in the 21st Century
CHAPTER 10: AGE AND SEXUALITY
Age and Identity
The Stages of Life
Adolescence
Young Adulthood
Middle Age
Old Age
Aging and Dying
Age and Inequality
Age and Poverty
Retirement
Elder Care
Youth and Inequality
Youth and Poverty
Health Care
Child Labor
Getting Older and Getting Better? Youth and Age
Studying Sexuality: Bodies, Behaviors, and Identities
The Attractive Body
Embodying Identity
Desires and Behaviors
Sexual Identities
The Interplay of Biology and Society
American Sexual Behavior and Identities
The Gender of Sexuality
Convergence on Campus: Hooking Up
Convergence on Campus: Just Saying No
Rape and Sexual Assault
What Else Affects Sexuality?
Sexual Inequality
Sexual Minority Communities
Sexuality as Politics
Sex Tourism: The Globalization of Sex
Sex Education and Birth Control
Age and Sexuality in the 21st Century
CHAPTER 11: THE FAMILY
The Family Tree
Families as Kinship Systems
Culture and Forms of the Family
The Family Unit
The Development of the Family
The Origins of the Nuclear Family
Family and Ethnicity
The European American Family
The Native American Family
The African American Family
The Asian American Family
The Hispanic Family
Forming Families
Courtship and Dating
Marriage
Delayed Marriage
Staying Single
Cohabiting
Explanations of Nonmarital Choices
Biracial Marriage
Same-Sex Marriage
Parenting
Gender and Parenting
Single-Parent Families
Grandparenting
Adoptive Parents
Not Parenting
Family Transitions
The Consequences of Divorce
Blended Families
Violence in Families
Intimate Partner Violence
Intergenerational and Intragenerational Violence
The Family in the 21st Century: “The Same as It Ever Was”
CHAPTER 12: ECONOMY AND WORK
Theories of the Economy
Economic Development
The Agricultural Economy
The Industrial Economy
Consumption and the Modern Economy
The Postindustrial Economy
Economic Systems
Capitalism
Socialism
Communism
The American Economy
The Impact of Industrialization: Displacement and Consolidation
The Postindustrial Economy: Technology and Globalization
Corporations
Multinational Corporations
Work, Identity, and Inequality
How We Work
Types of Jobs
Alternatives to Wage Labor
Unemployment
Diversity in the Workplace
Racial Diversity
Gender Diversity
Sexual Diversity
Working Parents
Work and Economy in the 21st Century
CHAPTER 13: POLITICS AND MEDIA
Politics: Power and Authority
Class, Status, and Power
Traditional Authority
Charismatic Authority
Legal-Rational Authority
Power/Knowledge
Political Systems
Authoritarian Systems
Democracy
Problems of Political Systems
Citizenship
The Political System of the United States
American Political Parties
Party Affiliation: The Politics of Race, Class, and Gender
Interest Groups
Political Change
Social Movements
Revolutions
War and the Military
Terrorism
Everyday Politics
Being Political: Social Change
Civil Society: Declining, Increasing, or Dynamic?
Politics amd Media
What Are the Mass Media
Typeas of Mass Media
Saturation and Convergence: The Sociology of Media
Media Production and Consumption
Culture Industries
Multicultural Voices
Media Consolidation
The Importance of Advertising
Celebrities
Consuming Media, Creating Identity
Globalization of the Media
What is Media Globalization
Cultural Imperialism
New Media, New Voices
Politics and Media in the 21st Century
CHAPTER 14: EDUCATION
The Sociology of Education
Education as a Social Institution
The History of Education
Education and Globalization
Intelligence(s) and Literacy
Cultural Literacy
Education and Inequality
Education and Mobility
Inequality and the Structure of Education
Bilingual Education
Tracking
Schooling for Gender Identiy—and Inequality
School Reform
Privatization
Home Schooling
No Child Left Behind
The Sociology of Higher Education
Preparing for College
Higher Education and Inequality
Student Life
Education, Inc.
For-Profit Universities
The Marketization of Higher Education
McSchool
Education in the 21st Century
CHAPTER 15: SOCIOLOGY OF ENVIRONMENTS: THE NATURAL, PHYSICAL, AND HUMAN WORLDS
The Human Environment
Being Born
Dying
Moving In, Moving Out: Studying Immigration Population Composition
Population Growth
How High Can It Go?
Demographic Transition
Decreasing the Rate of Flow
The Urban Environment
The City: Ancient to Modern
The Countryside
Suburbs
Revitalizing Downtown
Sociology and the City
Human Ecology
Global Urbanization
The Natural Environment
Energy
Vanishing Resources
Environmental Threats
The Sociology of Disaster
Environments in the 21st Century\n
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