Schools And Societies: Second Edition

"The new edition of Schools and Societies is an impressive expansion of the original book. It is an excellent review of the whole field of the sociology of education from a broad macro-sociological point of view. It will find many uses--as an undergraduate and graduate textbook, as an authoritative sourcebook, and as a set of interesting and thoughtful interpretations of research and theory in the field. It is the leading work in its genre, and the central text for those looking for a broadly comparative and historical review of the sociology of education."--John Meyer, Stanford University
"If you have time to read only one book on the contours of social and political analysis of schooling in modern society, Brint's Schools and Societies would be an excellent choice. Brint weaves divergent perspectives and complicated research findings on schools into a readable story about what scholars and policy analysts alike are coming to understand about formal education. This book is equally valuable as an introduction to the field for students as it is a refresher for the expert."--David P. Baker, Pennsylvania State University

"Schools and Societies" provides a synthesis of key issues in the sociology of education, focusing on American schools while offering a global, comparative context. Already a standard text in its first edition, this fully revised and updated second edition offers a broader sweep and stronger theoretical foundation, and takes into consideration key developments in education policy and scholarship since the late 1990s.
The book is distinguished from others in the field by its breadth of coverage, compelling institutional history, and lively prose style. It opens with a chapter on schooling as a social institution. Subsequent chapters examine and compare schooling in industrialized and developing countries, and discuss the major purposes of schooling: transmitting culture, socializing young people, and sorting youth for class and occupations. Materials from different educational systems are interwoven throughout the book. The concluding chapter looks at school reform efforts and the future possibilities of schooling.