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Key Concepts in Sociology
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Key Concepts in Sociology



February 2013 | 224 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
"A glossary of key concepts was just the sort of thing I needed when I was a sociology student. Peter Braham has written a lively, comprehensive guide to the most important concepts in our discipline. It will become an essential student resource."
- David Silverman, Goldsmith's and King's College, University of London

"A triumphant tour de force... will be a useful, even essential tool for students and faculty. It is actually fascinating reading even for non-sociologists since these ideas impact all of us all the time."
- Anthony Synnott, Concordia University in Montreal

"A crisp and comprehensive guide to the discipline. The thirty-eight entries, covering history, substance and evaluation, thereby describe both conventional and new topics that define the syllabus of modern sociology. A valuable guide to both teachers and students."
- Bryan S. Turner, Presidential Professor of Sociology, CUNY USA

Sociology consists of a myriad of frequently confusing concepts. Key Concepts in Sociology provides a comprehensive, lively and clearly-written guide to the most important concepts in the subject. It includes both what might be regarded as 'classic' sociological concepts, such as 'class', 'bureaucracy' and 'community', as well as subjects that have become increasingly prominent in recent times, such as 'celebrity', 'risk' and 'the body'.

Each of the thirty-eight substantive entries:

  • defines the concept
  • provides a clear and compelling narrative
  • clarifies the main debates, perspectives and disagreements
  • gives advice on further reading

Key Concepts in Sociology should be the first choice for sociology students at all levels of learning.

Peter Braham
Introduction
 
Alienation
 
Anomie
 
Bureaucracy
 
Capitalism
 
Celebrity
 
Citizenship
 
Class
 
Community
 
Consumption
 
Culture
 
Development
 
Deviance
 
Discourse
 
Division of Labour
 
Economic Sociology
 
Equality
 
Everyday Life
 
Family
 
Feminism
 
Gender
 
Globalization
 
Identity
 
Ideology
 
Modernity and Postmodernity
 
Orientalism
 
Positivism
 
Public Sociology
 
Qualitative and Quantitative Research
 
Race
 
Rational Choice
 
Risk
 
Social Exclusion
 
Social Justice
 
Social Mobility
 
Social Movements
 
Social Stratification
 
Society
 
The Body

A glossary of key concepts was just the sort of thing I needed when I was a sociology student. Peter Braham has written a lively, comprehensive guide to the most important concepts in our discipline. It will become an essential student resource
David Silverman, Emeritus Professor, Goldsmith's and King's College, University of London


"Key concepts" is a triumphant tour de force. Analysing 38 critical ideas in sociology, and their principal proponents, this will be a useful, even essential tool for students and faculty. It is comprehensive, clearly written and, most important, links each concept to others: everything is connected, and also clarifies the main debates, arguments and disagreements. It is actually fascinating reading even for non-sociologists since these ideas (identity, the body, postmodernity…) impact all of us all the time
Anthony Synnott, Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Concordia University in Montreal


Peter Braham's incomparable assembly of nuanced and historically contextualized definitions, explanations and analyses of essential sociological terms (both classic and recent) represents an invaluable intellectual tool for students (both undergraduate and postgraduate) and faculty across the social sciences. For each concept, Braham constructs a clear and compelling narrative, buttressed by an impressive range of references and sage advice for further reading, that fires the mind for continued learning
Joseph Oliver Boyd-Barrett Professor of Journalism at Bowling Green State University, Ohio


Sociology is an exciting, if frequently confusing, subject, and the very notion of 'society', though familiar as a term in everyday life, is much disputed by sociologists. With entries ranging from 'alienation' to 'the body', Peter Braham's Key Concepts in Sociology offers a crisp and comprehensive guide to the discipline. The thirty-eight entries, covering history, substance and evaluation, thereby describe both conventional and new topics that define the syllabus of modern sociology. A valuable guide to both teachers and students
Bryan S. Turner, Presidential Professor of Sociology, CUNY USA


The book offers a comprehensible guidance for both sociology students and instructors, and for the ones coming from other disciplines wishing to be familiar with concepts and discussions in field of sociology.
"Old" and "new" concepts, connection to other terms and further readings suggestions make this book an essential source for sociology courses.

Dr idil soyseckin
Sociology , Çankırı Karatekin University
October 7, 2016

Will be added to reading list for FdSC Sociology.

Sasha Pleasance
Teacher Training, South Devon College
March 26, 2015

A very good base book from which students can read further. The sections have recommended further reading suggestions which helps to direct the reader to relevant texts.

Mrs Marcia Dewar
Health, Community & Social Care, Bradford College
January 14, 2015

An excellent introduction to the key ideas within Sociology. Very accessible text for newcomers to the discipline as well as a refresher for others with a more long standing interest in such areas. Very good concise synopses with well-chosen further reading, perhaps some of these could link to pivotal websites where appropriate. I trust that this will see the birth of a new sociological dynasty with subsequent expanded and updated editions.

Penny Price
School of Law and Social Science, University of Plymouth
October 21, 2014

Easy to read key text for any students at Access or level 4 studying Sociology. The book is ordered in alphabetical order so makes for easy access to many subjects with their key terms/definitions stated clearly. There are no case studies or activities but there is a further reading section at the end of each chapter.

Miss Rebecca Bolan
Education, Carshalton College
June 18, 2014

An excellent book to introduce students to relevant and important concepts in sociology, containing information they can go on to further explore in more depth.

Miss Andrea Walker
Health and Community Studies , University of Bolton
May 22, 2014

An excellent addition that breaks down key concepts for learners

Mrs Karen Burton
Please select your department, Neath Port Talbot College
May 22, 2014

Trying to get across a range of sociological theories in just one semester was always going to be difficult but this book is well laid out with side indexing on the pages to help you easily find what you are looking for and the text is a great supplement to my basic glossary

Mrs Tracy McAteer
Health & Social Care, City of Oxford College
March 11, 2014

This is an excellent text book for all sociology students. It is very accessible and easily read, while at the same time offers varying critical analytical perspectives within the discipline of sociology.

Carol McGowan
Business and Humanities Department, Dundalk Institute of Technology
October 28, 2013

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