Thinking Sociologically

By Sheldon Goldenberg

Sociology addresses the basic question of why people behave the way they do, but it does so utilizing perspectives distinctly different from those employed by other social or natural sciences. Thinking Sociologically, 2/e introduces elements of basic sociological perspectives, both past and present. Rather than focusing on what sociologists currently think about various topics, it features many examples of how sociologists think. It guides readers in developing and using a sociological imagination, so that they can apply critical thinking, appropriate theory, and a knowledge of methodology in finding answers to their own questions about human behavior.
To help students bridge the gap between theory and research, this introductory text: - provides a modern interpretation of the nature of science, and gives students the methodological tools with which to evaluate competing scientific claims;
- introduces the network approach as a theoretical alternative to social-disorganization theory;
- explains what constitutes a sociological problem and describes how to transform a hypothesis into a research project that is feasible, interesting, and useful;
- features exercises in critical yet open-minded assessment of claims to knowledge;
- invites the reader to join in some intriguing contemporary debates in the field of sociology
- includes stimulating illustrative readings that reinforce students analytical and logical thinking skills while sharpening their sociological imaginations.
Thinking Sociologically, 2/e invites students to become active participants in sociology as an applied field: asking questions and seeking explanations for the behavior of real people in real situations in the real world.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 019541201X
• ISBN13: 9780195412017
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 334 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 9.0" x 7.0"