Ten Questions: A Sociological Perspective, 8th Edition

Joel M. Charon

Copyright 2013
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Ten Questions: A Sociological Perspective 8th Edition by Joel M. Charon

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Overview
Meet the Author
What's New
Features
Table of Contents
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Overview

A perfect alternative to the traditional introductory sociology text, TEN QUESTIONS: A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE, Eighth Edition, employs a unique approach to introducing and examining sociological principles. The text poses and answers questions that pique student interest, such as: What does it mean to be human? Are human beings free? Why is there misery in the world? The book examines the philosophies of classical sociologists such as Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Mead, and Berger, and looks at how the field of sociology has approached these questions over the past 150 years. Thoroughly updated, the Eighth Edition includes such new real-world examples as the political revolution in Egypt and the Tea Party movement as illustrations of social conflict; and intriguing new discussions of how individuals can affect society, inequality and social stratification, and many other topics.

Meet the Authors

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Joel M. Charon

Joel Charon (Ph.D., University of Minnesota) is a successful author and emeritus professor of Sociology at Minnesota State University at Moorhead. He has published numerous textbooks and readers, and is a member of the ASA and the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction.

What's New

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A thoughtful new discussion provides an encouraging perspective on how individuals can affect others and society, in both positive and negative ways.
All glossary terms throughout the narrative now appear in bold type, making them easier to spot and facilitating students' review and retention of important concepts.
An expanded glossary provides students with an extensive and convenient reference.
Chapter 1, "How Do Sociologists Study Society?" includes a new discussion of C. Wright Mills and his impact on sociology, and new research data on the relationship between medication errors and hiring trends in U.S. hospitals.
Chapter 2, "What Does it Mean to Be Human?" now incorporates a new key theme: symbols, self, and mind. The chapter also includes new discussions of the use of symbols on the Internet and in social networking websites, interaction with society and social organizations, social actors, and the balance of conformity and non-conformity.

Features

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A beautifully crafted chapter on globalization, "Is the World Becoming One Society?" evaluates the benefits and drawbacks of globalization while also touching on capitalism, world economy, technology, nations, societies, inequality, and democracy.
Chapter 1 engages students in the study of sociology with the author's personal story of how his views on gender have changed over the years. The author's experiences are also woven throughout the narrative to introduce topics and illustrate how sociology's questions often have no simple answers.
The book introduces sociological concepts in a reader-friendly style and through an easy-to-understand question-and-answer approach.
Accessible and engaging discussions of important philosophical questions are explored through sociological inquiry, and encourage discourse in the classroom.
Thought-provoking questions at the end of each chapter encourage students to revisit and contemplate chapter topics.
Student study tools include a glossary, which assists students in preparing for tests, quizzes, or research projects; and extensive end-of-chapter references, which provide potential sources for research.

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1. How Do Sociologists Study Society? Researching the Social World.
2. What Does It Mean To Be Human? Human Nature, Society, and Culture.
3. How Is Society Possible? The Basis for Social Order.
4. Why Are People Unequal In Society? The Origin and Perpetuation of Social Inequality.
5. Are Human Beings Free? The Power of Society over Human Thinking and Action.
6. What Can't Everyone Be Just Like Us? Value Judgments, Ethnocentrism, and Human Differences.
7. Why Is There Misery In The World? Society as an Important Source of Human Problems.
8. Does The Individual Really Make A Difference? An Introduction to Social Change.
9. Is Organized Religion Necessary For Society? Tradition, Modernization, and Secularization.
10. Is the World Becoming One Society? Globalization and the Creation of a World Society.
11. Why Study Sociology?
Afterword: Should We Generalize About People?