Introduction to Sociology

Reviewed by Sarah Ovink, Associate Professor of Sociology, Virginia Tech on 6/20/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 4

This is a comprehensive introductory sociology textbook. Its 21 chapters cover a vast array of topics of interest to sociologists, and include some that are often left out of other texts I have used, such as Global Inequality. The variety of topics should make it possible for instructors to tailor an introductory class toward their areas of expertise. An index is included, and a list of key terms is included at the end of each chapter. The index is missing some terms that students might look for, such as feminism/feminist theory and rational choice theory.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The text’s content is highly accurate overall. I did note some errors and instances of imprecise language, that a conscientious instructor will want to watch out for and correct. For example, Table 1.1, which appears on page 8, is titled “SNAP Use by State,” but the table included here shows something else: SNAP eligibility. As another example, Figure 4.6, representing Marx’s ideas of “base” and “superstructure,” which appears on p. 81, is overly simplified and could use more discussion. On page 236, the theory of intersectionality (presented as “intersection theory”) is attributed to Patricia Hill Collins, when it was actually coined by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw (and later gained prominence through Collins’ works published in the 1990s). At times, statements are made that that either praise or criticize aspects of society, which might be more properly classified as opinions. For example, on page 193, the author(s) state, “...we are fortunate that the poverty experienced here [in the U.S.] is most often relative poverty and not absolute poverty.” This could give students the impression that the author(s)’ conclusion that poverty in the U.S. is less serious than that experienced in other countries is a consensus broadly shared by sociologists, when in fact the levels and severity of poverty in the U.S. is a hotly contested topic. Of course, no textbook is error-free--instructors should always thoroughly preview any text to identify errors and take steps in class discussions to correct any misstatements or mistakes found in textbooks.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The text includes commentary on recent national and world events, such as gender politics in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, and the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in 2013 in Bangladesh. This content will help make concepts relevant for students, and examples are arranged in such a way that updates will be feasible as new editions are written. The text stops short of offering content that is too close to the cutting edge--such as incorporating contemporary slang or relying on links to online materials that may quickly expire.

Clarity rating: 4

This textbook is easy to read, with a fluid, friendly tone that avoids being overly wordy. The book’s many examples and “Making Connections” features keep the text from becoming too dry or inaccessible. Because the entire textbook is just short of 500 pages, each chapter is rather brief, and some sections could use more description or examples. Key terms are presented in bold, and a list of key terms, with definitions, is provided at the end of each chapter. A suggestion for the future would be to also provide a brief definition in the margin of the page next to the paragraph where each key term first appears, as an aid to students who study by skimming through the chapter a second time.

Consistency rating: 5

Sociology 2e is internally consistent. I appreciate that some terms and theories, such as conflict theory, appear multiple times throughout the book. This gives the student a chance to understand how a sociology theory can be used in multiple ways, and is applicable in multiple contexts. For example, feminist theory appears not only in the chapter Gender, Sex and Sexuality, but also Media and Technology, among others.

Modularity rating: 5

Given the consistency of the text, this book is highly modular. Chapters could be assigned independently of one another, and chapters could be skipped without disrupting the reader’s experience. Most introductory sociology instructors will not be able to cover all 21 chapters in a 15-week semester, so the ready modularity of this text is a positive feature.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

Some sociologists may disagree with the choice to organize many of the main strands of theory in the discipline under three umbrella-like paradigms: Structural Functionalism, Conflict Theory, and Symbolic Interactionism. This organizational structure works for the most part, though some more recent theories, such as postmodern theory and contemporary theories of structure, would struggle to fit. Overall, however, the text is logical and topics are presented clearly and simply.

Interface rating: 4

I did not detect any serious navigation problems in the text. However, some figures are fuzzy or pixelated (cf. Figures 7.9 and 8/1), suggesting that the images used are of low quality and did not transfer well to the texbook. The included photos are mostly of good quality, and I commend the authors for finding so many copyright-free images to include that do a good job of providing examples and context for the text.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I found no grammatical errors in the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The textbook does a good job of using inclusive examples and including pictures depicting people embodying a variety of racial/ethnic backgrounds, ages, and walks of life. The book shines a critical lens on many topics--for example, pointing out how felony disenfranchisement disproportionately affects black citizens, and including “Making Connections” sections that highlight LGTBQ individuals and their families.

This is a solid introductory sociology textbook, and provides a great option for instructors who wish to relieve their students of the financial burden of buying an expensive text. There are other introductory sociology texts that have more entertaining content and more online features, but this text will provide a solid foundation at a more than reasonable price.