Social life is in a constant process of change, and sociology can never stand still. As a result, sociology today is a theoretically diverse enterprise, covering a huge range of subjects and drawing on a broad array of research methods. Central to this endeavour is the use of core concepts and ideas which allow sociologists to make sense of societies, though our understanding of these concepts necessarily evolves and changes. This clear and jargon-free book introduces a careful selection of essential concepts that have helped to shape sociology and others that continue to do so. Going beyond brief, dictionary-style definitions, Anthony Giddens and Philip W. Sutton provide an extended discussion of each concept which sets it in historical and theoretical context, explores its main meanings in use, introduces relevant criticisms, and points readers to its ongoing development in contemporary research and theorizing. Organized in ten thematic sections, the book offers a portrait of sociology through its essential concepts, ranging from capitalism, identity and deviance to globalization, the environment and intersectionality. It will be essential reading for all those new to sociology as well as anyone seeking a reliable route map for a rapidly changing world.

An essential guide to the basic concepts that comprise the study of sociology with contributions from an international range of leading experts Core Concepts in Sociology is a comprehensive guide to the essential concepts relevant to the current study of the discipline and wider social science. The contributing authors cover a wide range of concepts that remain at the heart of sociology including those from its academic founding and others much more recent in their development. The text contains contributions from an international panel of leading figures in the field, utilizing their expertise on core concepts and presenting an accessible introduction for students. Drawing on the widest range of ideas, research, current literature and expert assessment, Core Concepts in Sociology contains over 90 concepts that represent the discipline. Coverage includes concepts ranging from aging to capitalism, democracy to economic sociology, epistemology to everyday life, media to risk, stigma and much more. This vital resource: Sets out the concepts that underpin the study of sociology and wider social science Contains contributions from an international panel of leading figures in the field Includes a comprehensive review of the basic concepts that comprise the foundation and essential development of the discipline Designed as a concise and accessible resource Written for students, researchers and wider professionals with an interest in the field of sociology, Core Concepts in Sociology offers a concise, affordable and accessible resource for studying the underpinnings of sociology and social science.

Social life is in a constant process of change, and sociology cannot afford to stand still. Sociology today is theoretically diverse, covers a huge range of subjects and draws on a broad array of research methods. Central to this endeavour is the use of core concepts and ideas which allow sociologists to make sense of societies, though our understanding of these concepts is constantly evolving and changing. This clear and jargon-free book introduces a careful selection of essential concepts that have helped to shape sociology, and others that continue to do so. Going beyond brief, dictionary-style definitions, Anthony Giddens and Philip W. Sutton provide an extended discussion of each concept which sets it into historical and theoretical context, explores its main meanings in use, introduces some relevant criticisms, and points readers to its ongoing development in contemporary research and theorizing. Organized in ten thematic sections, the book offers a portrait of sociology through its essential concepts ranging from capitalism, identity and deviance to citizenship, the environment and intersectionality. It will be essential reading for all those new to sociology, as well as those seeking a reliable route map for a rapidly changing world.

"A glossary of key concepts was just the sort of thing I needed when I was a sociology student. Peter Braham has written a lively, comprehensive guide to the most important concepts in our discipline. It will become an essential student resource." - David Silverman, Goldsmith′s and King′s College, University of London "A triumphant tour de force... will be a useful, even essential tool for students and faculty. It is actually fascinating reading even for non-sociologists since these ideas impact all of us all the time." - Anthony Synnott, Concordia University in Montreal "A crisp and comprehensive guide to the discipline. The thirty-eight entries, covering history, substance and evaluation, thereby describe both conventional and new topics that define the syllabus of modern sociology. A valuable guide to both teachers and students." - Bryan S. Turner, Presidential Professor of Sociology, CUNY USA Sociology consists of a myriad of frequently confusing concepts. Key Concepts in Sociology provides a comprehensive, lively and clearly-written guide to the most important concepts in the subject. It includes both what might be regarded as ′classic′ sociological concepts, such as ′class′, ′bureaucracy′ and ′community′, as well as subjects that have become increasingly prominent in recent times, such as ′celebrity′, ′risk′ and ′the body′. Each of the thirty-eight substantive entries: defines the concept provides a clear and compelling narrative clarifies the main debates, perspectives and disagreements gives advice on further reading Key Concepts in Sociology should be the first choice for sociology students at all levels of learning.

