Sociology - Hardcover

"Giddens's book is composed with verve and panache, yet it is extraordinarily learned and reliable. It really is fun to read ... We need to applaud Giddens for a superb text as well as his singular contribution to the standing of sociology today." Frank Webster, Times Higher Education Supplement "There's no one on the planet with such a refined grasp of the practical and political significance of sociology as Anthony Giddens. This new edition of his best-selling textbook is his best yet." Anthony Elliott, Flinders University Australia "With this new edition of Sociology, Anthony Giddens has done the seemingly impossible. He has lifted the best introductory text in sociology in the world to yet a further level of excellence. It is a great achievement." Ulrich Beck, London School of Economics "I have a high opinion of Giddens's book, which I consider to be a comprehensive and lucid introduction to the major topics, debates and theoretical perspectives in sociology. It combines a detailed overview of the contemporary sociological landscape with sensitivity to the enduring debt that the discipline owes to earlier theorists." Mike Hawkins, Kingston University "This new edition is fresh, engaging and topical. One particular feature is worth a mention: a striking introduction that catches the reader's attention right at the start is very effective educationally. I remain a fan of such pedagogical devices. The point is made economically and strikingly at the very beginning and is then carried through the chapter. Some of the chapters do this in an exemplary fashion." Nick Abercrombie, University of Lancaster "The main reason for recommending Giddens's text over many of its competitors lies in the way that the book handles the various sociological specialisms. Although structured through specialist fields such as crime and deviance, families, gender and sexuality and so on, Giddens never loses sight of the general sociological perspective amid the welter of detailed and specialized knowledge. This introductory textbook stands out as a welcome antidote to the impression of fragmentation and diversity of the discipline which students often come away with from textbooks. Giddens still succeeds in demonstrating the continuing intellectual excitement of the sociological enterprise to all new students. For me, this is the foremost consideration when choosing a core introductory textbook and Giddens's Sociology is peerless in this regard." Phil Sutton, The Robert Gordon University "The chapter ['Theoretical Thinking in Sociology'] is clearly written with a strong thread running throughout. Students will like the way in which it brings together many diverse social theories highlighting some of their main similarities and differences in a single chapter. This chapter was towards the end of the book in the fourth edition; moving it nearer to the front of the book in this new edition is an excellent idea and will give students an insight into the theoretical interpretations used by sociologists as they look at the issues discussed in the remaining chapters." Steve Williams, University of Glamorgan

This fully revised and updated version of Anthony Giddens' "Sociology", now in its fifth edition, offers an unrivalled introduction for students new to the subject - lucid, lively, authoritative and original. Written by one of the world's leading sociologists, this comprehensive textbook manages to be clear, accessible and jargon-free, but without oversimplifying complex debates. Earlier editions of "Sociology" broke new ground by incorporating cutting-edge debates, such as the impact of globalisation, into an introductory text. This fifth edition remains a state of the art textbook, with fresh and engaging new material added throughout. While covering all of the core topics of sociology, the fifth edition also includes a great deal of substantive new material, ensuring that students are introduced to the most recent sociological debates.Throughout, the book weaves together classical and contemporary theory and data, and provides a wide range of everyday examples to which students can easily relate. The fifth edition also benefits from: new discussions of global inequality, disability, ageing and the life course, risk, the network society, and terrorism, as well as many other additional and up-to-date topics; numerous learning aids in every chapter, such as summary points, questions for further thought, and additional reading suggestions, which help to reinforce students' knowledge; lots of extra photographs, diagrams, case studies and cartoons, to bring ideas to life and fire students' imaginations; and high-quality supplementary resources on a dedicated website, including a full instructors' manual and additional student aids, all specially designed to stimulate students' learning and critical thinking.The fifth edition of this classic textbook is an ideal teaching text for first-year university and college courses, and will be essential reading for all students who are looking for an exciting, authoritative and easy-to-follow introduction to sociology.