''Invitation to Sociology: A Humanistic Perspective'' is a 1963 book about

sociology Sociology is a social science that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. It uses various methods of Empirical ...

by the sociologist

Peter L. Berger Peter Ludwig Berger (17 March 1929 – 27 June 2017) was an Austrian-born American sociologist and Protestant theologian. Berger became known for his work in the sociology of knowledge, the sociology of religion, study of modernization, and theor ...

, in which the author sets out the intellectual parameters and calling of the discipline of sociology.

Background

Berger was a student of social scientist

Alfred Schütz Alfred Schutz (; born Alfred Schütz, ; 1899–1959) was an Austrian philosopher and social phenomenologist whose work bridged sociological and phenomenological traditions. Schutz is gradually being recognized as one of the 20th century's leadin ...

, and was influenced by Schütz's approach to sociology.

Summary

The book sets out to introduce the field of sociology to interested parties, especially potential students, and to highlight key concepts and themes in sociology. It clarifies both what sociology is, and also what sociology is not (for example - by clearing up confusion with related terms such as

social work Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...

). Philosophical and historical reflections recur throughout this short book. For example, Berger addresses the complementary approaches to the study of society developed by

Max Weber Maximilian Karl Emil Weber (; ; 21 April 186414 June 1920) was a German sociologist, historian, jurist and political economist, who is regarded as among the most important theorists of the development of modern Western society. His ideas profo ...

and

Émile Durkheim David Émile Durkheim ( or ; 15 April 1858 – 15 November 1917) was a French sociologist. Durkheim formally established the academic discipline of sociology and is commonly cited as one of the principal architects of modern social science, al ...

. Also, which types of questions sociologists may seek to answer (such as the social consequences of religious belief) and those which they cannot address through sociology proper (for example, philosophical questions on the

existence of God The existence of God (or more generally, the existence of deities) is a subject of debate in theology, philosophy of religion and popular culture. A wide variety of arguments for and against the existence of God or deities can be categorized ...

). Berger emphasizes that sociology is a broad academic discipline; it is both a body of knowledge and a way of

viewing the world A worldview or world-view or ''Weltanschauung'' is the fundamental cognitive orientation of an individual or society encompassing the whole of the individual's or society's knowledge, culture, and Perspective (cognitive), point of view. A worldv ...

, rather than being merely a prescriptive methodology for achieving certain social goals. As his central theme, Berger advocates that sociology should emphasize its

humanistic Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humani ...

aspects, rather than adopting the image of

positivistic Positivism is an empiricist philosophical theory that holds that all genuine knowledge is either true by definition or positive—meaning ''a posteriori'' facts derived by reason and logic from sensory experience.John J. Macionis, Linda M. G ...

scientism Scientism is the opinion that science and the scientific method are the best or only way to render truth about the world and reality. While the term was defined originally to mean "methods and attitudes typical of or attributed to natural scientis ...

favored by the natural sciences. For example, Berger espouses a focus on historical processes and on the role of persons, their biographies, their concrete social situations, and the moral exercise of their agency, instead of an overly narrow focus on statistical analysis of data in an impersonal fashion. The content is wide-ranging and engaging for beginners; among other topics, Berger alludes to

Machiavellianism Machiavellianism or Machiavellian may refer to: Politics *Machiavellianism (politics), the supposed political philosophy of Niccolò Machiavelli *Political realism Psychology *Machiavellianism (psychology), a personality trait centered on cold an ...

Marxism Marxism is a Left-wing politics, left-wing to Far-left politics, far-left method of socioeconomic analysis that uses a Materialism, materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to understand S ...

psychoanalysis PsychoanalysisFrom Greek: + . is a set of theories and therapeutic techniques"What is psychoanalysis? Of course, one is supposed to answer that it is many things — a theory, a research method, a therapy, a body of knowledge. In what might b ...

existentialism Existentialism ( ) is a form of philosophical inquiry that explores the problem of human existence and centers on human thinking, feeling, and acting. Existentialist thinkers frequently explore issues related to the meaning, purpose, and valu ...

, the

caste system Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultura ...

and

race Race, RACE or "The Race" may refer to: * Race (biology), an informal taxonomic classification within a species, generally within a sub-species * Race (human categorization), classification of humans into groups based on physical traits, and/or s ...

, and

Black pride Black Pride in the United States is a movement which encourages black people to celebrate African-American culture and embrace their African heritage. In the United States, it was a direct response to white racism especially during the Civi ...

, stating of the latter in 1963, that it is "building up a counter-formation of a black racism that is but a shadow of its white prototype."Berger, Peter. ''Invitation to Sociology''. Pelican Press. 1966. The author also ends the book with an appeal to sociologists and students to exercise their moral awareness and a sense of responsibility to use sociology to advance

humane Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, an ...

causes, human freedom and human

dignity Dignity is the right of a person to be valued and respected for their own sake, and to be treated ethically. It is of significance in morality, ethics, law and politics as an extension of the Enlightenment-era concepts of inherent, inalienable ...

Influence and reception

Many of the themes presented in ''Invitation to Sociology: A Humanistic Perspective'' were later developed in Berger's 1966 book ''

The Social Construction of Reality ''The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge'' (1966), by Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann, proposes that social groups and individual persons who interact with each other, within in a system of social classes, ...

'', coauthored with

Thomas Luckmann Thomas Luckmann (; October 14, 1927 – May 10, 2016) was an American-Austrian sociologist of German and Slovene origin who taught mainly in Germany. Born in Jesenice, Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Luckmann studied philosophy and linguistics at the Uni ...

.Hunter, James Davison, Albert J. Bergesen, and Edith Kurzweil. ''Cultural Analysis: The Work of Peter L. Berger, Mary Douglas, Michel Foucault and Jürgen Habermas''. Vol. 5. Routledge, 2009. The philosopher Helmut R. Wagner called ''Invitation to Sociology'' a "very readable discussion of the field of sociology".

References

{{reflist 1963 non-fiction books American non-fiction books Books by Peter L. Berger Doubleday (publisher) books English-language books Sociology books