Social Theory in the Real World

Social Theory in the Real World PDF Author: Steven Miles
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 0857022156
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 193

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Book Description
Social Theory in the Real World is concerned with illustrating the practical benefits of social theory. Many students find it hard to relate the real insights provided by social theory to their real life experiences, and many lecturers struggle to demonstrate the relevance of social theory to everyday life. This book offers an accessible, non-patronizing solution to the problem, demonstrating that social theory need not be remote and obscure, but if used in imaginative ways, it can be indispensable in challenging our common sense perceptions and understandings. The book identifies the key themes of contemporary social theory: mass society, postindustrialism, consumerism, postmodernism, McDonaldization, risk and globalization, and uses the insights of both classical and contemporary theorists of social change to highlight the potential of imaginative theorizing.

Social Theory in the Real World

Social Theory in the Real World PDF Author: Steven Miles
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 0857022156
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 193

Get Book Here

Book Description
Social Theory in the Real World is concerned with illustrating the practical benefits of social theory. Many students find it hard to relate the real insights provided by social theory to their real life experiences, and many lecturers struggle to demonstrate the relevance of social theory to everyday life. This book offers an accessible, non-patronizing solution to the problem, demonstrating that social theory need not be remote and obscure, but if used in imaginative ways, it can be indispensable in challenging our common sense perceptions and understandings. The book identifies the key themes of contemporary social theory: mass society, postindustrialism, consumerism, postmodernism, McDonaldization, risk and globalization, and uses the insights of both classical and contemporary theorists of social change to highlight the potential of imaginative theorizing.

The Dynamics of Social Practice

The Dynamics of Social Practice PDF Author: Elizabeth Shove
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 1446290034
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 210

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Book Description
Everyday life is defined and characterised by the rise, transformation and fall of social practices. Using terminology that is both accessible and sophisticated, this essential book guides the reader through a multi-level analysis of this dynamic. In working through core propositions about social practices and how they change the book is clear and accessible; real world examples, including the history of car driving, the emergence of frozen food, and the fate of hula hooping, bring abstract concepts to life and firmly ground them in empirical case-studies and new research. Demonstrating the relevance of social theory for public policy problems, the authors show that the everyday is the basis of social transformation addressing questions such as: how do practices emerge, exist and die? what are the elements from which practices are made? how do practices recruit practitioners? how are elements, practices and the links between them generated, renewed and reproduced? Precise, relevant and persuasive this book will inspire students and researchers from across the social sciences. Elizabeth Shove is Professor of Sociology at Lancaster University. Mika Pantzar is Research Professor at the National Consumer Research Centre, Helsinki. Matt Watson is Lecturer in Social and Cultural Geography at University of Sheffield.

Social Contract Theory for a Diverse World

Social Contract Theory for a Diverse World PDF Author: Ryan Muldoon
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1134793545
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 143

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Book Description
Very diverse societies pose real problems for Rawlsian models of public reason. This is for two reasons: first, public reason is unable accommodate diverse perspectives in determining a regulative ideal. Second, regulative ideals are unable to respond to social change. While models based on public reason focus on the justification of principles, this book suggests that we need to orient our normative theories more toward discovery and experimentation. The book develops a unique approach to social contract theory that focuses on diverse perspectives. It offers a new moral stance that author Ryan Muldoon calls, "The View From Everywhere," which allows for substantive, fundamental moral disagreement. This stance is used to develop a bargaining model in which agents can cooperate despite seeing different perspectives. Rather than arguing for an ideal contract or particular principles of justice, Muldoon outlines a procedure for iterated revisions to the rules of a social contract. It expands Mill's conception of experiments in living to help form a foundational principle for social contract theory. By embracing this kind of experimentation, we move away from a conception of justice as an end state, and toward a conception of justice as a trajectory. Listen to Robert Talisse interview Ryan Muldoon about Social Contract Theory for a Diverse World on the podcast, New Books in Philosophy: http://tinyurl.com/j9oq324 Also, read Ryan Muldoon’s related Niskanen Center article, "Diversity and Disagreement are the Solution, Not the Problem," published Jan. 10, 2017: https://niskanencenter.org/blog/diversity-disagreement-solution-not-problem/

The Real World

The Real World PDF Author: Kerry Ferris
Publisher: W. W. Norton
ISBN: 9780393639308
Category : Popular culture
Languages : en
Pages : 505

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Book Description
"In every chapter, Ferris and Stein use examples from everyday life and pop culture to draw students into thinking sociologically and to show the relevance of sociology to their relationships, jobs, and future goals. Data Workshops in every chapter give students a chance to apply theoretical concepts to their personal lives and actually do sociology.

Sociological Theory

Sociological Theory PDF Author: George Ritzer
Publisher: SAGE Publications, Incorporated
ISBN: 1544354800
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 833

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Book Description
The authors are proud sponsors of the SAGE Keith Roberts Teaching Innovations Award—enabling graduate students and early career faculty to attend the annual ASA pre-conference teaching and learning workshop. Sociological Theory gives readers a comprehensive overview of the major theorists and schools of sociological thought, from sociology′s 19th century origins through the early 21st century. Written by an author team that includes one of the leading contemporary thinkers, the text integrates key theories with biographical sketches of theorists, placing them in historical and intellectual context. The Eleventh Edition includes examples of premodern sociological theory from Islamic scholar Ibn Khaldun, Harriet Martineau’s feminist writings contextualized within the history of sociological thought, discussions of actor-network theory through Donna Haraway’s work on cyborgs and companion species, illustrations of historical comparative sociology with Saskia Sassen’s concepts of the global city and expulsions, and more ways to help students to understand sociology’s major theories. Included with this title: The password-protected Instructor Resource Site (formally known as SAGE Edge) offers access to all text-specific resources, including a test bank and editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides.

