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Description
The celebration of individualism has long been a defining characteristic of American society. Our movies, music, and children's stories are awash with themes of self-reliance, independence, and success against all odds. But when does individualism become something darker? How does this idea blind us to the social structures that quietly but powerfully shape our lives? And how does it limit our ability to achieve positive social change?
The Myth of Individualism is an engaging and accessible introduction to the relationship between self and society. With compelling story-telling, Peter Callero dispels the myth of the self-reliant autonomous actor and demonstrates how our lives are shaped by powerful social forces. These include the power of cultural beliefs and symbols, lifelong socialization processes, the influence of authority, the power of small groups, and the encompassing control of economic systems associated with social class, state power, and mass media. The impact of race, gender, sexuality, and disability on both our identities and resulting inequalities sits at the heart of each chapter.
The perfect book for disrupting your worldview and developing your sociological mindset, Callero hones the sociologist within all of us.
New to the Fifth Edition:
- New discussion of Tocqueville and Durkheim's research grounds students in the earliest theories on --- New coverage of authoritarianism provides students with historical and global context for understanding contemporary democratic backsliding
- New emphasis on the power of cooperative nonviolent movements for positive social change, such as “No Kings” protests, gives students reason to hope for a better world
- New end-of-chapter “Lesson” boxes highlights and reenforces the sociological imagination via topics such as artificial intelligence, NASA's recent missions in outer space, and politically motivated acts of violence
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1. Individualism: The Power of a Myth
The Mask Controversy
Why All the Drama?
What is American Individualism?
A Culture of Individualism
Economic Individualism
Individualism in Economic Theory
What's Wrong with Individualism?
Sociology as Myth Buster
Chapter 2. Becoming a Person: The Power of Symbols
Evil Witches
Missing Links
The Socially Constructed Person
Language and the Power of Symbols
The Sociology of Thought
Group Differences in Social Cognition
The Sociology of Emotion
The Sociology of Identity
Chapter 3. Conformity and Disobedience: The Power of the Group
Obedience to Authority
Questioning Authority
Resisting Authority
Solidarity and Conflict Between Groups
Group Identity
Chapter 4. Family Matters: The Power of Social Class
The Myth of Meritocracy
Alexander Williams
Tyrec Taylor
The Relationship Between Class and Family Life
Class Competition
Cultural Capital
Sources of Cultural Capital
The Privilege of Class
Chapter 5. Globalization: The Power of Capitalism
A New Type of Capitalism
Communities in Crisis
China Blues
Global Connections
Who Benefits?
Rowena
Care for Sale
Chapter 6. Government Control: The Power of the State
What is The State?
Types of State Power
The Shooting
The Protest
The Sociological Context
State Borders and State Power
Borders are Not for Everyone
Making the Invisible Visible
Chapter 7. From the Printing Press to the Internet: The Power of Mass Media
How Media Shapes Our Lives
The Power of the Printing Press
How the Printing Press Changed People
How the Printing Press Changed Society
How New Electronic Media Changed People
Media Addiction?
The Danger of Social Media
The Death of Molly Russell
How Electronic Media Changes Society
Social Change and Social Media
Chapter 8. From “Me” to “We”: The Power of Collective Action
A Woman and a Movement
What is a Social Movement?
Social Movements and Democracy
Global Democracy
The Globalization Movement
The World Trade Organization
Protecting Power
Global Solidarity
Conclusion
Index
About the Author
Product details
| Published | Dec 24 2026 |
|---|---|
| Format | Ebook (Epub & Mobi) |
| Edition | 5th |
| Pages | 256 |
| ISBN | 9798216389637 |
| Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
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