This is Sociology: A Short Introduction

About the Book

This is Sociology is an engaging, concise introduction to the key concepts used for studying social life. It covers a diverse range of theorists from the rich history of sociology and shows how thinking sociologically can help us understand our lives, the groups we are part of, and the rapid social changes and inequalities that shape contemporary societies.

Key features:

• Uses compelling international examples and a range of theoretical perspectives from across the world, including theorists that have often been omitted from the established sociological canon.
• Covers topics such as globalization, culture, gender, race, and class.
• Introduces the latest approaches emerging from efforts to build an inclusive global sociology, one that moves beyond a Eurocentric perspective and is equipped for the challenges of the 21st Century.

The book is essential reading for anyone new to studying sociology and is supported by a wide range of podcasts, videos, and discussion questions.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: What is Sociology? Chapter 2: The Foundations of Sociology Chapter 3: Critiquing the Sociological Canon: Building a More Inclusive Sociology Chapter 4: Globalization Chapter 5: Social Selves Chapter 6: Culture and Media Chapter 7: Class Chapter 8: Sex, Gender and Sexuality Chapter 9: Race and Ethnicity Chapter 10: Changing the world

About the Author :
Dan Woodman is T.R. Ashworth Professor in Sociology at University of Melbourne. He researches youth, young adulthood and generational change using longitudinal method. Dan is co-Editor in Chief of Journal of Youth Studies and the President of the Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences in Australia. He has been teaching first year sociology students at the University of Melbourne for a more than a decade.  Steven Threadgold is Associate Professor of Sociology at University of Newcastle. His research focuses on youth and class, with particular interests in unequal and alternate work and career trajectories; underground and independent creative scenes; and cultural formations of taste. Steve is the co-director of the Newcastle Youth Studies Network, an Associate Editor of Journal of Youth Studies, and on the Editorial Boards of The Sociological Review and Journal of Applied Youth Studies. His latest book is Bourdieu and Affect: Towards a Theory of Affective Affinities (Bristol University Press).  Youth, Class and Everyday Struggles (Routledge) won the 2020 Raewyn Connell Prize for best first book in Australian sociology. Steve’s current research projects are on online cultural taste communities called ‘Dank Distinction and Homologies of Snark’; the ARC funded ‘Young Hospitality Workers and Value Creation in the Service Economy’ investigating the immaterial forms of labour young people perform to create value in the night-time economy; and the FEDUA funded research program ‘Regional youth in precarious times: Work, wellbeing and debt’. Contact at steven.threadgold@newcastle.edu.au

Review :

A scintillating introduction to what sociology is, what it can be and how it can mould our imagination not only to change our lives but to shape those of others.

This is Sociology  is a compact yet very wide-ranging introduction.  Woodman and Threadgold deal expertly with traditional topics like class, culture and generation; and introduce new themes, from necropolitics and queer theory to climate change, with contemporary thinkers from the post-colonial world. Clearly arranged, clearly written, this is a very useful guide for students and teachers. 

This is a superb volume of key concepts that enables students and sociologists worldwide to understand and navigate our changing social world.  In addition to a simplified text for students, one can find key references for each topic come from the Global North but also from Global South, as well a very useful glossary.