ABSTRACT

Perspectives in Sociology provides students with a lively and critical introduction to sociology and to the ways in which sociologists are trained to think and work. The subject is presented as a sequence of different perspectives on the social world, all of them interrelated, sometimes in conflict with one another, and all contributing important and necessary insights. The discussion is backed up by extensive reference to empirical studies.
This edition has been completely revised. A chapter on critical theory has been added in order to reflect the extensive work and thinking that Marx's basic work continues to stimulate. The chapter on research strategies now takes account of new developments in the philosophy of science that are relevant for sociological approaches. Throughout, the authors have rewritten extensively in their continuing desire to produce clarity, and to respond to the comments of students and teachers.

chapter 1|6 pages

Introduction: rethinking sociology

part |2 pages

Part one

chapter 2|26 pages

Karl Marx

chapter 3|24 pages

Max Weber

chapter 4|24 pages

Emile Durkheim

part |2 pages

Part two

chapter 5|28 pages

Consensus and conflict

chapter 6|34 pages

Symbolic interaction

chapter 7|30 pages

Ethnomethodology

part |2 pages

Part three

chapter 8|20 pages

Western Marxism

chapter 9|32 pages

Structuralism

part |2 pages

Part four

chapter 10|22 pages

Poststructuralism: abandoning reason

chapter 11|24 pages

Michel Foucault

chapter 12|26 pages

Poststructuralism and postmodernity

chapter 14|6 pages

Conclusion