Steve Bruce

Drawing on studies of social class, crime and deviance, work in bureaucracies, and changes in religious and political organizations, this Very Short Introduction explores the tension between the individual's role in society and society's role in shaping the individual, and demonstrates the value of sociology as a perspective for understanding the modern world.

Sociology: A Very Short Introduction

Brendan M

A stimulating introduction to Sociology, which takes a particular view. Steve Bruce is an advocate of the empirical, social scientific approach. He isn't afraid to condemn political advocates within Sociology and postmodernists. As such, this book may not be entirely suitable for those new to Sociology as it takes a particular slant, but it is all the more interesting for it.

Safiya 

Part of me didn't like this book and it was anything except an introduction. 
And I wonder if that's inherent to the "Sociology" itself since he describes it as something in progress and can be an amateurs job as well : 

"If sociology is to be anything more than interesting (and not always that interesting) speculation, it has to be empirical. That is, its theories and explanations must be based on sound observations of the real world.
Hence my selection of great names has leant towards those who have combined theory with detailed empirical studies. If it is to be empirical, then sociology must model itself on the natural sciences."

What I was looking for is more of a summary on sociology, explaining the history, a few basic references that could help anyone memorize and organize their thoughts about the topic. 
And this was the only thing that was close to my expectations : 


Marx and Weber on class; Weber on rationality; Durkheim on anomie; Gehlen on instincts; Merton on the structural causes of crime; Mead and Cooley on socialization; Michels on oligarchy; Parsons on the family; Becker on labelling; and Goffman on roles and total institutions.

Anyway, wasn't so bad yet not perfect neither...

Sociology: A Very Short Introduction

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