Open Educational Resources and Sociology

The curated collection of OER provided below was developed by the ASCCC OERI Sociology Discipline Lead. If you are interested in seeing how available OER might be used to develop a sociology associate degree for transfer that is a zero textbook cost (“ZTC”) degree, please see OER and the Sociology TMC.

General Resources

• Sociology Vibes – Youtube videos (CC-BY-NC)
  The YouTube channel is @SociologyVibes, and the videos are also categorized by playlists (similar to common Introduction to Sociology chapters). More videos will be uploaded regularly. Each YouTube video descriptor includes three reflection questions. Videos can supplement lectures, assignments, and student success resources.

Introduction to Sociology (C-ID SOCI 110)

• Introduction to Sociology 3e (OpenStax) (CC BY)

  Introduction to Sociology 2e (OpenStax) – LibreTexts (CC BY 4.0) ; Introductory Sociology (Pelz, Lumen Learning) (License varies)

  This courseware includes resources copyrighted and openly licensed materials authored by multiple individuals and organizations. Click the words “Licenses and Attributions” at the bottom of each page for copyright and licensing information specific to the material on that page.

  

• Sociology (Barkan) – LibreTexts (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

  

• Sociology (Boundless) – LibreTexts (CC BY-SA)

  

• Introduction to Sociology (Hammond and Cheney) – LibreTexts (CC BY)

  

• Introduction to Sociology (College of the Canyons) – PDF (CC BY 4.0)

  An update of the Hammond and Cheney text.

  

• Sociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World (Saylor Academy, 2016) (CC BY-NC-SA)

  Use reported by faculty member at Southwestern college.
  Note: The version by the University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing Services is unpublished as of 12/31/24.

  

Social Problems (C-ID SOCI 115)

Two resources uploaded that are virtually the same. Content is good.

• Social Problems: Continuity and Change (Lumen Learning for SUNY) (CC BY-NC-SA)

  

• Social Problems: Continuity and Change (College of the Canyons, 2015) (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

  

Introduction to Research Methods (C-ID SOCI 120)

Two of the three resources uploaded are virtually the same. Content is good.

• An Introduction to Research Methods in Sociology (Sheppard, 2019) (CC BY-NC-SA)

  

• Research Methods for the Social Sciences (Pelz, Lumen Learning) (License varies)

  This courseware includes resources copyrighted and openly licensed by multiple individuals and organizations. Click the words “Licenses and Attributions” at the bottom of each page for copyright and licensing information specific to the material on that page.

  

• Social Science Research: Principles, Methods and Practices (Revised edition) (Bhattacherjee, 2019) (CC BY-SA 4.0)

  

• Sociology 102 Principles of Sociological Inquiry (College of the Canyons, 2017) (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

  

• SPSS for Windows, Version 23: A basic tutorial (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

  “This book is intended for those who want to learn the basics of SPSS. It can be used as a text in a class or by those working independently. Each chapter has instructions that guide you through a series of problems, as well as graphics showing you what your screen should look like at various steps in the process. There are also exercises at the end of each chapter for further practice and more exercises and teaching modules are on the Teaching Resources page of the Social Science Research and Instructional Center (SSRIC) website.

  

Introduction to Statistics in Sociology (C-ID SOCI 125)

• Introductory Statistics (OpenStax) – LibreTexts (CC BY 4.0)

  Introductory Statistics (OpenStax) (CC BY 4.0)

  This text follows the scope and sequence requirements of a one-semester introduction to statistics course and is geared toward students majoring in fields other than math or engineering. The text assumes some knowledge of intermediate algebra and focuses on statistics application over theory. Introductory Statistics includes innovative practical applications that make the text relevant and accessible, as well as collaborative exercises, technology integration problems, and statistics labs.

  

• Statistics for the Social Sciences (Pelz, Lumen Learning) (License varies)

  This courseware includes resources copyrighted and openly licensed by multiple individuals and organizations. Click the words “Licenses and Attributions” at the bottom of each page for copyright and licensing information specific to the material on that page.

  

• PSPP (CC BY-NC-SA)

  Free software for statistical analysis

  

Introduction to Marriage and Family (C-ID SOCI 130) 

• Contemporary Families – An Equity Lens (Pearce) – LibreTexts (CC BY 4.0)

  Contemporary Families – An Equity Lens (Pearce) (CC BY)
  This openly licensed text, created with students, approaches contemporary families from an equity lens. It asks two questions relevant to the Difference, Power, and Discrimination outcomes at Linn-Benton Community College and Oregon State University: “What do families need?” and “How do society and institutions support or get in the way of families getting what they need?”

  

• Sociology of the Family (Hammond) (CC BY)

  In all societies, the family is the premier institution for all of the following: socialization of children, adult intimate relationships, life-long economic support and cooperation, and continuity of relationships along the life-course. Sociologists are leaders among scientists who study the family. They have functioned in a core assessment role for describing, explaining, and predicting family-based social patterns for the United States and other countries of the world. Sociologists have allowed us to understand the larger social and personal level trends in families.

  

• Intimate Relationships and Families (College of the Canyons) – PDF (CC BY)

  

• Parenting and Family Diversity Issues- Diana L. Lang (Iowa State University Digital Press, 2020) (CC BY-NC-SA)

  

Introduction to Gender (C-ID SOCI 140)

• Introduction to Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies (Kang, Lessard, & Heston, 2017) (CC BY 4.0)

  This textbook introduces key feminist concepts and analytical frameworks used in the interdisciplinary Women, Gender, Sexualities field. It unpacks the social construction of knowledge and categories of difference, processes and structures of power and inequality, with a focus on gendered labor in the global economy, and the historical development of feminist social movements. The book emphasizes feminist sociological approaches to analyzing structures of power, drawing heavily from empirical feminist research.

