This Spring 2011 (IX, 2) issue of Human Architecture: Journal of the Sociology of Self-Knowledge, entitled “Learning Transformations: Applied Sociological Imaginations from First Year Seminars and Beyond,” includes nine UMass Boston undergraduate student papers: seven from two sections of the first year seminar, Soc. 110G: “Insiders/Outsiders,” one from the course “Youth and Society” (Soc. 201), and another from the course “Elements of Sociological Theory” (Soc. 341), all taken during the 2010-2011 academic year at UMass Boston. The authors cultivate their sociological imaginations of the link between their personal troubles and broader public issues by exploring topics such as: difficulties with writing; struggles with overachievement; adolescent depression; pessimism; obsession with body self-image; pornography and love; drunken driving; feminine identity formation; and coping with personal traumas amid parental, sibling, and societal dysfunctions. The editor points to the significance of publishing undergraduate scholarships of learning and their sociological self-studies, highlighting the extent to which the origins of the present journal entitled “human architecture” can itself be traced to his own “student selves” and early undergraduate education in architecture at U.C. Berkeley, and specifically to a seminar he took with his undergraduate teacher and advisor, the late “professor of design” and renowned painter, Jesse Reichek. Contributors include: Thanh D. Pham, Iris M. Rivas, Melissa Mejia, Ryan J. Canillas, Michaela Volpe, Rose Bautista, Jennifer Cervantes, Ann Barnes, Melanie Maxham, and Mohammad H. Tamdgidi (also as journal editor-in-chief). Human Architecture: Journal of the Sociology of Self-Knowledge is a publication of OKCIR: The Omar Khayyam Center for Integrative Research in Utopia, Mysticism, and Science (Utopystics). For more information about OKCIR and other issues in its journal’s Edited Collection as well as Monograph and Translation series visit OKCIR’s homepage.

Praise for the First Edition: "A real, combined approach of behavioural, social, biomedical, and clinical sciences is paramount. [This book] is one pioneering example of such integration, bridging core sociology with medical education." – Dikomitis L, Wenning B, Ghobrial A, and Adams K.M. (2022). Embedding behavioural and social sciences across the medical curriculum: (Auto) ethnographic insights from medical schools in the United Kingdom. Societies, 12, 101. "Constantinou’s book not only contributes to bridging the gap between theoretical sociology and medical education, it also contributes to the way we teach a new generation of students – how to understand patients in context, how to treat them with respect and, ultimately, how to be a better medical doctor." – Andrea Stockl from her Foreword to the First Edition Comments from Medical Students: "‘Ignorance is not just lack of knowledge but lack of implementing knowledge gained’. I encourage everybody going into a clinical and general work setting to read this book and implement." "I believe this book is the key to unlocking the minds of medical students in viewing illness as not only physical and emotional also as social experience." "I believe everyone should read this book, especially medical students and practitioners who wish to become all-round competent and understanding doctors." "The better you understand your patient’s illness and his/her suffering, the healthier you can make him/her – this book teaches this important skill." This popular and accessible text continues to cover the basic principles of the sociology of health and illness in an eminently readable way. This fully revised second edition has been inspired, informed, and reviewed by medical students. By creatively employing a problem-based learning approach, the book examines commonly covered topics integrating underlying principles and research findings through real-life stories. The book investigates the relevance of sociology and considers a new direction – one that places sociology in the context of healthcare settings, making the topic more realistic, useful, and memorable. The book will be an invaluable companion for medical students throughout undergraduate studies and is also a useful reference for students in nursing, social work, psychology, and sociology, as well as qualified doctors and healthcare practitioners.

This engaging two-volume study pursues a balance between theoretical and practical sociology. Volume I, subtitled ‘Theoretical Perspectives’, focuses on the problems and prospects of applied sociology in an era of globalization. The essays emphasize the close association of applied sociology with altruism, identity formation, race and ethnicity. They evaluate the empirical ‘truths’ of sociological theories and examine their relevance for contemporary research, poverty, demographic issues and social policies. The authors agree that the ultimate test of theory is the extent to which it can produce knowledge that ‘works’.

This engaging two-volume study pursues a balance between theoretical and practical sociology. The authors are aware of the impasse often deliberately created by the self-conscious language of sociological theory. The primary concern of the applied sociologist is to adapt theoretical knowledge to actual human situations, using it to formulate social policy, investigate domestic and international social problems and create a pragmatic 'sociology of possibility'. Volume I, subtitled 'Theoretical Perspectives', focuses on the problems and prospects of applied sociology in an era of globalization. The essays emphasize the close association of applied sociology with altruism, identity formation, race and ethnicity. They evaluate the empirical 'truths' of sociological theories and examine their relevance for contemporary research, poverty, demographic issues and social policies. The authors agree that the ultimate test of theory is the extent to which it can produce knowledge that 'works'.

