Social Sciences Books

Explore bestsellers and new releases in social science books at Barnes & Noble®. Discover cultures from around the world, delve into the world of criminology and true crime, or learn more about folklore and mythology. From students studying anthropology, social science or sociology, there’s an extensive collection of books to choose from.

Social sciences offer a tour of the world, from the application of indigenous knowledge found in Braiding Sweetgrass to a deeper understanding of the racial issues in America found in The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy. Sociology, or the study of society, is laid bare in books like Poverty, by America and Malcolm Gladwell’s modern classic, Outliers. The New Jim Crow holds a harrowing mirror to societal structures and Freakonomics attempts to make sense of practically everything. Educate yourself in the area of Gender Studies by reading books like The Will to Change, Invisible Women, or Trans.

You can also find the study of culture and folklore in social sciences. Explore the lore of ancient beasts and legends in books like Breverton’s Phantasmagoria, revisit Grimm’s Complete Fairytales, or brush up on Aztec or Japanese Myths and Legends.

Here are some of our modern favorites that make a great gift to any inquisitive mind: Sapiens: A Graphic History: The Birth of Humankind (Vol. 1), Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, Untamed, and The Beauty in Breaking: A Memoir.