Jon Eastwood Publishes New Book The professor of sociology’s book, titled “Social Structure: Relationships, Representations and Rules,” was released on Feb. 26.

By Brian Laubscher
February 28, 2025

Jon Eastwood, professor of sociology at Washington and Lee University, has released a new book titled “Social Structure: Relationships, Representations and Rules” that hit bookshelves on Feb. 26.

The 216-page publication, printed by Polity, is meant to bring clarity to discussion of one of sociology’s central and most-debated concepts. The book offers a set of pragmatic strategies for thinking about social structures and discusses the implications of those strategies for qualitative and quantitative research, the analysis of social problems, and the design and evaluation of social policies.

“What was most meaningful about this book for me was the way it grew out of working with students,” said Eastwood. “The book idea started in a class, and a couple students later worked closely with me in thinking through several key ideas, while additional students and alumni diligently read and commented on a draft and more. Thinking with smart and engaged undergraduates has changed the way I approach questions like those posed in this book, and the opportunity to regularly do so is one of my favorite things about working at W&L.”

Eastwood also co-authored the book “Comparative Politics: Integrating Theories, Methods, and Cases,” alongside the late J. Tyler Dickovick, former Grigsby Term Professor of Politics. The book has been produced in four different editions over the years, with the latest version being issued in March 2023. This most recent edition was also co-authored by Robin LeBlanc, professor of politics, and Zoila Ponce de León, now of the University of Pittsburgh.

Eastwood has been a member of the W&L faculty since 2006 and currently serves as chair of the Sociology and Anthropology Department. He earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Ph.D. from Boston University.

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