Sociological Thinking: A New Introduction

In writing this new introduction, the author has remained faithful to the aims of the previous volume that was published in 2008. The new volume has tracked some subsequent developments and reorientations in the subject which reflect social changes. As a result, the content of each chapter has been broadened and expanded. In updating the earlier volume, a decision was made to retain and rework the sections covering founding theory and early research since one of the aims of the book remains to provide a sense of how the subject has developed historically as a mirror of social change. Compared to the previous volume, the author has integrated a range of selective quotations. Also, to assist the reader in following up a broader range of resources, the original list of recommended books has been expanded into a short bibliography and key referencing has been provided. The author has approached this work with the aim of providing a manageable length and accessible introduction to sociology. The text concentrates more heavily than standard A level texts on guiding the reader to develop the psychological and intellectual qualities that are necessary to effectively approach the subject. It is pitched at GCE A Level and is aimed at the sociology student or general reader who is looking for an alternative to the standard texts. Based on this approach, the text caters for the following needs of sociology students and the general reader. It: offers an inroad into the subject at an introductory level which makes no assumptions about the reader’s prior knowledge in the subject; guides students / the reader through the process of breaking down preconceptions on the way that they view society and their own lives; leads the reader into appreciating the challenges that sociological thinking poses; provides a clear introduction to sociological concepts and theories and offers a challenging learning curve in constructing sociological approaches and insights.