Steve Bruce (1)Besprekingen

The author argues for sociology as a professional study of industrialised societies, as distinct from advocacy for social problems, and upholds the idea that it is possible without falling into a meaningless relativism.

I have very mixed feelings about this book.

On one hand, there is no denying that Ian Paisley has had an enormous impact on Northern Irish politics over the last half-century and deserves the academic attention that his republican counterparts have received.

On the other hand, on a personal level, the man disgusts me in just about every possible way, and this book is very firmly sympathetic.

Two things that really bothered me about the bias in this book - first, the assertion that Paisley and the bigoted bile he spewed did nothing whatsoever to inflame the political situation in Northern Ireland. This is absolutely ridiculous. It may very well be that he has no ties to paramilitary groups. But spewing hate and intolerance into a supercharged atmosphere is far from being an innocent act.

Secondly, I was disgusted by the feeling at the end of the book. It felt that the author was attempting to make Paisley and the DUP out to be the saviors of the peace process when they had spent decades trying to undermine it, blaming the political problems since 2003 on nearly everyone except the majority party in the province.

All in all a maddening but interesting book.

I have very mixed feelings about this book.

On one hand, there is no denying that Ian Paisley has had an enormous impact on Northern Irish politics over the last half-century and deserves the academic attention that his republican counterparts have received.

On the other hand, on a personal level, the man disgusts me in just about every possible way, and this book is very firmly sympathetic.

Two things that really bothered me about the bias in this book - first, the assertion that Paisley and the bigoted bile he spewed did nothing whatsoever to inflame the political situation in Northern Ireland. This is absolutely ridiculous. It may very well be that he has no ties to paramilitary groups. But spewing hate and intolerance into a supercharged atmosphere is far from being an innocent act.

Secondly, I was disgusted by the feeling at the end of the book. It felt that the author was attempting to make Paisley and the DUP out to be the saviors of the peace process when they had spent decades trying to undermine it, blaming the political problems since 2003 on nearly everyone except the majority party in the province.

All in all a maddening but interesting book.

Book added April 2008 as a test item

Drawing on studies of social class, crime and deviance, work in bureaucracies, and changes in religious and political organizations, this Very Short Introduction explores the tension between the individual's role in society and society's role in shaping the individual, and demonstrates the value of sociology as a perspective for understanding the modern world.