Contemporary Introduction to Sociology: Culture and Society in Transition / Edition 2

by Jeffrey C. Alexander, Kenneth Thompson, Laura Desfor Edles

Overview

The first edition of Alexander and Thompson's Contemporary Introduction to Sociology was the first truly new introduction to sociology textbook in decades. Written by two leading sociologists at the cutting edge of theory and research, the text reflected the idioms and interests of contemporary American life and global social issues.

Paradigm Publishers is now pleased to announce the 2nd edition of this text, with new co-author Laura D. Edles. It continues to invite students to reflect upon their lives within the context of the combustible leap from modern to postmodern life. The authors show how culture is central to understanding many world problems as they challenge readers to confront the risks and potentialities of a postmodern era in which the futures of both the physical and social environment seem uncertain. As culture rapidly changes in the 21st century, the authors have successfully incorporated these nuances into their new edition.

New to the 2nd edition:

• Speaks to students using examples ranging from popular culture to new media technologies.

• Connects theory, data, and media to timely issues and sociological theory using theme boxes

• Covers labor, the economy, and social media including Facebook and Twitter.

• Reaches a larger audience with new data on women, gender, and transgender issues.

• Vividly illustrates sociological issues with new photographs, tables, and figures.

• Helps students understand material through additional study questions in each chapter.

*A free electronic Instructor's Manual with test questions is available to professors for examination and use upon adoption.*

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781612050294
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	07/28/2011
Pages:	656
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Jeffrey C. Alexander is the Lillian Chavenson Saden Professor of Sociology at Yale University, where he is co-director of the Center for Cultural Sociology. Among his many influential books is The Civic Sphere (Oxford University Press, 2006). He is also co-editor of the Yale Cultural Sociology Series (Paradigm Publishers).

Kenneth Thompson, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the Open University, has held positions at Yale, UCLA, Rutgers, and Smith. He is the author of Moral Panics (Routledge, 1998).

Laura Desfor Edles received her doctorate in Sociology from UCLA. Dr. Edles has published articles on race and ethnicity in cultural sociology, and is the co-author (with Scott Appelrouth) of Sociological Theory in the Classical Era. She teaches sociology at California State University, Northridge.

Table of Contents

Part One

What is Sociology?

Chapter 1: Sociological Stories and Key Concepts

Chapter 2: Sociological Methods

Part Two

The Social and Cultural Construction of Meaning

Chapter 3: Cultural Structures

Chapter 4: Media and Communication

Chapter 5: Deviance, Crime and Social Control

Part Three

Personal Worlds and Identities

Chapter 6: Socialization and the Life Cycle

Chapter 7: Sex and Gender

Chapter 8: Sexuality & Sexual Orientation

Part Four

Inequalities and Identities

Chapter 9: Social Class and Inequality

Chapter 10: Race and Ethnicity

Chapter 11: Marriage and Family

Part Five

Social Institutions

Chapter 12: Work and the Economy

Chapter 13: Education

Chapter 14: Health and Medicine

Chapter 15: Religion

Chapter 16: Politics, Publics, and the State

Chapter 17: Social Change and Social Movements

Editorial Reviews

Alexander and Thompson’s new book is the best I have ever seen in blending sophistication and accessibility. In the spirit of Peter Berger’s now-classic Invitation to Sociology, this new text brings the wonderful world of sociology to life for the beginning student without diluting its central concepts and ideas. Chock full of scintillating examples and provocative media stories that capture and hold the reader’s attention while at the same time exemplifying central points, the book is a pleasure for both professor and student to read.”Laura Desfor Edles, CSU Northridge “Treats sociology as a living, vibrant discipline that changes just as the societies and cultures it seeks to comprehend also change. The authors offer a masterful synthesis that beautifully captures the best and most vital developments in contemporary sociology, while remaining faithful to and deeply rooted in the sociological tradition. The book is written in a style that is at once sophisticated, engaging, and accessible to its intended undergraduate audience. I can think of no better way to introduce my students to the discipline.”Peter Kivisto, Augustana College“Alexander and Thompson have produced the modern textbook we have all been waiting for—comprehensive and coherent, but above all intelligent. Designed to make teaching sociology unproblematic, difficult concepts and issues are addressed with consummate ease and confidence. As one might expect from Alexander and Thompson, the theoretical underpinnings are subtle and sophisticated. The result is the ideal combination of theory, evidence, and accessibility.”Bryan S. Turner, editor of The Cambridge Dictionary of Sociology“This book draws on cutting edge advances in sociological research and theory to produce a truly contemporary sociology, one that mines the classics of sociology for insights into a profoundly changed, postmodern world. It captures both the range of sociological interests and the questions that recur in all substantive areas—questions about free will and determinism; culture and structure; and the limits of generalization. Most important, the book reminds us of sociology’s capacity to surprise—to think about what we took for granted in new ways.”Francesca Polletta, UC Irvine“An extraordinary textbook that synthesizes a wealth of sociological studies. The range and scope of the material boggles the mind. The book is engaging and highly readable, key concepts are clearly defined, and important theories are succinctly explicated. I highly recommend A Contemporary Introduction to Sociology to students and faculty alike.”William Julius Wilson, Harvard University

From the Publisher