Developing a Sociological Perspective

• Learn what sociology encompasses and how everyday topics like love and romance are shaped by social and historical forces.
• Recognize that sociology involves not only acquiring knowledge but also developing a sociological imagination.
• Learn that we construct society through our actions and are constructed by it.
• Understand that two key components of the sociological imagination are developing a global perspective and understanding social change.

The Development of Sociological Thinking

• Learn how sociology originated and developed.
• Think about the theoretical issues that frame the study of sociology.
• Be able to identify some leading social theorists and their contributions to sociology.
• Learn the different theoretical approaches of modern sociologists.

Is Sociology a Science?

• Understand how sociology is similar to and different from natural sciences.

How Can Sociology Help Us?

• See the practical implications of sociology.

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About W. W. Norton

W. W. Norton & Company has been independent since its founding in 1923, when William Warder Norton and Margaret D. Norton first published lectures delivered at the People's Institute, the adult education division of New York City's Cooper Union. The Nortons soon expanded their program beyond the Institute, publishing books by celebrated academics from America and abroad. By mid-century, the two major pillars of Norton's publishing program—trade books and college texts—were firmly established. In the 1950s, the Norton family transferred control of the company to its employees, and today—with a staff of 400 and a comparable number of trade, college, and professional titles published each year—W. W. Norton & Company stands as the largest and oldest publishing house owned wholly by its employees.