Critical Sociology

Description

Critical Sociology is a thoroughly revised, updated, and sophisticated introduction to the sociological perspective as a critical lens on society. Much has happened since the first edition: the Great Recession, the Obama presidency, the burgeoning role of social media, and recent global social movements such the Tea Party, Occupy Wall Street, and the Arab Spring. In this second edition, Buechler discusses the changing relationship between social movements and democracy. The book contains chapters on how to think sociologically; an overview of scientific, humanistic, and critical schools of sociology; and a detailed exposition of the critical tradition. Cover Half Title Title Copyright Contents Preface PART ONE: SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES 1. How to Think Sociologically Sociology and Modernity Thinking Sociologically Sociology's Double Critique 2. The Legacy of the Discipline Scientific Sociology Humanistic Sociology Critical Sociology Conclusion 3. Toward a Critical Sociology The Frankfurt School Revisited Habermas's Contributions Conclusion PART TWO: POWER AND DOMINATION 4. A Late Capitalist World Marx's Analysis of Capitalism From Liberal to Advanced Capitalism Crisis Tendencies in Advanced Capitalism Capitalism Unbound 5. The State of the State Dimensions of the State The Power Structure Debate States in Decline? 6. A Mass-Mediated World Culture 101 Culture Meets Critical Sociology The Political Economy of Mass Media News, Propaganda, and Journalism An All-Consuming Culture The Social-Media Complex A Note on Domination and Resistance PART THREE: INEQUALITY AND DIFFERENCE 7. The Crucible of Class Marx's Model of Class Formation Class or Stratification? Contemporary Class Analysis Enriching the Story Further Complications 8. The Social Construction of Race What Is Race? Race vs. Ethnicity Forms of Discrimination Racial Formation The Construction of Whiteness 9. Gendered Selves and Worlds A Little History The Sex/Gender System Boyz II Guys Feminist Frameworks New Permutations PART FOUR: SELF AND SOCIETY 10. The Emergence of the Individual From "We" to "I" Too Much of a Good Thing? A Note on Adolescence Individualism and Its Discontents Habits of the Heart 11. How We Become Who We Are Cooley's Contributions Mead's Synthesis Symbolic Interactionism Identity Theory People as Reflexive Actors Conclusion 12. The Sociology of Everyday Life Phenomenological Sociology The Social Construction of Reality The Ethnomethodological Turn Social Life as Drama The Self as Project, Commodity, and Story PART FIVE: PATTERNS OF CHANGE 13. The Challenge of Globalization The Rise and Fall of Modernization Theory The Global World System Globalization: What's New? Recent World System Dynamics Globalization: An Assessment 14. The Role of Social Movements Sociology and Social Movements: Siblings of Modernity Understanding Social Movements Social Movements and Progressive Politics Tea Partiers and Occupiers The Global Scene Theorizing Global Activism 15. The Case for Democracy The Limits on Democracy Toward a Richer Democracy Movements (and Elections) = Democracy Social Movements as Incubators of Democratic Politics Sociology and Democracy References Index About the Author