Sociology Readings Guide

Author of 'The Sociological Imagination'

C. Wright Mills

Main Argument of C. Wright Mills' 'The Sociological Imagination'

Sociology connects private troubles to public issues by linking biography and history within society.

Primary Method in C. Wright Mills' 'The Sociological Imagination'

Theoretical / Conceptual Analysis (Philosophical synthesis and social critique).

Lecture Connections for C. Wright Mills' 'The Sociological Imagination'

Sociological Imagination, Personal Troubles vs. Public Issues, Structure vs. Agency, Biography and History.

Authors of 'Constructing Social Research'

Ragin and Amoroso

Main Argument of Ragin & Amoroso's 'Constructing Social Research'

Social research systematically connects theory (ideas) and data (evidence) to study social life.

Primary Method in Ragin & Amoroso's 'Constructing Social Research'

Methodological / Epistemological Framework (Comparative analysis of research designs).

Lecture Connections for Ragin & Amoroso's 'Constructing Social Research'

Epistemology, Induction vs. Deduction, Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research, Social Construction of Knowledge.

Author of 'Medicine & Culture'

Lynn Payer

Main Argument of Lynn Payer's 'Medicine & Culture'

Medical science reflects cultural biases and national values rather than pure objectivity.

Primary Method in Lynn Payer's 'Medicine & Culture'

Comparative Qualitative Analysis / Historical Ethnography of Medical Practices.

Lecture Connections for Lynn Payer's 'Medicine & Culture'

Sociology of Knowledge/Medicine, Cultural Relativism, Social Construction of Science/Disease.

Author of 'The Egg and the Sperm'

Emily Martin

Main Argument of Emily Martin's 'The Egg and the Sperm'

Scientific textbooks use stereotypical gendered narratives to describe active sperm and passive eggs.

Primary Method in Emily Martin's 'The Egg and the Sperm'

Discourse Analysis / Textual Analysis of medical and biology textbooks.

Lecture Connections for Emily Martin's 'The Egg and the Sperm'

Gender Socialization, Cultural Hegemony, Sociology of Science, Gender Stereotypes, Structural Sexism.

Author of 'American Hookup'

Lisa Wade

Main Argument of Lisa Wade's 'American Hookup'

Campus hookup culture mandates emotional detachment and casual sex, creating pressure and dissatisfaction.

Primary Method in Lisa Wade's 'American Hookup'

Qualitative Mixed Methods (Interviews, student journals, and campus fieldwork).

Lecture Connections for Lisa Wade's 'American Hookup'

Cultural Norms, Peer Socialization, Youth Subcultures, Sexual Scripts, Heteronormativity.

Author of 'Becoming a Marihuana User'

Howard Becker

Main Argument of Howard Becker's 'Becoming a Marihuana User'

Deviance is socially learned through sequential steps: technique, perceiving effects, and enjoying sensations.

Primary Method in Howard Becker's 'Becoming a Marihuana User'

Qualitative Fieldwork & In-Depth Interviews (50 interviews with recreational users).

Lecture Connections for Howard Becker's 'Becoming a Marihuana User'

Symbolic Interactionism, Socialization, Deviance Theory, Labeling Theory, Social Learning.

Author of 'Picking Up'

Robin Nagle

Main Argument of Robin Nagle's 'Picking Up'

Sanitation workers are essential urban infrastructure, yet are socially stigmatized and rendered invisible.

Primary Method in Robin Nagle's 'Picking Up'

Ethnography / Participant Observation (training as a licensed NYC sanitation worker).

Lecture Connections for Robin Nagle's 'Picking Up'

Sociology of Work, Dirty Work / Stigma, Occupational Prestige, Urban Infrastructure, Invisibility of Labor.

Author of 'Uneasy Street'

Rachel Sherman

Main Argument of Rachel Sherman's 'Uneasy Street'

Wealthy New Yorkers experience class anxiety and adopt 'moral identities' to justify their privilege.

Primary Method in Rachel Sherman's 'Uneasy Street'

Qualitative In-Depth Interviews (50 wealthy or high-income parents in NYC).

Lecture Connections for Rachel Sherman's 'Uneasy Street'

Class Consciousness, Meritocracy, Cultural Reproduction, Class Stigma, Symbolic Boundaries.

Author of 'Friends with Academic Benefits'

Janice McCabe

Main Argument of Janice McCabe's 'Friends with Academic Benefits'

Peer network types (Tightknitters, Compartmentalizers, Samplers) directly impact academic success.

Primary Method in Janice McCabe's 'Friends with Academic Benefits'

Social Network Analysis combined with Qualitative In-Depth Interviews.

Lecture Connections for Janice McCabe's 'Friends with Academic Benefits'

Social Capital, Social Network Analysis, Peer Effects, Educational Inequality.

Author of 'Punished'

Victor M. Rios

Main Argument of Victor M. Rios's 'Punished'

The state constructs a 'youth control complex' where institutions criminalize Black and Latino boys.

Primary Method in Victor M. Rios's 'Punished'

Urban Ethnography & In-Depth Interviews (3 years of fieldwork with 40 young men).

Lecture Connections for Victor M. Rios's 'Punished'

Youth Control Complex, Criminalization, Carceral State, Racialized Social Control, Institutional Interlocking.

Author of 'Pedigree'

Lauren Rivera

Main Argument of Lauren Rivera's 'Pedigree' (Intro)

Elite corporate hiring drives social class reproduction using school prestige and cultural signals.

Primary Method in Lauren Rivera's 'Pedigree' (Intro)

Qualitative Case Study / Structural Analysis of elite corporate hiring.

Lecture Connections for Lauren Rivera's 'Pedigree' (Intro)

Social Reproduction, Cultural Capital, Meritocracy (Critique of), Class Privilege.

Main Argument of Lauren Rivera's 'Pedigree' (Playing Field & Paper)

Elite firms restrict recruiting to top schools and use credentials/extracurriculars as ability proxies.

Primary Method in Lauren Rivera's 'Pedigree' (Playing Field & Paper)

Empirical Qualitative Methods (Interviewing evaluators and analyzing resume ratings).

Lecture Connections for Lauren Rivera's 'Pedigree' (Playing Field & Paper)

Cultural Capital, Gatekeeping, Institutional Discrimination, Screening/Signaling Theory.

Main Argument of Lauren Rivera's 'Pedigree' (Interview Chapters)

Interviews rely on 'cultural matching' and homophily, allowing upper-class evaluators to hire peers.

Primary Method in Lauren Rivera's 'Pedigree' (Interview Chapters)

Qualitative Interviews and Direct Ethnographic Observation of hiring committee meetings.

Lecture Connections for Lauren Rivera's 'Pedigree' (Interview Chapters)

Cultural Matching, Homophily, Evaluative Judgment, Social Reproduction, Subjective Merit.