Down to Earth Sociology by James M. Henslin continues to open new windows onto the complex social realities that shape our world as it provides a firm foundation for exploring the discipline of sociology and the dynamic principles underlying society
itself.
| Publisher | Free Press |
|---|---|
| ISBN | 0684829266 |
| Year | 1997 |
| Pages | 580 |
It is with pleasure that I introduce the ninth edition of Down to Earth Sociology, a pleasure akin to seeing a dear friend reach another cheerful milestone in his or her life. Adopters of earlier editions will find themselves at home, I believe, in this latest edition. They will see many selections they have already successfully used in the classroom, and I trust they will welcome the many newcomers.
Following the suggestions of those who have used earlier editions of Down to Earth Sociology, I have strived to continue to present down-to-earth articles in order to make the student’s introduction to sociology enjoyable as well as meaningful. These selections reflect the experiences of people who have “been there” and who, with a minimum of jargon and quantification, insightfully share those experiences with the reader.
Focusing on social interaction in everyday activities and situations, these selections share some of the fascination of sociology. They reflect both the individualistic and the structural emphases of our discipline. Social structure is not simply an abstract fact of life; rather, it vitally affects our lives. The decisions of the rich, the politically powerful, and the bureaucrats provide social constraints that augment those dictated by birth, social class, and other circumstances. By social structure our vision of life is lifted or limited, our chances of success closed or opened. Social structure brings tears and laughter, hopes and despair.
Yet so much of sociology goes about its business as though data were unconnected to people, as though the world consisted of abstract social facts. From my own experiences, I know that these suppositions are far from the truth—divorced from real life—and so I have sought authors who are able to share the realities that people directly experience. At least as I see it, sociology is the most fascinating of the social sciences, and it is this fascination that these selections are designed to convey.
It is my hope that I have succeeded in accomplishing this goal, because I believe sociology is able to open new windows of perception that can touch every aspect of the individual’s world. If these readings even come close to this goal, I owe a great debt to the many adopters of earlier editions, whose reactions and suggestions have helped give shape to this one.
I wish to acknowledge the help provided by the following sociologists: Peter Adler, Richard Ambler, Paula Barfield, Frederic J. Bednarek, Philip Berg, Ralph Bishop, Norman E. Budow, John Carchedi, Theresa Chandler, Paul L. Crook, Rene M. Descartes, Diane D. Everett, Larry A. Fask, Irene Fiala, Susan Frantz, R. Scott Frey, Bryan T. Froehle, Charles P. Gallmeier, Frank Glamser, Susan F. Greenwood, Alem Habtu, Bram A. Hamovitch, Wendel J. Hunigan, Jennifer Karas, Paul L. Leslie, Diane Levy, Tina Martinez, Tom McIntyre, Kristy McNamara, Elizabeth Mitchell, Jim Pass, Dan Peterson, Livia Pohlman, Pam Rosenberg, Nancy E. Sacks, Allen Scarboro, John K. Schorr, Ronald L. Schultz, Eldon Snyder, Thomas Soltis, Edward A. Thibault, Jeffrey S. Victor, Clovis L. White, Tony Williams, and Fred Zampa. Suggestions from these instructors, who shared with me their experiences with the eighth edition, proved invaluable in shaping this present version. It is to them, as well as to other colleagues who shared their counsel, that I owe a debt of gratitude. I also wish to thank my students for their candid comments, which also proved helpful.
One of the more interesting tasks in preparing this edition was to gather information on the contributors’ backgrounds. In addition to biographical data concerning the authors’ education, teaching, and publishing, this section also contains their statements telling us why they like sociology or became sociologists. Assigning that section with the articles helps to personalize the readings and increase the student’s awareness of biographical factors that go into the choice to become a sociologist.
The selections continue to be organized to make them compatible with most introductory textbooks. Through subjects inherently interesting, we cover the major substantive areas of sociology:
These selections bring the reader face-to-face with the dual emphases of contemporary sociological research: the focus on the individual’s experiences, and the analysis of social structure. Uncovering the basic expectations that underlie routine social interactions, these articles emphasize the ways in which social institutions are interrelated. It is to their authors’ credit that we lose sight of neither the people who are interacting nor the structural base that so directly influences the form and content of their interactions.
As Peter L. Berger says in the opening selection, the discovery of sociology can change your life. It can help you to understand better the social forces you confront, the forces that constrain and free. This understanding has a liberating potential: By examining these forces you can stand somewhat apart from at least some aspects of society, and thereby exert more creative control over your own life.
But just what is sociology? In my teaching I have found that, initially, introductory students sometimes find this a vexing question. To provide a better grasp of what sociology is, then, in the second selection I compare sociology with the other social sciences, showing how sociology casts an intellectual net that provides an unparalleled approach to understanding social life.
In the third article, C. Wright Mills focuses on the liberating potential offered by sociology. As he points out, this capacity centers on understanding three main issues:
- The structure of society—that is, how the essential components of society are interrelated;
- Where one's society stands in human history and what changes are occurring in it; and
- What types of people prevail in one's society, how they are selected for prevalence, and what types are coming to prevail.
Thinking of life in these terms, says Mills, is a quality of mind worth striving for. It is this "sociological imagination," to use his term for sociological perspective, that allows us to see beyond our immediate confines, to seek out and understand the broader social and historical forces at work in our lives. One of the rewarding consequences of this perspective, he says, is that it enables us to see ourselves in a different light.
It is the goal of this first Part, then, to let you dip your feet in the sociological waters to challenge you to venture into sociology and, while venturing, to stimulate your sociological imagination.
James M. Henslin is a professor emeritus of sociology at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. Known for his accessible, student-centered approach, he authored widely acclaimed textbooks like Down to Earth Sociology and Essentials of Sociology, introducing generations of students to core sociological principles and research.
| Title | Down to Earth Sociology |
|---|---|
| Subtitle | Introductory Readings |
| Author | James M. Henslin |
| Publisher | Free Press |
| Year | 1997 |
| Pages | 580 |
| Country | New York |
| ISBN | 0684829266 |
| Format | |
| Filesize | 42.2 MB |
| URL | James M. Henslin Down to Earth Sociology PDF |
