This book is a masterful introduction to, and appreciation of, sociology as a window into our world. The culmination of a distinguished career, and a fascinating exploration into the nature of human social life, the book describes the field of sociology as a way of looking at the world rather than as a simple gathering of facts about it. It notes that sociologists look out at the same human scenes as poets, historians, economists, or any other observers of the vast social landscape spread out before them, but select different aspects of that vast panorama to focus on and attend to. The book co ... More

This book is a masterful introduction to, and appreciation of, sociology as a window into our world. The culmination of a distinguished career, and a fascinating exploration into the nature of human social life, the book describes the field of sociology as a way of looking at the world rather than as a simple gathering of facts about it. It notes that sociologists look out at the same human scenes as poets, historians, economists, or any other observers of the vast social landscape spread out before them, but select different aspects of that vast panorama to focus on and attend to. The book considers how sociology became a field of study, and how it has turned its attention over time to new areas of study such as race and gender and what the book calls “social speciation.” The book provides readers with new ways of The Individual and the Social thinking about human culture and social life.