The Promise of Sociology

This is sociology as it should be introduced-gripping and elucidating. -- Neil Guppy, University of British Columbia Rob Beamish has done it again! The first edition of this textbook changed the way I taught introductory sociology. In the second edition, Beamish's respect for higher education and students shines through, making it an innovative and inspiring contribution. -- Francine Tremblay, Concordia University Challenging, unconventional, and able to convey the classical sociological imagination without sacrificing any of its nuances, The Promise of Sociology has been my favorite book to use in the introductory classroom. My students have been fascinated by it, and appreciate most of all the maturity with which the book engages their imaginations. The new edition surely won't disappoint. -- Mickey Vallee, Athabasca University Beamish thoughtfully champions the authentic vision of sociology: freedom to explore, discover, and learn; freedom to disagree, dispute, and reject; freedom to be enabled by the rubrics and toolkit of sociology; freedom to be critical; freedom to be passionate about sociological inquiry; freedom to make the world a more equitable, safer, and better place for humanity. Such is the quest unveiled afresh in the new edition of The Promise of Sociology. -- Henry Allen, Wheaton College

Unlike most introductory texts that take a topical approach to studying sociology, this smart, challenging, and accessibly written text looks at the core principles of the discipline, making links to a contemporary context.

Unlike most introductory texts that take a topical approach to studying sociology, this smart, challenging, and accessibly written text looks at the core principles of the discipline, making links to a contemporary context.

The second edition of this award-winning book has been substantially revised, making more direct connections between Generation Z, Mills’s concept of the sociological imagination, and the challenges students face in higher education today. The section on popular culture contains a new chapter on the history of popular music from early rock ’n’ roll to contemporary pop and R&B. New chapter objectives, end-of-chapter review and reflection questions, key terms, and glossary, as well as an instructor’s manual, make this text much more useful in the classroom.