Terrible Magnificent Sociology Lisa Wade

Using engaging stories and a diverse cast of characters, Lisa Wade memorably delivers what C. Wright Mills described as both the terrible and the magnificent lessons of sociology. With chapters that build upon one another, Terrible Magnificent Sociology represents a new kind of introduction to sociology. Recognizing the many statuses students carry, Wade goes beyond race, class, and gender, considering inequalities of all kinds—and their intersections. She also highlights the remarkable diversity of sociology, not only of its methods and approaches but also of the scholars themselves, emphasizing the contributions of women, immigrants, and people of color. The book ends with an inspiring call to action, urging students to use their sociological imaginations to improve the world in which they live.

When I was a child, I did not live in so-called good school districts. I never took an AP class; if I was “gifted,” nobody in my high school much noticed. I took the SAT but didn’t know I was supposed to study for it. Though I applied to a handful of colleges, I was only admitted to one. And when I arrived for move-in day, it was the first time I’d ever set foot on a college campus. I never could have imagined that someday I would write a book like this.

Sociology has given me so much: a career, peers, even friends. It has given me a platform from which to contribute meaningfully to public debate. But more than anything, it’s given me purpose. Sociology helps us see the social forces that transcend the individual and, with that lens, it empowers us to try to make the world a better place. To teach sociology is to give people the tools they need to remake their societies. And while I’ve had the opportunity to share sociology with many different kinds of people in myriad ways, this book is among the most incredible opportunities I’ve ever been afforded.

First and foremost, I wanted the book to be a good read. I devoted myself to writing crisply and engagingly. I looked for rich examples and clear statistics. I steered into rather than away from emotions, knowing that sociology not only can, but should, inspire curiosity, awe, intrigue, and delight, as well as disappointment, frustration, and even righteous anger. There is no excuse for sociology to be anything but riveting.

LISA WADE, PHD, is an Associate Professor at Tulane University with appointments in Sociology, the Gender and Sexuality Studies Program, and the Newcomb Institute. An accomplished scholar, award-winning teacher, and public sociologist, she has become well known for delivering conversational yet compelling translations of sociological theory and research. She’s the author of American Hookup: The New Culture of Sex on Campus and, with Myra Marx Ferree, Gender: Ideas, Interactions, Institutions.