Public Sociology

"Why sociology matters, how sociologists can help the people they study and how it can help us to deal with the crises of the 21st century"

As one of the leading proponents of the view that sociology's mission must be to engage the world outside of the university, Michael Burawoy has helped to revolutionize the theory and practice of sociology across the western world. Public Sociology is Burawoy's most thoroughgoing attempt to explore what a truly committed, engaged sociology should look like in the twenty-first century. Burawoy looks back on the defining moments of his intellectual journey, exploring his pivotal early experiences as a researcher, such as his fieldwork in a Zambian copper mine and a Chicago factory.

He recounts his time as a graduate and professor during the ideological ferment in sociology departments of the 1970s, and explores how his experiences intersected with a changing political and intellectual world. Recalling Max Weber, Burawoy argues that sociology is much more than just a discipline - it is a vocation, to be practiced everywhere and by everyone. Part history of the discipline, part critical intervention, this accessible book will be enjoyed by both experienced sociologists and newcomers.