Essentials of Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach

Abstract

1. The Sociological Perspective. The Sociological Perspective. The Origins of Sociology. Sexism in Early Sociology. Sociology in North America. Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology. Doing Sociological Research. Research Methods. Ethics in Sociological Research. 2. Culture. What Is Culture? Components of Symbolic Culture. Many Cultural Worlds: Subcultures and Countercultures. Values in U.S. Society. Technology in the Global Village. 3. Socialization. What Is Human Nature? Socialization into the Self, Mind, and Emotions. Socialization into Gender. Agents of Socialization. Resocialization. Socialization Through the Life Course. Are We Prisoners of Socialization? 4. Social Structure and Social Interaction. Levels of Sociological Analysis. The Macrosociological Perspective: Social Structure. The Microsociological Perspective: Social Interaction in Everyday Life. The Need for Both Macrosociology and Microsociology. 5. Social Groups and Formal Organizations. Social Groups. Bureaucracies. Working for the Corporation. Group Dynamics. 6. Deviance and Social Control. What Is Deviance? The Symbolic Interactionist Perspective. The Functionalist Perspective. The Conflict Perspective. Reactions to Deviance. 7. Social Stratification in Global Perspective. An Overview of Social Stratification. What Determines Social Class? Why Is Social Stratification Universal? How Do Elites Maintain Stratification? Comparative Social Stratification. Global Stratification: Three Worlds. How the World's Nations Became Stratified. Maintaining Global Stratification. A Concluding Note. 8. Social Class in the United States. What Is Social Class? Sociological Models of Social Class. Consequences of Social Class. Social Mobility. Poverty. 9. Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity. Laying the Sociological Foundation. Theories of Prejudice. Global Patterns of Intergroup Relations. Race and Ethnic Relations in the United States. Looking Toward the Future. 10. Inequalities of Age and Gender. Inequalities of Gender. Issues of Sex and Gender. How Females Became a Minority Group. Gender Inequality in the United States. The Changing Face of Politics. Inequalities of Aging. Aging in Global Perspective. The Symbolic Interactionist Perspective. The Functionalist Perspective. The Conflict Perspective. Looking Toward the Future. 11. Politics and the Economy. Politics: Establishing Leadership. Power, Authority, and Violence. Types of Government. The U.S. Political System. Who Rules the United States? The Economy: Work in the Global Village. The Transformation of Economic Systems. World Economic Systems. Capitalism in a Global Economy. 12. Marriage and Family. Marriage and Family in Global Perspective. Marriage and Family in Theoretical Perspective. The Family Life Cycle. Diversity in U.S. Families. Trends in U.S. Families. Divorce and Remarriage. Two Sides of Family Life. The Future of Marriage and Family. 13. Education and Religion. Education: Transferring Knowledge and Skills. Education in Global Perspective. The Functionalist Perspective: Providing Social Benefits. The Conflict Perspective: Reproducing the Social Class Structure. The Symbolic Interactionist Perspective: Fulfilling Teacher Expectations. Problems in U.S. Education-And Their Solutions. Religion: Establishing Meaning. What Is Religion? The Functionalist Perspective. The Symbolic Interactionist Perspective. The Conflict Perspective. Religion and the Spirit of Capitalism. Types of Religious Groups. Religion in the United States. The Future of Religion. 14. Population and Urbanization. Population in Global Perspective. A Planet with No Space to Enjoy Life? Population Growth. Urbanization. The Development of Cities. City Life: Alienation and Community. Urban Problems and Social Policy. 15. Social Change: Technology, Social Movements, and the Environment. How Social Change Transforms Society. Theories and Processes of Social Change. How Technology Changes Society. Social Movements as a Source of Social Change. The Growth Machine Versus the Earth. ONLINE CHAPTER: The Sociology of Human Sexuality. What Does Sociology Have to Do with Sex? The Incest Taboo. Homosexuality. Heterosexuality. A Concluding Note.