The celebration of individualism has long been a defining characteristic of American society. Our movies, music, and children's stories are awash with themes of self-reliance, independence, and success against all odds. But when does individualism become something darker? How does this idea blind us to the social structures that quietly but powerfully shape our lives? And how does it limit our ability to achieve positive social change?

The Myth of Individualism is an engaging and accessible introduction to the relationship between self and society. With compelling story-telling, Peter Callero dispels the myth of the self-reliant autonomous actor and demonstrates how our lives are shaped by powerful social forces. These include the power of cultural beliefs and symbols, lifelong socialization processes, the influence of authority, the power of small groups, and the encompassing control of economic systems associated with social class, state power, and mass media. The impact of race, gender, sexuality, and disability on both our identities and resulting inequalities sits at the heart of each chapter.

The perfect book for disrupting your worldview and developing your sociological mindset, Callero hones the sociologist within all of us.

New to the Fifth Edition:
- New discussion of Tocqueville and Durkheim's research grounds students in the earliest theories on social isolation and individualism
- New coverage of authoritarianism provides students with historical and global context for understanding contemporary democratic backsliding
- New emphasis on the power of cooperative nonviolent movements for positive social change, such as “No Kings” protests, gives students reason to hope for a better world
- New end-of-chapter “Lesson” boxes highlight and reenforce the sociological imagination via topics such as artificial intelligence, NASA's recent missions in outer space, and politically motivated acts of violence