With the semester coming to an end and summer around the corner, the majority of us will have a little more free time on our hands. At least enough to dedicate time to hobbies and interests that have been pushed to the side during the academic year. So if you want to get into social theory, it’s the perfect time to start.
That being said, where to do so?
Honestly speaking, there is no right or wrong way to get into social theory; no books you must read or theorists you have to check out. Instead, the only important thing to know when first engaging with written works of theory (of any kind) is understanding that you will need the time to digest what you’re reading. Trying to define large, abstract ideas about human behavior and society is hard, so naturally trying to consume it can be a bit of a process as well. While you may feel tempted to just zoom through, you’d most likely feel gaps in your understanding once you’re done. At the risk of sounding like an English teacher, annotations are largely beneficial during the process. Being able to jot down a little note or summarize an idea in your words, will allow you to better hold onto what you’re reading.
Even so, annotations aren’t necessary to the process, but giving yourself the time and patience to properly conceptualize what you’re reading is. It could be annotating, but also just pacing yourself in a way that gives you enough time to read and reflect. Or even going online to find discussions on the theory you’re reading or finding connections to the modern world that illustrate the ideas you’ve read. Understanding can come from many different places, but only if you remember you need to leave room to do so.
When it comes to actually picking a piece to start with, it’s important to consider that sociology is a vast subject divided into many categories. Sociology of culture, sociology of education, sociology of politics etc etc. The list of sociological niches is large, so if there is a societal topic that interests you, trying to find theory and literature about that specific topic is a great place to start. Plus, more specific works of theory often connect back or grow upon broader ideas from others works of theory, so it can lead you down a path which could be of interest to you.
Now while there is no right or wrong work to start with, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have recommendations. For anyone interested in sociology as a whole, C. Wright Mills’ The Sociological Imagination is a perfect place to start. Rather than focusing on a certain issue, Mills goes on to explore what sociology is and how we can develop a sociological way of thinking. It’s great because it prompts us to understand how anything can be viewed from a sociological lens, while detailing the importance of doing so. Additionally, The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir and Women, Race, and Class by Angela Davis both explore nuance regarding gender. The Second Sex was the first piece of theory which I read, and the idea de Beauvoir postulates that women are made not born, is critical to gender studies. Davis’ work never dismisses this idea, but takes a more nuanced approach to the subject as she explores the intersections of gender, as the name suggests, with race and class. Together the books are great to better understand gender and prompting us to realize the importance of intersectional frameworks. And finally Edward Said’s Orientalism is a book I would recommend to anyone, regardless of their interest in sociology. He explores the Western perspective of Asian and North African cultures that can wildly be used to understand how the West perceives the places they have colonized and imperalise. While the book is largely rooted in history, he explores this perspective to understand the perpetuating power dynamics which still exist in the modern world. Said sets up the framework to better understand current day conflicts in the Middle East, such as in his homeland of Palestine, and the lingering problems former colonial states face. Simply put, his work can help us better understand the current world, and allow us to see global power dynamics for what they really are. Which now of all times, is more important than ever.
Regardless if you start with one of these recommendations or find something else to start with, just remember patience and time are key. Wherever you start will lead you down the path of better understanding the world around us, and above all that’s always the goal with social theory.