Children and Society presents a comprehensive sociological portrayal of children and childhood from birth to the beginning of adolescence. A major theme is the tension between children's active agency and the socializing influences of the family, school, peer groups, and mass media. The book incorporates the most recent research and theories of childhood socialization. Its theoretical perspective is primarily symbolic interactionism which emphasizes the development of the self. The volume features research that documents cultural variations within American society shaped by social...

Now in its eighth edition, this best-selling reader provides an introduction to the sociological study of social psychology, interpersonal interaction, embodiment, emotion, selfhood, inequality, and the politics of everyday realities. Inside Social Life: Readings in Sociological Psychology and Microsociology presents thirty-nine selections that include both classic and contemporary theoretical work and empirical studies. Detailed introductions to each part and article identify and explain central issues, key concepts, and relationships among topics.