Essentials of Sociology, adapted from George Ritzer’s Introduction to Sociology, provides the same rock-solid foundation from one of sociology's best-known thinkers in a shorter and more streamlined format. With new co-author Wendy Wiedenhoft Murphy, the Third Edition continues to illuminate traditional sociological concepts and theories and focuses on some of the most compelling features of contemporary social life: globalization, consumer culture, the internet, and the “McDonaldization” of society. New to this Edition New “Trending” boxes focus on influential books by sociologists that have become part of the public conversation about important issues. Replacing “Public Sociology” boxes, this feature demonstrates the diversity of sociology's practitioners, methods, and subject matter, featuring such authors as o Michelle Alexander (The New Jim Crow) o Elizabeth Armstrong and Laura Hamilton (Paying for the Party) o Matthew Desmond (Evicted) o Arlie Hochschild (Strangers in Their Own Land) o Eric Klinenberg (Going Solo) o C.J. Pascoe (Dude, You're a Fag) o Lori Peek and Alice Fothergill (Children of Katrina) o Allison Pugh (The Tumbleweed Society) Updated examples in the text and "Digital Living" boxes keep pace with changes in digital technology and online practices, including Uber, Bitcoin, net neutrality, digital privacy, WikiLeaks, and cyberactivism. New or updated subjects apply sociological thinking to the latest issues including: the 2016 U.S. election Brexit the global growth of ISIS climate change further segmentation of wealthy Americans as the "super rich" transgender people in the U.S. armed forces charter schools the legalization of marijuana the Flint water crisis fourth-wave feminism

This title provides a systematic and accessible introduction to medical sociology, beginning each 1500 word entry with a definition of the concept, then examines its origins, development, strengths and weaknesses, offering further reading guidance for independent learning, and drawing on international literature and examples.

Why do people like books, music, or movies that adhere consistently to genre conventions? Why is it hard for politicians to take positions that cross ideological boundaries? Why do we have dramatically different expectations of companies that are categorized as social media platforms as opposed to news media sites? The answers to these questions require an understanding of how people use basic concepts in their everyday lives to give meaning to objects, other people, and social situations and actions. In this book, a team of sociologists presents a groundbreaking model of concepts and categorization that can guide sociological and cultural analysis of a wide variety of social situations. Drawing on research in various fields, including cognitive science, computational linguistics, and psychology, the book develops an innovative view of concepts. It argues that concepts have meanings that are probabilistic rather than sharp, occupying fuzzy, overlapping positions in a “conceptual space.” Measurements of distances in this space reveal our mental representations of categories. Using this model, important yet commonplace phenomena such as our routine buying decisions can be quantified in terms of the cognitive distance between concepts. Concepts and Categories provides an essential set of formal theoretical tools and illustrates their application using an eclectic set of methodologies, from micro-level controlled experiments to macro-level language processing. It illuminates how explicit attention to concepts and categories can give us a new understanding of everyday situations and interactions.

With a combination of up-to-the minute examples, cutting-edge research, and the latest available data, Essentials of Sociology gets students thinking sociologically about what they're seeing in the news and on their screens. Highlighting the macro social forces at work in our everyday lives, the authors move students beyond their individual experiences and cultivate their sociological imaginations. Innovative pedagogy promotes active reading and helps students master core sociological concepts. This strong in-text pedagogical program is now supported by InQuizitive, Norton's new formative, adaptive learning tool.