The new, updated edition of the authoritative and comprehensive survey of modern sociology

The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Sociology, Second Edition is an authoritative survey of the major topics, current and emerging trends, and contemporary issues in the study of human social relationships and institutions. A collection of contributions from globally-recognized scholars and experts explore the theoretical and methodological foundations of sociology, new and established debates, and the most current research in the field. Broad in scope, this book covers a multitude of topics ranging from crime, urbanization, sexuality, and education to new questions surrounding big data, authoritarian capitalism, and the rise of nationalism.

Since the first edition of theCompanion was published, new developments have emerged and new problems have been created such as the omnipresence of social media, political and institutional upheaval, and the global refugee and immigration crises. This revised and updated second edition describes and explains social changes that have occurred in the past several years, both within the field of sociology and society as a whole. Previous material has been updated to reflect current research, while eleven new chapters address topics including feminist theory, debt and social change, and armed conflict and war. This comprehensive volume:

Offers an engaging and accessible guide to the field of sociology, revised and updated for the second editionPresents wide-ranging, comprehensive coverage of the disciplineExplores issues of contemporary relevance such as digital media and consumptionReflects state-of-the-art scholarship and contemporary debatesNew chapters for the second edition cover essential topics including feminist theory, armed conflict, big data, authoritarian capitalism, debt and social change, and the rise of nationalism

The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Sociology, Second Editionis an invaluable resource for academics and graduate students, researchers, scholars, and educators in the discipline of sociology and allied fields such as anthropology, human geography, political science, and psychology.

GEORGE RITZER is Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at the University of Maryland, USA and was named a Distinguished-Scholar Teacher there. He is editor of theBlackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology (2007) and author of several books includingTheMcDonaldizationof Society (9th ed., 2018),TheGlobalization of Nothing (2nd ed., 2007), and coauthor with Paul Dean of Globalization: The Essentials (2nd ed, 2019).

WENDY WIEDENHOFT MURPHY is Professor of Sociology at John Carroll University, USA. She is author ofConsumer Culture and Society (2017) and co-author with George Ritzer ofEssentials of Sociology, (3rd ed., 2018) and focuses primarily on sociological theory, environmental sociology, and the sociology of consumption.

Contributors Bios vii

Introduction xiiiGeorge Ritzer and Wendy Wiedenhoft Murphy

Part I Introduction 1

1 Classical Sociological Theory 3Alan Sica

2 Contemporary Social Theory 21Jeffrey Stepnisky

3 Quantitative Methods 39Russell K. Schutt

4 Qualitative Methods 57Mitchell Duneier

Part II Basic Topics 67

5 Action, Interaction, and Groups 69Kimberly B. Rogers and Lynn Smith?]Lovin

6 Social Network Analysis 87Nick Crossley

7 Culturalizing Sociology 104Laura Grindstaff and Ming?]Cheng M. Lo

8 Deviance: A Sociology of Unconventionalities 124Nachman Ben?]Yehuda

9 Criminology 141Charles F. Wellford

10 Critical Sexualities Studies: Moving On 156Ken Plummer

11 Racial and Ethnic Issues: Critical Race Approaches in the United States 174Brittany C. Slatton and Joe R. Feagin

12 Families 190Medora W. Barnes

13 Sociology of Education 206Joseph J. Merry and Maria Paino

14 Sociology of Religion 224Robert D. Woodberry, Christian Smith, andChristopher P. Scheitle

15 Medicine and Health 250William C. Cockerham

16 Urbanization 267Kevin Fox Gotham and Arianna J. King

17 Environmental Sociology 283Richard York and Riley E. Dunlap

18 Social Movements, Protest, and Practices of Social Change 301Kevin Gillan

19 War and Society 319Miguel A. Centeno and Vicki Yang

20 Immigration 340Noriko Matsumoto

21 The Sociology of Consumption 358Christopher Andrews

22 Digital Technology, Social Media, and Techno?]Social Life 377Mary Chayko

23 Contemporary Feminist Theory 398Michelle Meagher

Part III Cutting Edge Issues 417

24 Big Data for Sociological Research 419Jason Radford and David Lazer

25 Toward a Sociology of Debt 444Wendy Wiedenhoft Murphy

26 Sociology of Sport 460Alan Tomlinson

27 From Fordism to Brexit and Trump: Is Authoritarian Capitalism on the Rise? 477Robert J. Antonio and Alessandro Bonanno

Index 496