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Sociological Snapshots 4 : Seeing Social Structure and Change in Everyday Life
Sociological Snapshots 4 Seeing Social Structure and Change in Everyday Life Author:Jack Levin "An excellent book for the marginally interested, poorly prepared student that also does not turn off the better students - and that is quite an achievement." — &nbs... more »p; -- Steve Beach, Kentucky Wesleyan University
"Overall this is a very strong reader. The essays are general enough to be moved around providing the instructor with the flexibility to build the course the way s/he desires. The text is very readable and the essays are interesting to students also the essays within are relatively brief. All helps avoid the "textbook dread" that some students bring to an Introductory course. The strong application of ideas within the readings helps illustrate the points made in lecture and the relatively low cost of the text makes it even more "student friendly"."
-- Bob Carrothers, Kent State University
"The major strength of Levins Sociological Snapshots is its readability for college students. This comes from the fact that it is well-written in more of a journalistic style, and from the very engaging content of the essays. I think that by including reference to classic and relevant sociological research, the book also really does justice to the contributions made by the discipline. As an alternative to information-dense, but sometimes boring standard textbooks, it is really great to have it available. I have used previous editions on several occasions and always have had positive student response to the text."
-- Joel See, University of New England
When it comes to Sociology, "seeing" is indeed believing. In Sociological Snapshots 4: Seeing Social Structure and Change in Everyday Life, Jack Levin bridges the gap between sociological theorizing and everyday experiences by developing students ability to "see" sociology via "snapshots" of culture and social structure. Unlike other basic readers, this book contains a set of informal essays with topics ranging from elevator culture to domestic terrorism, from fads to the Washington, D.C., snipers.
Every snapshot contains a mix of both social science and journalism; the essays present anecdotal confirmation -- illustrations and examples rather than hard, statistical fact. Some essays are speculative pieces about changes in society or about the future while others seek to throw a new perspective on aspects of society that may have seemed obvious before. The tone and readability of the essays ease students into the world of sociological analysis by relating abstract sociological concepts to the concrete problems confronting ordinary individuals in our society.
Features of this text:
Contemporary. Short, informal essays covering topics such as hate crimes, Americans hygiene habits, and job stress get students on the road to thinking sociologically.
Student-friendly. Introductions preceding each section link these informal essays to the central ideas in sociology.
Balanced. An annotated reading list concludes each section, tying the informal essays to the more formal research literature of the discipline.
Thought-provoking. Writing, observation, and data-collecting exercises at the end of each section encourage students to use and develop their sociological eye still further.
New to the Fourth Edition:
Seven new Snapshots have been added on current topics: gender inequality, the Washington ,D.C., snipers, profiling terrorists, immigrant bashing, the stigma of aging, the impact of coalitions on white supremacists, and domestic terrorism.
The new essays have a comparative perspective, emphasizing differences and similarities in societies around the world.
All Snapshots have been modified or updated to reflect current topics and the latest research.
Sociological Snapshots 4 is designed to help students understand and appreciate the sociological perspective. In a simple and entertaining style, this book continues to link everyday experiences to foundational concepts and concerns and analyze data about social reality. This book is recommended as a supplementary text in the introductory sociology and social problems courses, as well as other courses across the Sociology curriculum..« less