A Man's Grasp Should Exceed His Reach: A Biography of Sociologist Austin Larimore Porterfield

by Leonard D. Cain

Overview

In A Man's Grasp Should Exceed His Reach, author Leonard Cain delivers a biographical study of Austin Porterfield, a noted sociologist from a small university. This erudite work traces the life of Porterfield from his meager upbringing in an impoverished region of the Ozarks to his influential tenure as a Professor of Sociology at Texas Christian University. Cain's incorporation of reminiscences from Professor Porterfield's graduate students, colleagues, and grandchildren, provides vivid assessments of Porterfield as scholar, teacher, mentor, family member, and public citizen. Emphasis is given to Porterfield's roles as founder and first editor of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, as recruiter of graduate students who subsequently became professors themselves, and as pioneer in several fields of sociology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761831877
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	08/04/2005
Pages:	404
Product dimensions:	6.06(w) x 8.96(h) x 1.21(d)

About the Author

Leonard Cain is Professor of Sociology and Urban Studies Emeritus at Portland State University, Oregon. He received his Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of Texas-Austin.

Table of Contents

1 Foreword; Preface; Acknowledgments Chapter 3 The Porterfield Family Hertiage and Austin's Early Years Chapter 4 The Quest for Higher Education: Combining the Roles of Family Member/Pastor/Student and, Later, the Roles of Family Member/Professor/Student Chapter 5 Sociology at Texas Christian University Before Porterfield Chapter 6 The Porterfield Era at Texas Christian University, 1937-1966: Productivity as Teacher and Community Activist Chapter 7 The Porterfield Era at Texas Christian University, 1937-1966: Productivity as Scholar: Focus on Articles and Chapters Chapter 8 The Porterfield Era at Texas Christian University, 1937-1966: Productivity as Scholar: Focus on Books Chapter 9 The Professor and the Entrepreneur: The Intriguing Partnership of Austin Porterfield and Leo Potishman Chapter 10 The Friendship's Most Enduring Contribution: The Founding and Editing of the Journal of Health and Human Behavior Chapter 11 The Professor in His Post-chairman and Post-retirement Years, 1963-1979 Chapter 12 Index; About the Author 12 The Porterfield Legacy