ABSTRACT

Starting Sociology can be daunting. This user-friendly introduction takes the reader on a quest towards a sociological understanding of the world we live in. Using contemporary examples, The Sociological Quest asks what is distinctive about the way Sociologists view society. Haydn Aarons and Evan Willis show that they are concerned with the relationships between the individual and society, and that a sociological analysis involves an approach which is historical, cultural, structural, and critical.

This sixth edition has been thoroughly revised and updated and includes new material on identities, social change, social movements, populism, climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, digital interaction, and social media. Also included in the sixth edition is an expanded chapter on empirical research in Sociology and the research process, as well as a new chapter on careers in Sociology.

chapter 1|8 pages

Introduction

chapter 2|22 pages

The nature of sociological explanation

chapter 3|28 pages

Sociology's place in the academy

chapter 4|27 pages

The sociological imagination

chapter 5|24 pages

Structure and critique

chapter 6|15 pages

The social and the biological world

chapter 7|23 pages

Theory and method

chapter 8|12 pages

How do we know?

chapter 9|12 pages

Doing Sociology (and getting paid for it)

Careers and applications