{"product_id":"sociological-realism-society-as-the-walls-of-our-imprisonment-paperback-softback-9781394362561","title":"Sociological Realism; Society as the Walls of Our Imprisonment (Paperback \/ softback) 9781394362561","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eSociological Realism\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cfont size=\"5\"\u003eSociety as the Walls of Our Imprisonment\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eSal Restivo (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9781394362561, Wiley\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003ePaperback \/ softback, published 5 February 2026\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e272 pages\u003cbr\u003e22.6 x 15.2 x 2 cm, 0.363 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePresents \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ea powerful narrative that situates the individual within the inescapable framework of social forces\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a world increasingly defined by inequality and existential threats,\u003ci\u003e Sociological Realism: Society as the Walls of Our Imprisonment\u003c\/i\u003e offers a bold reinterpretation of society’s role in shaping the individual. Beginning with the premise that society is a reality \u003ci\u003esui generis\u003c\/i\u003e—a unique and formative system—Sal Restivo carefully constructs an argument about how institutions, cultural traditions, and historical processes shape our identities, behaviours, and beliefs. Tracing the development of the sociological imagination from antiquity to the present day, the author introduces foundational thinkers whilst anchoring abstract theory in personal narrative and lived experience.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis distinctive volume—part introductory sociology, part sociobiography—confronts dominant ideas about free will, agency, and the autonomous self. Engaging with contemporary issues including class, race, sex, gender, and mortality, the book explores the metaphorical ”walls” that constrain human potential. It also considers possible ”escape tunnels” as suggested by sociologists such as Peter Berger and Erving Goffman. Through original theories—such as the social construction of the brain, the logic of power and free will, and a social-network approach to creativity—\u003ci\u003e Sociological Realism\u003c\/i\u003e challenges the myth of individualism and portrays the self as a socially embedded phenomenon. Restivo’s own reflections act as a vivid case study in sociological imagination, enriching the text with immediacy and authenticity. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChallenging readers to reconceptualise the boundaries between mind, self, and society, \u003ci\u003eSociological Realism: Society as the Walls of Our Imprisonment:\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eOffers a unique blend of personal memoir and academic reflection to stimulate sociological imagination\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eProvides a concise yet comprehensive history of sociological thought from antiquity to the present\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003ePresents original theories on the social construction of the brain and creativity\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eApplies sociological analysis to contemporary topics such as sex, gender, race, and mortality\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eIntegrates classic and contemporary sociological texts through brief, accessible excerpts\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eSociological Realism: Society as the Walls of Our Imprisonment\u003c\/i\u003e is suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate students studying sociology, behavioural science, social psychology, or social work. It is an ideal core or supplementary text for courses such as Introduction to Sociology, Social Theory, or Behavioural Science, and fits into degree programmes across the social sciences. It also speaks to general readers seeking insight into how society shapes thought, action, and identity in a rapidly changing world.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbout the Author xi\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcknowledgements xiii\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter 1: Society as the Walls of Our Imprisonment 1\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOn the Concept of Natural Kinds in Science 4\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Road to Sociology 6\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion: On Perspective 9\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter 2: Science and Sociology 10\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eScience and Morals 12\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Ethos of Science 13\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter 3: Founders and Founding Ideas 19\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrigins 20\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntervention on the Study of Culture 26\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIbn Khaldun Again 27\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Founding Ideas of the Sociological Imagination 28\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThemes 33\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Role of Women in the Founding Moments of the Sociological Imagination 37\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eModern Era in Sociology and Anthropology 38\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter 4: Key Literary Moments in My Sociological Biography 48\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFlashback 52\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntervention: A Note on Numbers and Economics 57\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAn Era of Crisis 59\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFriedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) 61\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion 62\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter 5: Tolstoy’s Perspective on Human Being and Conduct 63\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCapturing the Life of a People 64\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInterlude: Physics Intervenes 69\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTolstoy Again 70\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFree Will 70\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion 77\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEpilogue: On Power 78\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter 6: Humans Among the Social Species 81\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Decline of Face-to-Face as an Existential Threat 85\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion 92\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCaveat 93\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEpilogue: The Bonobos Natural Experiment 93\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter 7: Gumplowicz and the Myth of the Individual 96\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMorals 103\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBasic Principles of Human Being and Conduct 103\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRights 107\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRights and the State 108\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRights and Morals 109\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion 112\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCoda 113\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter 8: The Social Origins of God 114\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow Can We Know A God Outside of Space and Time? 117\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Case Study in Christian Philosophy 119\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eI Discover God 122\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMoments of Awakening 125\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Career of the Mythic Hero 128\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSacred and Profane 130\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCollective Effervescence 131\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Awakening Continues 132\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion: Religion, God, and the Sociological Imagination 135\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter 9: The Social Brain 137\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConnectomes 138\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGenius, and Social Networks: Einstein and John Coltrane 139\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Woman in Einstein’s Social Brain 141\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Social Brain 142\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Sociology of Improvisation: John Coltrane 143\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Work Itself 145\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot Anything Goes 146\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNetworks of Jazz 150\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Jazz Machine 153\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion: Creativity and the Anarchist Brain 156\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter 10: Institutional Walls of Imprisonment 158\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Concept of Total Institution 160\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Methodological Intervention: The Ideal Type 161\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInstitutions Once More 161\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSociety and Survival 162\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter 11: Social Class, Sex, and Gender: Case Studies in Walls of Imprisonment 165\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSocial Class 165\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRagged Dick 168\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSex and Gender 168\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAre Escape Tunnels Illusions? 172\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConclusion 173\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEpilogue on Non-Binary Concepts 174\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDefinitions in Common Use 174\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTransgender and Transsexual 175\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSome Terms to Avoid 176\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter 12: Race and Racism: A Case Study in Walls of Imprisonment 177\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSystemic Racism\/Institutional Racism 178\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Credential Society: Education and Social Stratification 179\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Souls of Black Folk 181\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntersectionality 183\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRacial Capitalism 183\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCritical Race Theory 184\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCulture Wars 185\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDEI and Affirmation Action 187\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEpilogue: Terms of Reference 188\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter 13: Escape Tunnels in the Walls of Our Imprisonment 190\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Story of a Wall of Imprisonment 191\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Great Wall of China 192\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Lesson of Concrete Walls 193\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEscape Tunnels in the Walls of Our Imprisonment 196\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter 14: The Ultimate Wall: The Sociology of Death and Dying IT’S a Mystery 202\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSex and Death: Where Walls of Imprisonment Meet 205\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGrowing Old and Facing Death 207\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat is Life? 210\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Pleasure of Death 213\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnter Victor Frankl and Bruno Bettelheim 215\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Medicalization of Dying 216\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen you and Others DIE 217\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTolstoy Redux 217\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnter Stage Right, David Brooks, 2025 219\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eExit Stage Left, Sal Restivo, 2025 220\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Meaning of Life 221\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eErnest Becker (1924–1974) 222\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eReferences 224\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBibliography 231\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndex 000\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eSubject Areas: Sociology \u0026amp; anthropology [\u003ca title=\"See our other books on Sociology \u0026amp; anthropology\" href=\"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/search?q=%22Sociology%20\u0026amp;%20anthropology%20%5BJH%5D%22\"\u003eJH\u003c\/a\u003e]\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"Wiley-Blackwell","offers":[{"title":"Brand New","offer_id":52433824645400,"sku":"9781394362561","price":30.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0730\/2037\/5320\/files\/9781394362561.jpg?v=1784854223","url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/sociological-realism-society-as-the-walls-of-our-imprisonment-paperback-softback-9781394362561","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}