  

• Global Women’s Issues: Women in the World Today, extended version (Bureau of International Information Programs, United States Department of State) (Public Domain)

  

• Introduction to Women’s Studies (College of the Canyons, 2017) (CC BY 4.0)

  

• Gendered Lives: Global Issues- Milne Open Textbooks (Fernandez and Nelson, 2021) (CC BY)

  

• The American LGBTQ Rights Movement: an introduction- Morgan and Rodriguez (Humboldt State University Press) (CC BY-SA)

  

Introduction to Race and Ethnicity (C-ID SOCI 150)

• Sociology of Race and Ethnicity (Ounjian, 2023) (CC BY-NC-SA)

  

• Immigrant and Refugee Families (Ballard et al.) – LibreTexts (CC BY-NC)

  Immigrant and Refugee Families: Global Perspectives on Displacement and Resettlement Experiences offers an interdisciplinary perspective on immigrant and refugee families’ challenges and resilience across multiple domains, including economic, political, health, and human rights. This text uses a family systems lens to discuss the challenges and strengths of immigrant and refugee families in the United States. Chapters address immigration policy, human rights issues, economic stress, mental health and traumatic stress, domestic violence, substance abuse, family resilience, and methods of integration

  

• Minority Studies (Dunn) – LibreTexts (CC BY)

  

• Race and Ethnic Relations in the U.S.: An Intersectional Approach (2021) – LibreTexts (CC BY-NC-SA)

  Supported by the ASCCC-OERI, this open text was compiled by six diverse, community college sociology faculty from Long Beach City College, Cerritos College, and Santiago Canyon College. With an eye on social justice and intersectionality, the text provides a sociological analysis of the history, demographics, and contemporary experiences of the following race-ethnic groups: African Americans, Asian American Pacific Islanders, Euro Americans, Latinx, Native Americans, Middle Eastern Americans, and immigrants. This text is suitable for a sociology course on race and ethnic relations or a social justice studies introductory course.

  

• Beyond Race: Cultural Influences on Human Social Life (Kennedy, 2018) (CC BY-NC-SA)

  This brief (5 chapter) text is not a complete text and focuses relevant theory and research in cultural sociology.

  

Introduction to Crime (C-ID SOCI 160)

• Introduction to the American Criminal Justice System (Burke, Carter, Fedorek, Morey, Rutz-Burri, Sanchez) (CC BY-SA)

  One needs to look through all the resources here. There is sufficient material to create a text, but an instructor would need to organize it to suit their needs.

  

• ”Criminology” search query on Geneseo
• Fundamental Cases in Criminal Justice (McKee) (OER-QMS)

  

• Criminal Justice: A Overview of the System (McKee, 2018) (OER-QMS)

  Note: Producing, offering, distributing, and editing the work requires the express written permission of the Creator.

  

• Introduction to Criminology- Lecture Slides (Ramirez, 2020) (CC BY)

  

Additional Sociology Courses

Introduction to Social Psychology

• Principles of Social Psychology (Author not attributed) (CC BY-NC-SA)
• Principles of Social Psychology (2015) (CC BY-NC-SA)
  Have you ever had trouble teaching the various topics of social psychology and fitting them together to form a coherent field? Unnamed Author felt like he was presenting a laundry list of ideas, research studies, and phenomena, rather than an integrated set of principles and knowledge. He wondered how his students could be expected to remember and understand the many phenomena that social psychologists study? How could they tell what was most important? It was then that he realized a fresh approach to a Social Psychology textbook was needed to structure and integrate student learning; thus, Principles of Social Psychology was born.
• Together: The Science of Social Psychology (NOBA) (CC BY-NC-SA)
  This textbook presents core concepts common to introductory social psychology courses. The 8 units include 27 modules covering key social psych topics such as research methods, group processes, social influence, and relationships. This book can be modified: feel free to add or remove modules to better suit your specific needs.

Introduction to Social Work

• Introduction to Social Work (Gladden et al.) – LibreTexts (CC BY)
  This book was written by MSW students as their final project for their Capstone class. Students were each assigned a chapter of the book to write to show that they had achieved competency as a Master’s level social worker. Chapters were assigned based on student interest and experience in certain areas of the field. The 2017 MSW class was excited to be able to contribute to the learning of their peers by writing this book! The book was written to the specifications of the SCWK 110 instructors at Ferris State University in the summer of 2017.
• Careers in Sociology (Vera Kennedy- West Hills College) (CC BY-NC-SA) Last updated 2/19/2021

Introduction to Human Sexuality

• Sexuality, the Self, and Society (Rahman, Bowman, Jackson, Lushtak, Newman, and Sunder) (CC BY)
  The materials in this book are a co-creation of new and existing Open Educational Resources (OERs) put together by a group of authors to give the reader an introductory overview to the study of Human Sexuality. The reader will examine their experience with their own sexuality, and perhaps delve a little deeper into a subject that often does not get the attention it deserves, particularly when taking a holistic approach to understanding the self.

Related to other Discipline OER

• Sociology of Sport (Georgia Highlands College, 2022) (CC-BY-NC-SA)
  An open textbook comprised of 16 chapters with videos and Powerpoint presentations. Chapters include youth sports, high school and college sports, race/ethnicity, age & disability, religion, and more.

Using an OER resource that is missing from the list above? If so, please let us know. 

This page last updated on November 13, 2024.