Baker University Professor of Sociology Tim Buzzell is finding additional ways to teach students.

Buzzell recently co-wrote a textbook for sociology students.

“Power, Politics, & Society: An Introduction to Political Sociology” is the book Buzzel co-authored about how sociologists explain and describe politics.

The book looks at political culture and the nature of its shifting values in the last five years.

“It is an attempt to update students how sociologists study politics and their theories that correspond with their ideas,” Buzzell said.

Buzzel co-wrote this book with two friends he has done a number of other projects with.  The three friends wanted to produce a textbook for this field, and to share their research in a fresh, innovative way for students in every classroom. The professors worked on the project for four years and Buzzell said it was a dream come true for the final project to be completed.

“Writing is one of my passions,” Buzzell said. “It felt like a natural thing to do; write an engaging book over the research we have studied over the last years.”

Buzzell said his passion for writing is a way that helps him teach. Researching for the textbook is part of being a professor and he said the enthusiasm for his courses comes from his research.

“Having passion for my subject matter and sharing that with my students is teaching,” Buzzell said.

Senior Katie Sellers admires Buzzell for his work. The content in his book is very closely related to her senior seminar paper.

“Him writing a book says a lot about the faculty members we have at Baker and the quality of professors we have,” Sellers said.

Buzzell wants to make an impact on students and “catch the spark” for students to have passion for sociology like he does. He wants to show that sociologists see the world differently, using a different analytic tool.

This book was a way for him to show his curiosity to learn and then in return, learn more. Writing was his learning process, and Buzzell hopes to do more research to do another book or some project in the future.

“I am a student, too,” Buzzell said. “And this book was my big term paper.”