Abstract
Like reminiscing with an old friend, The Forest and the Trees is an enjoyable conversation about sociology and relevance. Not being one to typically write in the margins and mark up my book, likely harkening back to the days when I was a student concerned about resale value at the bookstore, I found myself with pen in hand writing in the margins. This time it was not because I had to but because I couldn’t help but be drawn to the poignant examples that Johnson provides.
While Patterson (2014) has argued that sociology is a discipline in decline and lacks apparent relevancy, Johnson’s purpose is to challenge the reader to look beyond the facts and terms to see sociology as a worldview rather than as an academic exercise. More than providing the basic material for rote memorization, Johnson engages the reader; students will understand the practicality and essentialness of sociology as a discipline, rather than learning sociology as a required course without larger significance.
The book is clearly organized and well written, centered on the thesis of sociology as practice, including chapters on culture, structure, demography and environment, and social interaction with other topics, such as deviance, sexism, and racism, woven throughout the narrative. However, contrary to being organized like a typical introductory tome, with social constructs separately defined, Johnson introduces the idea of intersectionality easily and consistently throughout. Through Johnson’s examples and anecdotes, it is evident that he has spent much time and action applying sociology to his life and engages the reader in wanting to employ sociology in his or her own life. For example, Johnson details the game of Monopoly as a social system. Not only is Monopoly a game with which most students are familiar, but it is often used as a point of illustration in Introduction to Sociology courses (Fisher 2008; Glasberg et al. 1998; Ritchey, Dietz, and Elrod 2012). Here, the author’s descriptions not only beautifully illustrate the concepts that instructors may employ in demonstration but also provide illustration for those familiar with the game but who do not have the opportunity for in-class application, such as often occurs in large-classroom settings.
The book’s topics and language are written with a broad appeal to be accessible to both lower-level undergraduates and those beginning a graduate career, not only providing an introduction to concepts but also providing a fresh perspective on familiar cues. As a professional, I found the read to be refreshing and relevant, with updated examples of sociological concepts that would be familiar to faculty and students alike. Throughout much of the book I am reminded of enjoying coffee and conversation in overstuffed chairs with a friend and/or colleague. The author’s style is easygoing and conversational, with a natural flow. Due to his fluid style and interweaving of concepts, the written conversation continues to flourish, rather than halting to change topics from one chapter to the next.
In this third edition of the book, Johnson has included many enhancements, including a handy glossary for students; updated references and data that help to draw students in with information they find relevant; and contemporized examples, including President Obama’s election, gay marriage, and the Occupy Wall Street movement, among others. I find the updating and contemporizing of particular importance when considering that students tend to be dismissive of information that they view as dated. Chapter 6, “Things Are Not What They Seem,” includes a new framework to think more critically through the short essays, including a new essay written about the invisibility of men’s violence despite that men are typically the perpetrators of violence, mining through easier, surface explanations. Finally, chapter 7 has a new focus of sociology as a worldview, providing an analysis of the origins of white privilege.
While the book is well written and engaging, the few provided figures left me wanting. Rather than advancing the images that were so eloquently promoted through the text, I found the few provided figures to be unnecessary, if not distracting. The figures either provided no real value or lacked clarity. The figures pulled me away from the conversation, like a telemarketer interrupting a deep and interesting conversation. For example, the figure “Role Structure of a Heterosexual Marriage with One Child” identifies five roles, while the text indicates that eight roles are present.
As a teaching resource, this book provides ample opportunity for instructors to expand discussions and illustrations with their students. For example, by following Johnson’s example of family as social structure, students could define their own family structures and the respective roles and expectations of role holders. Throughout this text, I could not help but consider how these concepts might be helpful illustrations to my own students. Following Johnson’s model of family as social structure, I considered that students could then start to look at power distribution within their own families and the paths of least resistance that we follow in maintaining norms. An instructor could have students think about alternate (nonphysical) power, including who pays the bills, who drives the vehicle, who decides what will be served at meals, who controls the remote control, and who enforces the household rules. This information could then lead to group discussions that would reinforce the social structure of families by having students identify similarities and differences across families.
Another example that came to my mind to be elaborated upon in a teaching moment would be the social construction of time, further building on the author’s interwoven example of social constructionism. An interesting exercise that I thought would be a useful application, even for large classrooms, would be to begin a 9:00 class by asking whether we can all agree that it is 9 (even if it’s not). Most students will have watches or time devices that are plus or minus a minute or two. Then, all could refer to the world clock. Ask how it is that at a single point time, the clock can indicate so many different hours, while the minutes typically remain constant. (Some countries, such as Afghanistan, have a difference in minutes, as well.) Students will likely refer to the issuance of time zones. Have them discuss who created time zones and why this became important. Spoiler alert: This became important with the need to regulate train schedules in the late 1800s (Timeanddate.com 2015). Add the complication of Daylight Saving Time, which is followed not universally but rather by choice of state or community (IDEA 2008). Finally, cultural differences in time orientation further impact the social construction of time with monochromic versus polychromic individuals, or individuals who focus on tasks versus relationships, which impacts how people approach time (Iowa State University N.d.).
In short, The Forest and the Trees is a great conversation turned conversation starter between professor and students. Having students think critically about sociology as a mind-set is of great value and is made clearer through Johnson’s accessible writing style.