Heads Up Sociology

Heads Up

by D.K. Publishing

Why does racism exist? Is Big Brother watching us? Why are women paid less than men? Investigate society’s hidden truths, from gender and identity politics to consumer culture with this insightful guide.Sociology is the study of how societies are organized and what helps them function or go wrong. Heads Up Sociology explores a range of curious social phenomena, including poverty and class status, white-collar crime, religious beliefs, and internet anxieties.  The book helps readers see themselves and their communities in the context of a larger, globalized world. Fascinating biographies offer insight into the lives and work of key researchers such as Karl Marx, Judith Butler, and Howard Becker, while well-illustrated case studies and real-life scenarios bring their ideas to life. Stunning infographics further explain the ebb and flow of power in society.  Heads Up Sociology is the ultimate tool to help you get to grips with sociology in time for exams and is an essential read for anyone keen to ask the big questions about the world we live in today. 

Genres: Sociology, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Science, Education

355 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Dorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.

Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.

Source: Wikipedia.

Reviews

[WhiteRoseHollow · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Un libro muy interesante para todos los que tengan interés aprender más sobre la sociología y no saben por dónde comenzar. Eso sí, me hubiera gustado más diversidad en los teóricos mencionados, la gran mayoría eran hombres blancos y europeos. Dejando ese detalle a un lado, me llevé mucho conocimiento y encontré temas que me llamaron la atención, y continuaré buscando más información sobre estos.

[eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad this was actually pretty interesting

[Natalie Bronchetti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book very interesting, it asked a lot of important questions and I learned more about the people and the world we live in. Some parts were a bit confusing but other parts gave me a new perspective on the world around us. But I would not read this again.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buena introducción a la sociología. Si bien es un libro más para jóvenes/adolescentes, sigue siendo bastante informativo y provoca que te pique la curiosidad para que sigas ampliando tus conocimientos por otras vías en aquellos temas que más te interese.

[Jojolee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure why I picked this book up. Maybe it was the cover. It is short, easy to follow and is well structured. It works as a wonderful introduction to sociology and the graphics make it very appealing and just as informative as your regular textbook.

I would have appreciated this a lot more as a teenager. As a 30-something who spent an entire semester at university on sociology deciphering the works of Durkheim, Weber and Marx, I still consider this a really good introductory read that covers a lot of ground without going into too much detail. However there are some inaccuracies about Asian cultures in here for which I have taken a star off.

While this is a reference book clearly targeted at a younger crowd, I can think of many adults who will greatly benefit from learning about the social constructs of class, gender and society throughout history. Because sometimes I hear offhand comments of how certain ethnic groups are the reasons behind societal problems, and it takes all of me to not quote the Strain Theory or tell them off in an aggrieved manner. In fact there are many politicians' heads that I want to throw this book at.

[regina pou · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is too left. It is not a bad thing but the title of the book is not correct. Sociology should be a knowledge about the whole picture, not just from one side.
It is acceptable untill I read a sentence of this
"Singaporean sociologist Angelique Chan notes that in Malay cultures where religious wisdom is prized, older people enjoy a reasonable social status. However, in countries like China that prize people who are earning money, being older is not so valued."
I pretty sure the author has not do many real research on the whole Asian culture. Korean, Japan, China, even Singapore, they share very similar core culture. It is not easy to understand and it takes lots of work to dig down deep enough to understand the subtle difference.
Science is real, love is true and this book is not very serious.

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful roadmap of sociological thought, Heads Up Sociology massively simplifies with minimal distortion.

Perhaps the most surprising lesson for me is quite how many of the thinkers I find fascinating can be described sociologists. From Marx and his followers to Chomsky, Wallerstein, Foucault and many more, I now have a greater understanding as to how their work fits into the discipline. What's more, the inclusion and fair treatment of figures like these who are usually considered too radical for mass market introductions is commendable.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good survey/overview for someone wanting to know what sociology is

[Sameer Alshenawi · Rating 4 out of 5]

مقدمة جميلة لعلم الاجتماع ولقد اشتمل على مواضيع عديدة ومتنوعة . مسلي واعجبني كثيرا

[Mia's Kindle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good content for higher sociology

[James Dueñas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro que permite entender de una forma gráfica los fenómenos q se presentan en la sociedad, recomendado para estudiantes de las ciencias sociales e investigadores.

[Nesya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book to know more about sociology. This is definitely not my first book I read about sociology but it’s very interesting reads!

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to sociology to appeal to young adults.

[Christian Maldonado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente libro de sociología para entender nuestra vida, cultura y desarrollo.

[Marcel Schwarz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short but nice intro to sociology.

[Joaquin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muy visual. Sirve como guía de inicio para profundizar con otros textos.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m sure it’s quite interesting, but I’m not that interested.

[Brooklyn Haylee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This short book gave good information but I did already know a lot of it. It was just interesting to listen to while I did random chores

[Tito Quiling, Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the ones who need an overview on Western sociology, a bit of history, some basic rules and lessons on world economics, this is a useful reference. The book reads like a library reference for certain general topics such as communities, gender relations, societal structures, and who are the main proponents of particular thoughts in sociology. One can read through it quickly as well, as it includes images that are quite enjoyable to look at from a high school students' perspective. If one prepares to enter into a similar program or is interested to delve into this area, this is a good read.

[Hëb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely love all the contents here. More than just a 'sociology book', this book discussed various contemporary issues related to sociology.