Introduction to Sociology

Reviewed by Murray Shaw, Sociology Instructor, Douglas College on 10/9/13

Comprehensiveness rating: 4

The coverage of topics in this text is comprehensive. In a 1-semester [4 month] course, out of the 21 chapters, I would use 14 full chapters, and incorporate parts of other chapters. The glossaries and references listed by section at the end of each chapter are useful, and the multiple choice and short answer questions are a helpful study aid for students. One issue is that the index at the end of the text could be lengthier and more detailed.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

In my courses, I make reference to sociological theories and methods throughout the course, and I found that the explanations of theories in chapter 1 and subsequent chapters are very clear and concise, and lend themselves to illustrations and examples. I particularly liked the fairly extensive explanations of theories in chapter 4, Society and Social Interaction. This is a chapter that I have not seen in other texts. Chapter 2 provides very clear explanations and illustrations of the different stages of the research process, in particular the explanations of hypotheses, x and y variables , and how to develop operational definitions. In regards to biases, the explanations of research methods in chapter 2 are very clear and lend themselves to illustrations, though they seem biased toward a scientific model, which is in my experience pretty standard for introductory sociology texts. In this text even qualitative methods like participant observation and ethnography are presented almost solely in terms of the scientific model; as procedures for hypothesis testing. I understand that there are good reasons for emphasizing that sociology is a "social science," employing the same level of rigor developing knowledge as other scientific disciplines. Notwithstanding this, it results in a lack of coverage of qualitative perspectives and approaches that are more concerned with exploring interactional processes, than testing hypotheses. In reading through the text, I did notice a few other small issues: -Page 41: Although the example of the comic writer who employed deception to make undercover observations at a dot.com firm is sociologically interesting, it is not itself sociological research, and by the standards of sociology could be seen as methodologically and maybe ethically flawed. Maybe it could be presented differently, and not as exemplifying "the lengths to which a sociologist will go to uncover material"(41), because he is not a sociologist and it is not sociological research. -Page 61: "American teenagers are encouraged to value celibacy." Certainly today, not all American [or Canadian] teenagers receive such encouragement from all agents of socialization. A more specific statement would fix this overgeneralization. -Page 85: "Eventually, concerns over the exploitation of workers led to the formation of labor unions and laws that set mandatory conditions for employees." Here, again a slightly longer and more nuanced statement could make it clear that these changes came about not just because of public and official ‘concerns' about the welfare of workers, but also as a result of activism on the part of emerging labour movements, and serious conflicts over a number of decades. -Page 85: "Since the economy of information societies is driven by knowledge and not material goods, power lies with those in charge of storing and distributing information." This statement makes it sound as though control over the production and distribution of material goods is no longer an important source of power. This statement could be qualified: "Since the economy of information societies is driven by knowledge and not [just] material goods, [much of the] power [in modern societies] lies with those in charge of storing and distributing information."

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

One of the strong points of the text is that sociological concepts and theories are explained very clearly. The examples and illustrations could easily be updated in future editions as required, and where necessary could be replaced with illustrations from other cultures, for example, Canada.

Clarity rating: 5

One of the strongest points of the text is that the explanations of theories and concepts are very clear and understandable.

Consistency rating: 5

I did not find any problems with consistency, or any areas where concepts were applied that had not been previously explained.

Modularity rating: 5

For my purposes, the text's modularity is good. In a one-semester course, I generally use 12-13 chapters of a text, along with readings from other sources. With this text, in any particular section of the course, in addition to the relevant chapter, I could also use parts of other chapters that I would not cover in whole. For example, the section on Bureaucracy (130-33) could be a useful when explaining Weber's theories of the rationalization of modern society, and the section on "baby boomers"(282-84) could be useful for explaining population dynamics and social inequality and conflict. I can see that for all the sections of my course, in addition to the main chapter that I would use, there are sections from other part of the text that could easily be incorporated.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics follow the standard format for introductory sociology texts, with the most general theories and concepts in sociology presented first, leading into application of these to substantive areas of social life and social issues. I find that the ordering of topics within chapters is very good; one explanation leads into the next. For example, by the time the differences between sociology and psychology are briefly explained [102], these differences are both easy to grasp and their importance apparent. Also, I find that the explanations of concepts are relatively brief, which means that if I pursue a topic in class, I can fill in the detail with my own material. If not, the students are not bogged down with lengthy content that will not be discussed in class. One thing that I really like about this text is that Sociological theories are introduced very briefly in chapter 1, and then explained in more depth in chapter 4, Society and Social Interaction, a chapter that is not included in other texts I have used and seen. I think this is a good idea, because it presents theory after students have had several classes' exposure to sociological concepts. In all other texts I have used and seen, the "theory section" is all in chapter 1, which I have found to be a bit too much for students brand new to the discipline. If I used this text, I would add chapter 4 to my courses.

Interface rating: 5

I did not see any problems in this regard.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not come across any grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

The text is culturally inclusive, although [as discussed in the final section] the use of the US as the reference point for the text is problematic if the text is to be used in Canadian colleges.

This is a text that I would use, if it was adapted to the Canadian context. It is very clear and understandable, and all of the sections lend themselves well to illustrations, discussions, and other activities. So, while I do like the text, the issue of using a text with American content in a Canadian college course is very problematic. It seems to me that one aspect of this problem could be fixed fairly easily, as the US illustrations and examples could be replaced by Canadian ones, although I would keep some of the US illustrations, as they lead into examination of similarities and differences between these two very closely linked cultures. The other aspect of this problem is the use of the US context as the reference point for the explanations of concepts, structures and processes throughout the text. Canadian examples and illustrations can be fairly easily substituted for American ones, but sections in which explanations centre around conditions in the US may be more difficult to change, and would require considerable rewriting. So, for the most part, it is a great text and one that I would definitely use, if it were not for the cultural issue. Because the text uses the US as its reference point I could not use it in its present form.
This review originated in the BC Open Textbook Collection and is licensed under CC BY-ND.