The Myth of Individualism How Social Forces Shape Our Lives

The Myth of Individualism is an engaging and accessible introduction to the relationship between self and society. With compelling storytelling, Peter L. Callero dispels the myth of the self-reliant, autonomous actor and demonstrates how our lives are shaped by powerful social forces. These include cultural beliefs and symbols, lifelong socialization processes, the influence of authority and small groups, and the encompassing control of economic systems associated with social class, state power, and mass media. The impact of race, gender, sexuality, and disability on both our identities and resulting inequalities sits at the heart of each chapter. The perfect book for disrupting your worldview and developing your sociological mindset, Callero hones the sociologist within all of us. New to the Fifth Edition: New discussion of de Tocqueville and Durkheim’s research grounds students in the earliest theories of social isolation and individualism New coverage of authoritarianism provides students with historical and global context for understanding contemporary democratic backsliding New emphasis on cooperative, nonviolent movements as vehicles for positive social change, such as “No Kings” protests, gives students reason to hope for a better world New end-of-chapter “Lesson” boxes highlight and reinforce the sociological imagination via topics such as artificial intelligence, NASA’s recent missions in outer space, and politically motivated acts of violence