The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology (2007) edited by G. Ritzer, one of the standards reference works in sociology, is now available online. This new edition replaces the second edition of the Encyclopedia of Sociology (2000), a set of five volumes with 397 entries edited by E. F. Borgatta and R. J. V. Montgomery. The new edition is over twice the size with 11 volumes and 1,786 entries. It covers a number of new and expanding fields such as the “sociology of consumption and sport” and “body and cultural sociology.” Starbucks and Whole Foods Market are represented as well. Updates are added at least twice a year. Among recent updates were entries on macrosociology, consumer society, gun control and online social networking.

The online Encyclopedia includes a time-line that lists “over 700 of the most influential events, figures, and publications to have made an impact on the field.”  Essays on Theory and Methods are helpful overviews for new students in the field. All key thinkers and concepts are included. More detailed essays can be found in the Blackwell Companions to Sociology, which are also available online.

Bookmark the Encyclopedia for daily use or access it via the Library’s web site. Links can be found in the online catalog as well as on the sociology subject guide.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments that you may have.