Sociological Essays

Jerry S. Maneker, Ph.D.

California State University, Chico

Copyright © 1999 Jerry S. Maneker

CONTENTS

• Introduction
• Chapter 1
  Academic Freedom and Sociology's Credibility
• Chapter 2
  Morality and Education
• Chapter 3
  The Value of a Liberal Arts Education
• Chapter 4
  Freud's Problem With Religion: The Case of Christianity
• Chapter 5
  The Myth of Queer Labelling

A version of Chapter 1 was presented at the annual meetings of the Pacific Sociological Association, 1996; a version of Chapter 2 was presented at the annual meetings of the Pacific Sociological Association, 1998; a version of Chapter 4 was presented at the annual meetings of the Pacific Sociological Association, 1997.

INTRODUCTION (back to top)

This collection of essays represents some of my interests, and has been written over the last few years. They are intended to be polemical and stir both interest and debate about some crucial problems and issues that face both sociology as a discipline and substantive social issues that C. Wright Mills in his book The Sociological Imagination enjoined us to pursue.

Value neutrality and political correctness have made some of the contentions I express, even though based upon empirical data and experience, unacceptable to many in the discipline of sociology.

As of this time, we have failed to fulfill the promise of sociology to study substantive social issues and how they impact people's lives. Frequently, publications are done to be indexed rather than read; done for purposes of obtaining tenure and promotion, rather than to inform our discipline and the lay public as to what the data show and how that data can enable people to live more enriching lives.

I hope you enjoy this book and that it not only stimulates your interest and critiquing skills, but that your lives are enriched in a way toward which the unique perspective of sociology can contribute.