This distinguished reference work is much more than a lexicon or ordinary dictionary. Each essay, complete with bibliographical references, presents a selective and critical discussion of some issue fundamental to sociology. Synthesizing American, British, French, and German, taken together these contributions provide a coherent and sophisticated critique of the sociological tradition.

Unlike most other sociology or social science dictionaries, in this translation of the Critical Dictionary of Sociology, taken from the second French edition of the Dictionary and edited by the English sociologist Peter Hamilton, the critical value of this distinctive work is at last made available for a wider audience. Each entry grapples directly with an issue, whether theoretical, epistemological, philosophical, political or empirical, and provides a strong statement of what the authors think about it. The discussions are considered but argumentative. By reaffirming that a non-marxist style of critique is still possible, Boudon and Bourricaud have presented a distinctive approach to the key issues which confront the societies of the Twentieth and Twenty-First centuries. For some this work will be a textbook, for others an indispensable sourcebook of sociological concepts, and for most a way of opening our eyes to new dimensions in our understanding of the great ideas and theories of sociology.

"Undoubtedly the most accessible, readable and downright interesting - even amusing - dictionary of its type. In being all of those things - and more - the dictionary does not sacrifice on quality. There are many well-chosen entries and they are quite informative. A useful addition to any scholar′s library while at the same time being an excellent resource for both graduate and undergraduate students" - George Ritzer, University of Maryland "This is a delightful and comprehensive dictionary. The authors write in an engaging and lively style that brings alive the ideas of sociology not only for existing practitioners, but also for a whole new generation of students" - Tim May, University of Salford With over 1000 entries on key concepts and theorists, The SAGE Dictionary of Sociology provides full coverage of the field, clarifying the technical use of apparently common words, explaining the fundamental concepts and introducing new and unfamiliar terms. This book provides: authoritative, reliable definitions accessible ′digests′ of key arguments contemporary, appealing illustrations of points readability. This is not just another dry guide to the discipline. Engagingly written with its audience firmly in mind, it will be the definitive and chosen companion to established textbooks and teaching materials in sociology.

A consistent best-seller, the wide-ranging and authoritative Dictionary of Sociology was first published in 1994 and contains more than 2,500 entries on the terminology, methods, concepts, and thinkers in the field, as well as from the related fields of psychology, economics, anthropology, philosophy, and political science. For this fourth edition, Professor John Scott has conducted a thorough review of all entries to ensure that they are concise, focused, and up to date. Revisions reflect current intellectual debates and social conditions, particularly in relation to global and multi-cultural issues. New entries cover relevant contemporary concepts, such as climate change, social media, terrorism, and intersectionality, as well as key living sociologists. This Dictionary is both an invaluable introduction to sociology for beginners, and an essential source of reference for more advanced students and teachers.

This book is a teaching dictionary with the goal of de-mystifying current social science theory in a comprehensive, accessible format. It focuses on important terminology in progressive, radical, critical Marxist, feminist, left-liberal, postmodern, and semiotic contexts.

Contains over 2,500 alphabetically arranged entries providing definitions of terms and ideas related to sociology, along with cross-references, and biographical sketches of key individuals in the field.

Featuring over 1,800 concise definitions of key terms, the Dictionary of the Social Sciences is the most comprehensive, authoritative single-volume work of its kind. With coverage on the vocabularies of anthropology, sociology, political science, economics, human geography, cultural studies, and Marxism, the Dictionary is an integrated, easy-to-use, A-to-Z reference tool. Designed for students and non-specialists, it examines classic and contemporary scholarship including basic terms, concepts, theories, schools of thought, methodologies, issues, and controversies. As a true dictionary, it also contains concise, jargon-free definitions that explain the rich, sometimes complex language of these increasingly visible fields.