Alternative Course Materials

Macrosociology--the study of large-scale social structures and the fundamental principles of social organization--was the style of sociology practiced by the founders of the discipline. Today, the social theories of Karl Marx, Max Weber, Émile Durkheim, and Herbert Spencer (among others) are commonly studied as part of the history of the field, but, although the macrosociological approach that these thinkers advocated is still employed, it no longer dominates the discipline. Instead, sociologists typically adopt a narrower focus, specializing in areas such as social psychology, medicine, religion, or the study of social stratification. Examining the bigger picture is a task often left to public intellectuals.Sociocultural Systems aims to reinstate macrosciology as the heart of the discipline by demonstrating that both classical and contemporary macrosociologists stand upon common ground. Focusing on the broad issues that concerned the founders, Elwell addresses questions such as: Historically, what factors accounted for the origin, survival, and evolution of sociocultural systems? Why were some societies more technologically advanced than others? What is the origin of capitalism? What factors determine the allocation of goods and services within and among societies? What effects do changes in government and economic institutions have on communities?Elwell argues that, as evolution does for biology, the macrosociological paradigm offers an analytical strategy that can be used both to guide and prioritize research in all of the myriad specialties within sociology and to lay forth an orderly body of knowledge for students. Clearly articulating important sociological principles, Sociocultural Systems provides a critical understanding of social institutions and issues, while also furnishing a framework for possible solutions to the perennial social crises that are part and parcel of the development of human societies.

Global Issues in Education bridges the discourse on globalization and education with international studies on race, class, gender, ethnicity, culture, and multiculturalism. The contributors to this volume address educational challenges of post-colonial Ghana, the United Arab Emirates, the Caribbean, China, and Germany juxtaposed against Western education in the United Kingdom and the United States. They synthesize macrosociology with educational research, which provides readers with the background, core knowledge, and global focus that is needed to understand international issues, as well as deal with diversity in the classroom. Global Issues in Education also addresses the need for additional research that makes the connections between the geopolitical economy and education, and it does this with a focus on the link to culture, ethnicity, and education.

Ruth Milkman's groundbreaking research in women's labor history has contributed important perspectives on work and unionism in the United States. On Gender, Labor, and Inequality presents four decades of Milkman's essential writings, tracing the parallel evolutions of her ideas and the field she helped define. Milkman's introduction frames a career-spanning scholarly project: her interrogation of historical and contemporary intersections of class and gender inequalities in the workplace, and the efforts to challenge those inequalities. Early chapters focus on her pioneering work on women's labor during the Great Depression and the World War II years. In the book's second half, Milkman turns to the past fifty years, a period that saw a dramatic decline in gender inequality even as growing class imbalances created greater-than-ever class disparity among women. She concludes with a previously unpublished essay comparing the impact of the Great Depression and the Great Recession on women workers"-- Provided by publisher.
"This project will present a retrospective of the scholarship of the influential sociologist Ruth Milkman, a charismatic and dynamic speaker and teacher as well as author. From her early work on women's labor history, job segregation by sex during World War II, and reversal of women's work opportunities after the war through more recent work on the work challenges and organizing struggles of marginalized immigrant worker groups, Milkman has contributed significant perspectives to the study of work and unionism in the United States. This volume provides a foundation for anyone seeking to understand gender and labor issues in both historical and contemporary contexts. Milkman will provide a substantial introduction to the volume and frame the material by adding section introductions and headnotes. She will also update much of the material

What leads to national progress? The growing consensus in the social sciences is that neither capital flows, nor the savings rate, nor diffuse values are the key, but that it lies in the quality of a nation's institutions. This book is the first comparative study of how real institutions affect national development. It seeks to examine and deepen this insight through a systematic study of institutions in five Latin American countries and how they differ within and across nations. Postal systems, stock exchanges, public health services and others were included in the sample, all studied with the same methodology. The country chapters present detailed results of this empirical exercise for each individual country. The introductory chapters present the theoretical framework and research methodology for the full study. The summary results of this ambitious study presented in the concluding chapter draw comparisons across countries and discuss what these results mean for national development in Latin America.