Surveying the South: Studies in Regional Sociology (Volume 1) - Softcover

Reed, John Shelton

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0826209157 ISBN 13: 9780826209153

Publisher: University of Missouri, 1993

Synopsis

Surveying the South collects some of John Shelton Reed's classic essays, offering an intriguing introduction to the sociology of the South from the roots of regional sociology to southern stereotypes and race relations.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

John Shelton Reed is a sociologist who "can write clearly; has a sense of humor; and is not afraid to express opinion", according to Choice. Reed's popular, often humorous, books on the American South have earned him a reputation as one of the region's most perceptive observers. Surveying the South collects some of his classic essays, offering an engaging introduction to the sociology of the South. Beginning with the roots of regional sociology, Reed examines threads of Southern continuity and change, including such issues as Southern stereotypes and the changing definition of the South. His fascinating history of the elusive but often-cited correlation between cotton prices and lynching offers a profound warning to students and professors alike: always verify your references. Reed offers several essays on what has been called "the central theme" of Southern sociology - race relations. He demonstrates the success of the civil rights movement in the South and explores the ways in which Southern identity has become more regional than racial. Reed concludes this collection with a plea to sociologists to abandon the effort to "sound scientific". "Let's not seal the borders of our profession with an impenetrable style and vocabulary", writes Reed. "Plainly outsiders are not impressed". The result is a brilliant collection written in Reed's trademark style - clear, witty, jargon-free - that will find a warm welcome among students of sociology and the South, as well as among general readers.

About the Author:

John Shelton Reed is the author of many books, including My Tears Spoiled My Aim and Other Reflections on Southern Culture, Whistling Dixie: Dispatches from the South, The Enduring South, and Southern Folk, Plain and Fancy.  He is William Rand Kenan, Jr., Professor of Sociology, Adjunct Professor of American Studies, and Director of the Institute for Research in Social Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Missouri
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0826209157
• ISBN 13: 9780826209153
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 168