Sociology: A Brief Introduction

Growing up in Chicago at a time when neighbourhoods were going through transitions in ethnic and racial composition, Richard T. Schaefer found himself increasingly intrigued by what was happening, how people were reacting, and how these changes were affecting neighbourhoods and peoples jobs. His interest in social issues caused him to gravitate to sociology courses at Northwestern University, where he eventually received a BA in sociology.Originally as an undergraduate I thought I would go on to law school and become a lawyer. But after taking a few sociology courses, I found myself wanting to learn more about what sociologists studied, and fascinated by the kinds of questions they raised. This fascination led him to obtain his MA and PhD in sociology from the University of Chicago. Dr. Schaefers continuing interest in race relations led him to write his masters thesis on the membership of the Ku Klux Klan and his doctoral thesis on racial prejudice and race relations in Great Britain.Dr. Schaefer went on to become a professor of sociology and now teaches at DePaul University in Chicago. In 2004 he was named to the Vincent DePaul professorship in recognition of his undergraduate teaching and scholarship. He has taught introductory sociology for over 35 years to students in colleges, adult education programs, nursing programs, and even a maximum-security prison. Dr. Schaefers love of teaching is apparent in his interaction with his students. I find myself constantly learning from the students who are in my classes and from reading what they write. Their insights into the material we read or current events that we discuss often become part of future course material and sometimes even find their way into my writing.Dr. Schaefer is author of the eleventh edition of Sociology (McGraw-Hill, 2008) and of the fourth edition of Sociology Matters (McGraw-Hill, 2009). He is also the author of Racial and Ethnic Groups, now in its eleventh edition, and Race and Ethnicity in the United States, fifth edition. Together with William Zellner, he co-authored the eighth edition of Extraordinary Groups, published by Worth in 2007. Dr. Schaefer served as the general editor of the three-volume Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity, and Society, published by Sage in 2008. His articles and book reviews have appeared in many journals, including American Journal of Sociology, Phylon: A Review of Race and Culture, Contemporary Sociology, Sociology and Social Research, Sociological Quarterly, and Teaching Sociology. He served as president of the Midwest SociologicalSociety in 19941995.Dr. Schaefers advice to students is to look at the material and make connections to your own life and experiences. Sociology will make you a more attentive observer of how people in groups interact and function. It will also make you more aware of peoples different needs and interestsand perhaps more ready to work for the common good, while still recognizing the individuality of each person.