Seeing the forest for the trees

The Forest and the Trees

❓Where does privilege come from? How is oppression justified? Why is inequality so entrenched? 🌲Perhaps the answer lies not in the trees, but in the forest. Alan G. Johnson, author of The Gender Knot, one of the most popular introductions to sociology after The Sociological Imagination, writes this masterpiece for everyone who might be touched by sociology. 🌿Understanding the mechanisms of social life and gaining insight into the systemic roots of social problems. 🌿From "society's fault" to social participation, changing our lives with the smallest of efforts———
Alan G. Johnson is a practicing sociologist whose decades-long sociological practice has dedicated himself to helping people understand the systemic roots of privilege, oppression, inequality, and other "unnecessary suffering." Johnson's magnum opus, Seeing the Forest for the Trees, is written for anyone seeking to reflect on life through a sociological lens. In the two decades since its publication, it has become one of the most popular introductions to sociology, following The Sociological Imagination and Traveling with Sociology.
In this book, the author uses clear, engaging language and examples reminiscent of everyday life to analyze the fundamental workings of social life—the interaction between social systems and individuals—from the perspectives of structure, culture, and ecology. Sociology teaches us, "We are always participating in something larger than ourselves." The significance of this book lies in empowering us with this sociological perspective, which sees problems at a systemic level larger than the individual. Only then can we create better lives through our own social practices.
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【Editor's Recommendation】
1. This is the magnum opus of Alan G. Johnson, an American practicing sociologist and author of The Gender Knot. Drawing on his decades of experience in sociology teaching and social work, this introductory sociology book is written for the broadest possible audience. In the twenty years since its publication, Seeing the Forest for the Trees has undergone two revisions and has become a beloved classic sociology introduction, following The Sociological Imagination and Traveling with Sociology.
2. As an introductory book on sociology, "Seeing the Forest and the Trees" has a clear structure and vivid narrative. Starting from the internal problems of social life, it uses the author's own and others' daily life experiences as examples to explain the core concepts and theories of sociology in an easy-to-understand way, requiring almost no prior knowledge. On the other hand, it focuses on the issues of privilege, oppression, and inequality, emphasizing the critical significance and practical value of sociology in solving social problems and changing the current state of life, and giving readers a sociological consciousness that goes beyond their personal perspective and allows them to gain insight into the root causes of problems from the social system level.
3. This new Chinese translation, based on the third edition of the original book, features accurate and fluent text. Compared to the previous edition, it adds a new Chapter 7 and extensive new material, including new content on colonialism and environmental issues. A glossary of sociological terms is included at the back of the book, making it easier for readers to find and grasp basic sociological concepts. A new Chinese preface by Tang Ling, a professor in the Department of Sociology at the Open University, UK, shares his personal experiences and insights into this book as he entered sociology.
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【Expert Recommendation】
Compared to The Sociological Imagination, Seeing the Forest for the Trees is not just a book for people in academia, but for everyone who might be touched by sociology. Universities are elitist, but sociology should belong to the whole society.
——Tang Ling (Lecturer in Sociology at the Open University, UK)

2024-12-01

北京联合出版公司

Lucida

264

9787559677280