Sociology

Purpose: To support teaching and research through the Ph.D. level in Sociology. Undergraduate areas of specialization include: general sociology, social research and data analysis, law and social control, society environment and technology, personnel and human relations, business and the economy, the family as an institution, and social welfare. Graduate areas of specialization include: criminology and deviance, sociology of the family, social psychology, environmental sociology, political sociology, organizational sociology, social stratification, methods and statistics and gender.

The present collection is adequate for undergraduate instruction in the eight areas of specialization, but additional materials for faculty research should be provided. These materials would also be used by graduate students in sociology as well as students in the fields of anthropology, communications, economics, education, environmental science, human development, law, medicine, political science, religion, psychology, and women studies.

1. Languages: English is the primary language of collection. Works written in other languages are ordinarily purchased only in English translation. The original texts of the writing of major sociologists are acquired no matter what the language
2. Chronological Guidelines: Primary emphasis is on acquiring materials in the 21^st century, especially those which are most current. There is selective acquisition of historical materials.
3. Geographical Guidelines: Primary focus of interest is on materials from the United States, Great Britain, and Western Europe. There may be selective acquisition of materials in other geographical areas.
4. Treatment of the Subject: Popular-level materials and upper-division textbooks may be selectively acquired. Lower-division textbooks, biographies of sociologists, and case studies are selectively collected.
5. Types of Material: Most materials acquired are in the form of books and periodicals. Basic reference materials, such as abstracts and indexes, are purchased. Proceedings of symposia and international congresses, and annual reports of private or quasi-public agencies, including foundations, are purchased selectively. Statistical materials of all types are obtained in quantity, as well as relevant government documents at the national, state, and international level. Items such as indexes, abstracts, periodical articles, encyclopedias, etc. may be purchased in electronic format when pricing and ease of use make this an appropriate medium.
6. Date of Publication: Emphasis is on materials published since 2000. Retrospective purchasing is very selective and may involve microform, reprints, or photocopies instead of the original format.
7. Other General Considerations: Additional resources on the WSU campus include the Social and Economic Sciences Research Center, which provides assistance with statistical analysis and access to federal census data tapes. Also, ICPSR (Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research) datafiles can be downloaded directly by any WSU student, faculty or staff. The University of Idaho Law Library may be used for intensive legal research.