Synopses & Reviews
This introductory text presents a unique approach to the examination of sociological principles. It draws you into the material--and encourages a deeper understanding of the discipline--by focusing on such overarching questions as "How do sociologists study society?" "How is society possible?" "Why is there misery in the world?" and "Are human beings free?" You'll learn about the philosophies of classical sociologists such as Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Mead, and Berger, and look at how the field of sociology has approached these questions over the past 150 years. You'll also consider the benefits and drawbacks of globalization, read about how individuals can affect society, and learn how the Tea Party political movement and the revolution in Egypt illustrate social conflict. As you explore sociology's compelling questions, you'll find that there are often no clear and ready answers.
Synopsis
The seventh edition of TEN QUESTIONS: A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE employs a unique approach to introducing and examining sociological principles by posing and answering questions such as: What does it mean to be human? Are human beings free? Why is there misery in the world? The book examines the philosophies of the classical sociologists such as Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Mead, and Berger and looks at how the field of sociology has approached these questions over the past 150 years. The seventh edition has been thoroughly updated and reorganized for improved clarity and now includes coverage of the benefits and drawbacks of globalization while also touching on capitalism, world economy, technology, nations, societies, inequality, and democracy.
About the Author
Joel Charon (Ph.D., University of Minnesota) is a successful author and emeritus professor of Sociology at Minnesota State University at Moorhead. He has published numerous textbooks and readers, and is a member of the ASA and the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction.
Table of Contents
1. How Do Sociologists Study Society? Researching the Social World. 2. What Does It Mean To Be Human? Human Nature, Society, and Culture. 3. How Is Society Possible? The Basis for Social Order. 4. Why Are People Unequal In Society? The Origin and Perpetuation of Social Inequality. 5. Are Human Beings Free? The Power of Society over Human Thinking and Action. 6. What Can't Everyone Be Just Like Us? Value Judgments, Ethnocentrism, and Human Differences. 7. Why Is There Misery In The World? Society as an Important Source of Human Problems. 8. Does The Individual Really Make A Difference? An Introduction to Social Change. 9. Is Organized Religion Necessary For Society? Tradition, Modernization, and Secularization. 10. Is the World Becoming One Society? Globalization and the Creation of a World Society. 11. Why Study Sociology? Afterword: Should We Generalize About People?