Sociological Lives

by Matilda White Riley

Published 7 November 1988
Sociological Lives gives the reader a glimpse into the sociology of sociology by presenting autobiographical accounts dealing with varied aspects of the interplay between social structures and human lives. The contributors reveal something of how their own sociological lives have been influenced by changing social structures and how, in turn, their lives are variously located in the structure and history of sociology and marked by societal and intellectual trends spanning nearly a century. The introspection and retrospection give the reader rare access to the inner experiences of some of the field′s leading scholars as well as their appraisal of sociological trends and their ideas of the shape of future trends.

The companion volume to Social Structures and Human Lives, this fascinating volume illustrates the rich diversity of contemporary sociology and makes excellent reading for all professionals and students in sociology and related disciplines.


Social Structures and Human Lives consists of papers from the 1986 American Sociological Association annual meeting selected to reflect the rich and diverse array of conceptual, methodological, and substantive reports presented there.

Leading academics and researchers in the field offer information about aging over the life course; the relationship between aging and the changing structure of families, firms, state, and society as a whole; and implications for equality of opportunity for people of differing age, gender, race and socioeconomic status.

A final chapter links selected topics from previous chapters to established sociological concerns and clarifies the broad scope of the book′s central theme. Addressed to pioneering sociologists seeking avenues for enlarging and integrating the field and to students of sociology and related disciplines, the volume provides state of the art assessments and a vision of where sociology is heading.