The Sociological Quest: An Introduction to the Study of Social Life

Starting Sociology can be daunting. This user-friendly introduction takes the reader on a quest towards a sociological understanding of the world we live in. Using contemporary examples, The Sociological Quest asks what is distinctive about the way Sociologists view society. Haydn Aarons and Evan Willis show that they are concerned with the relationships between the individual and society, and that a sociological analysis involves an approach which is historical, cultural, structural, and critical.

This sixth edition has been thoroughly revised and updated and includes new material on identities, social change, social movements, populism, climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, digital interaction, and social media. Also included in the sixth edition is an expanded chapter on empirical research in Sociology and the research process, as well as a new chapter on careers in Sociology.

Haydn Aarons is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, Australia. He has been teaching and researching in Sociology for over twenty years. He has published widely on a range of sociological topics including religion, health, rural communities, cultural consumption, and quantitative research methods.

Evan Willis is Adjunct Professor of Public Health at La Trobe University, Australia. He has had a long and distinguished career as a researcher and teacher in Sociology. His book, Medical Dominance: The Division of Labour in Australian Health Care (Routledge, 1989), was winner of the Australian Sociological Association Award in 2003 for the Ten Most Influential Books in Sociology.