"If a student researcher had only one handbook on their bookshelf, Miller and Salkind′s Handbook would certainly have to be it. With the updated material, the addition of the section on ethical issues (which is so well done that I′m recommending it to the departmental representative to the university IRB), and a new Part 4 on "Qualitative Methods", the new Handbook is an indispensable resource for researchers." --Dan Cover, Department of Sociology, Furman University " I have observed that most instructors want to teach methodology "their way" to imbue the course with their own approach; Miller-Salkind allows one to do this easily. The book is both conceptually strong (e.g., very good coverage of epistemology, research design and statistics) and at the same time provides a wealth of practical knowledge (scales, indices, professional organizations, computer applications, etc.) In addition, it covers the waterfront of methodology." --Michael L. Vasu, Director of Information Technology, North Carolina State University "A unique and excellent reference tool for all social science researchers, and a good textbook for graduate students and senior year undergraduate classes. These students are about to enter the real life of research, and need a handy and comprehensive tool as a starting point that offers shortcuts for getting into real research projects. For a small project, the book offers enough information to get the project started. For big projects, the book is ideal for information on where to look for things and examples." --Jianhong Liu, Department of Sociology, Rhode Island College The book considered a "necessity" by many social science researchers and their students has been revised and updated while retaining the features that made it so useful. The emphasis in this new edition is on the tools graduate students and more advanced researchers need to conduct high quality research. Features/Benefits: Provides step-by-step instruction for students′ research training by beginning with how to find a creative idea, a middle-range theory, and initial hypothesis and proceeds through design, proposal, collection and analysis of data followed by writing, reporting and publication Section on scales and indices are organized so that readers can quickly locate and find the type of scale or index in which they may be interested All sections are now followed by useful and well-considered reference sections so that readers can read more about each topic Includes updated coverage on new scales, internal and external validity, and new analytic techniques with extensive references on each Presents extensive coverage of how to prepare manuscripts for publication, including a list of all journals covered by Sociological Abstracts along with the editorial office address and URL for each entry Discusses the importance of policy research with presentation and discussion of specific models as an adjunct to both applied and basic research techniques Provides extensive coverage of funding opportunities including those offered by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and a directory of private funding sources including relevant contact information New to this edition: New Part 4 by John Creswell and Ray Maietta provides a comprehensive introduction to qualitative methods including a review of existing computer applications for collecting and analyzing data New and more current reviews and commentaries have replaced dated or no longer relevant excerpts Thousands of new references on the assessment of important sociological variables as well as references to such topics as statistical analysis, computer applications, and specific topics Thoroughly updated information on the use of computers and online research techniques, including beginning and intermediate material about the Internet and its use by the modern research scientist Coherent and thoughtful review of the most popular statistical analysis software packages New guidelines and discussion of ethical practices in social and behavioral science research, including extensive coverage of institutional review board procedures and activities Expansion of social indicators to include international coverage Plus, there is an extensive and well-organized table of contents with four levels of headings; and, for the first time in the history of the book, a comprehensive index.

Sociology can help students understand why and how so many of the problems their service users face occur in the first place, helping them choose effective ways to communicate and make informed decisions on how their needs can be fully met. This book offers students a framework to explore how their professional responsibility to understanding sociology can be realised in every aspect of their work with a diverse range of service user groups including children and families, adults, older people, people with learning disabilities and people suffering from mental distress. The book takes students step-by-step through the theoretical grounding, what sociology is, how it is relevant to everyday social work practice, and what are the key aspects of sociological theory that need to be understood.

This book has been written keeping in view the specific requirements of undergraduate nursing students and it fully covers the new syllabus prescribed by the Indian Nursing Council. Although it primarily aims at catering to the curricular needs of B.Sc. Nursing students, it will also be immensely useful for degree students of various other streams studying sociology. The basic concepts have been explained in unambiguous terms from the students' point of view. Sociological aspects relevant to nursing have been dealt with in detail wherever necessary so that students not only learn the subject but also are able to make practical use of the acquired knowledge in profession. Applied aspects of Sociology as per the new syllabus has been covered in the book. - Written with a view to fulfilling the curricular needs of student nurses as per the revised INC Curriculum. - A new section on Clinical Sociology (Unit VIII, comprising 3 chapters), as per the new syllabus, added. - Includes substantially new approaches/aspects on various aspects. - Covers latest events like social fallout of COVID-19 pandemic and the law banning triple talaq. - Contains short answer and long answer exam-oriented questions at the end of chapters. - Additional multiple-choice questions to help students have a firm grasp on the subject.