Summer Reading List

[doctoraldude]

Hey folks - What are you all reading this summer ?

My list:

Is Paris Burning (Collins & Lapierre)

A Suitable Boy (Vikram Seth)

Predictably irrational (Dan Ariely)

An Engine Not a camera (MacKenzie)

Any "must-read"s out there that I should add ?

[deckard]

The Rest is Noise by Alex Ross

I kept thinking of Weber's essay on the sociology of music while reading that...

[rjc08d]

Hi,

The best things to read are Methods, Stats, and Intro books.

If you want suggestions, please let me know.

rjc

[That_One]

Rjc, I do want suggestions...as I am new to Soc!

[blahblahblah]

me too

[socguy]

Reading methods, stats, and intro books sounds like a fate worse than death. If you're a stats person, then that may help. But, for most students, the stats you'll get in your program will be a good enough start. In contrast, I would suggest reading review articles that synthesize your subfield. Review articles (like those in the Annual Review of Sociology) are usually very boring and dense but they provide good overviews to a subfield, highlight current debates, and point to other works that might be helpful. From there you can find stuff that is both currently relevant and more fun to read. Also, I think reading things written by your new faculty is helpful. It will help you talk with them and will give you an idea of who's doing what in your department.

[rjc08d]

Hi Everyone,

Methods and stats are the bread and butter of the discipline.

First, having a strong methods and/or stats background/understanding can only open doors for you in terms of developing your own interests and working with other faculty members. Second, most importantly, understanding both can help you understand what you read. There's noting more embarrassing than approaching a faculty member, saying you love their work, and your interpretation of their work is completely flawed. Third, methods and stats will likely comprise at least 1/3 of your first year coursework.

Why not get a head start?

Below are books commonly used and/or referenced in methods courses:

The Practice of Social Research by Earl R. Babbie

The Social Lens: An Invitation to Social and Sociological Theory by Kenneth D. Allan

Multiple Regression: A Primer.

Let me know if I could be of any more help.

rj

[Coffe-ology]

Hi Everyone,

Methods and stats are the bread and butter of the discipline.

First, having a strong methods and/or stats background/understanding can only open doors for you in terms of developing your own interests and working with other faculty members. Second, most importantly, understanding both can help you understand what you read. There's noting more embarrassing than approaching a faculty member, saying you love their work, and your interpretation of their work is completely flawed. Third, methods and stats will likely comprise at least 1/3 of your first year coursework.

Why not get a head start?

Below are books commonly used and/or referenced in methods courses:

The Practice of Social Research by Earl R. Babbie

The Social Lens: An Invitation to Social and Sociological Theory by Kenneth D. Allan

Multiple Regression: A Primer.

Let me know if I could be of any more help.

rj

Dr. Allan is one of my professors :-D

I would actually like more if you have them!!!