The word sociology itself actually derives from the Latin word socius
(companion) and the Greek word logos (study of ). Thus, sociology is most literally
the study of companionship (Abercrombie, Hill, and Turner 2000, 333). A
textbook definition often expands that literal definition of sociology to read
something close to the scientific study of the development, structure, interaction,
and collective behavior of social relationships. But so what? What does that definition
actually mean? Why is sociology important? Why should anyone study
sociology? What does sociology offer to us in our personal lives? And what does
it offer to wider society?
This book answers those basic questions. It introduces core concepts in
sociology and illustrates how the field is dynamic and relevant. Throughout, it
explains how those who engage in the study of sociology understand the relationships
and interactions that make up our social worlds, worlds that include
“everything that constitutes the collective life of groups of people . . . their economics,
their politics, their shared mental lives, their cultures, and more”