Down to Earth Sociology: Introductory Readings . - 11th edition - book review

Adolescence, Summer, 2002

HENSLIN, James M. (Ed.). Down to Earth Sociology: Introductory Readings (11th edition). New York: The Free Press, 2001. 572pp. $19.95 (p).

For more than twenty years, and through ten editions, James Henslin's Down to Earth Sociology has opened new windows onto the social realities that shape our world. Now in its eleventh edition, this anthology includes new articles on our changing world while also retaining its classic, must-read essays. Focusing on social interaction in everyday life, the forty-five selections bring students face-to-face with the twin projects of contemporary sociology: understanding the individual's experience of society and analyzing social structure. The eleventh edition's new readings include selections on social inequality and class relations in the United States, the development of racial awareness and identity, the subtleties of gender differences, the implicit rules people use to make their decisions, and the structural features of society that make drug dealing a regular part of inner-city life. Together with these new articles, the selections by Peter Berger, Kai Erikson, Herbert Gans, Erving Goffman, Arlie Hochschild, Jonathan Kozol, Zella Luria, C. Wright Mills, George Ritzer, Deborah Tannen, Barrie Thorne, Philip Zimbardo, and many others provide firsthand reporting that gives the student a sense of "being there." Henslin also explains basic methods of social research, providing insight into how sociologists explore the social world. The selections in Down to Earth Sociology highlight the most significant themes of contemporary sociology, ranging from the sociology of gender, power, politics, sports, and religion, to the contemporary crises of racial tension, violent crime, rape, poverty, and homelessness.