Theory for the Working Sociologist

Theory for the Working Sociologist PDF Author: Fabio Rojas
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231543697
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 254

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Book Description
Theory for the Working Sociologist makes social theory easy to understand by revealing sociology's hidden playbook. Fabio Rojas argues that sociologists use four different theoretical "moves" when they try to explain the social world: how groups defend their status, how people strategically pursue their goals, how values and institutions support each other, and how people create their social reality. Rojas uses famous sociological studies to illustrate these four types of theory and show how students and researchers may apply them to their interests. The guiding light of the book is the concept of the "social mechanism," which clearly and succinctly links causes and effects in social life. Drawing on dozens of empirical studies that define modern sociology and focusing on the nuts and bolts of social explanation, Rojas reveals how areas of study within the field of sociology that at first glance seem dissimilar are, in fact, linked by shared theoretical underpinnings. In doing so, he elucidates classical and contemporary theory, and connects both to essential sociological findings made throughout the history of the field. Aimed at undergraduate students, graduate students, journalists, and interested general readers who want a more formal way to understand social life, Theory for the Working Sociologist presents the underlying themes of sociological thought using contemporary research and plain language.

Illuminating Social Life

Illuminating Social Life PDF Author: Peter Kivisto
Publisher: Pine Forge Press
ISBN: 1412978157
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 457

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Book Description
Illuminating Social Life has enjoyed increasing popularity with each edition. It is the only book designed for undergraduate teaching that shows today's students how classical and contemporary social theories can be used to shed new light on such topics as the internet, the world of work, fast food restaurants, shopping malls, alcohol use, body building, sales and service, and new religious movements.A perfect complement for the sociological theory course, it offers 13 original essays by leading scholars in the field who are also experienced undergraduate theory teachers. Substantial introductions by the editor link the applied essays to a complete review of the classical and modern social theories used in the book.

Nationalism and Social Theory

Nationalism and Social Theory PDF Author: Gerard Delanty
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 1412931835
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 226

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Book Description
Why has nationalism proved so durable? What are the roots of its appeal? This sharp and accessible book slices through the myths surrounding nationalism and provides an important new perspective on this perennial subject. The book argues that: nationalism is persistent, not merely because of its specific ideological appeal, but because it expresses some of the major conflicts in modernity; nationalism reflects and reinforces four key trends in western social development: state formation, democratization, capitalism and the rationalization of culture; the forms of nationalism can be organized into a comprehensive typology which is outlined in the course of this study; post-nationalism and cosmopolitanism are significant innovations in the debate about nation-states and nationalism; and that the new radical nationalisms have become powerful new movements in the global age.

Research Foundations

Research Foundations PDF Author: Douglas Woodwell
Publisher: SAGE Publications
ISBN: 1483334058
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 224

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Book Description
Designing research can be daunting and disorienting for novices. After experiencing this first-hand, the author has written a book that shows how to mentally frame research in a way that is understandable and approachable while also discussing some of the more specific issues that will aid the reader in understanding the options available when pursuing their research. Stressing the link between research and theory-building, this concise book shows students how new knowledge is discovered through the process of research. The author presents a model that ties together research processes across the various traditions and shows how different types of research interrelate. The book is sophisticated in its presentation, but uses plain language to provide an explanation of higher-level concepts in an engaging manner. Throughout the book, the author treats research methodologies as a blueprint for answering a wide range of interesting questions, rather than simply a set of tools to be applied. The book is an excellent guide for students who will be consumers of research and who need to understand how theory and research interrelate. "The author did an excellent job on this text. This text is the missing link in explaining research methodologies. His comparison/contrasts are excellent. Moreover, the author provides interesting alternatives and discusses how each alternative might improve the validity of research." —James Anthos, South University, Columbia "...With only six chapters, the text can be covered in a short time allowing for students to spend the majority of their time investigating social issues and developing research. Students who read and understand this book will have the knowledge and resources to cover material they are unfamiliar with." —R. David Frantzreb II, University of North Carolina - Charlotte "I am looking for something just like this that is not overbearing for the student but will complement the supplementary material and resources that I am using with my students. I think the coverage is broad enough that I could use it with all of my groups." —Karen Larwin, Youngstown State University "...I think the author’s emphasis on demonstrating the relationship between theory and research is terribly important and understated in so many other texts. I also think that in the hands of competent professors, it can be supplemented with other sources to help students learn while not being encumbered financially with an expensive tome for which they may only use a fraction of it." —John R. Mitrano, Central Connecticut State University

Social Theory after the Internet

Social Theory after the Internet PDF Author: Ralph Schroeder
Publisher: UCL Press
ISBN: 178735122X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 210

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Book Description
The internet has fundamentally transformed society in the past 25 years, yet existing theories of mass or interpersonal communication do not work well in understanding a digital world. Nor has this understanding been helped by disciplinary specialization and a continual focus on the latest innovations. Ralph Schroeder takes a longer-term view, synthesizing perspectives and findings from various social science disciplines in four countries: the United States, Sweden, India and China. His comparison highlights, among other observations, that smartphones are in many respects more important than PC-based internet uses. Social Theory after the Internet focuses on everyday uses and effects of the internet, including information seeking and big data, and explains how the internet has gone beyond traditional media in, for example, enabling Donald Trump and Narendra Modi to come to power. Schroeder puts forward a sophisticated theory of the role of the internet, and how both technological and social forces shape its significance. He provides a sweeping and penetrating study, theoretically ambitious and at the same time always empirically grounded.The book will be of great interest to students and scholars of digital media and society, the internet and politics, and the social implications of big data.