Sociology, Unplugged

This concise, clear, accessible book is meant to truly engage students by using personal stories, solid research, and key theories that illustrate how sociologists look at life, the way we understand social dynamics, what “socially constructed” means, and how a sociological sensibility can, ultimately, be liberating.With engaging stories, provocative historical examples, compelling case studies, and key theoretical insights, this cogent “anti-textbook”, written by leading sociologist Phil Zuckerman, introduces students to the discipline of sociology. Sociology, Unplugged covers foundational concepts – from socialization, dramaturgy, and intersectionality to deviance, social change, and sociological methodology – in a way that avoids the heavy-handedness of typical intro texts. Unique contributions of this volume include: an explicit exploration of social construction; consistent inclusion of race, class, and gender and their intersections; the centralizing of W.E.B. Du Bois as the key founder of American sociology; a sociological exploration of sex and sexuality; attention to transgender identity; an incorporation of insights from Peter Berger; and a cogent introduction to sociological methods, all written in a voice that is student friendly.This book is a vital and dynamic essential resource for instructors and students in foundational level sociology, social theory, and culture and society courses. This text is especially designed to be an accessible springboard to undergraduate reading and study of introductory sociology in a “one-stop” manner: if you only read one sociology book, you'll want to read this one!

Phil Zuckerman is Professor of Sociology at Pitzer College, and the founding chair of the nation’s first Secular Studies Program. He is the author of several books, including What It Means to Be Moral, The Nonreligious, Living the Secular Life, Faith No More, and Society Without God, and the editor of several volumes, including The Oxford Handbook of Secularism and The Social Theory of W.E.B. Du Bois.