Looking for social sciences books pdf? We've gathered 37 free social sciences textbooks in PDF, covering sociology, psychology, anthropology, political science, economics, history, and pedagogy.
These are the textbooks students actually use, from OpenStax intros to classic readers on power, society, and human behavior. Whether you're starting Sociology 101 or digging into Mill's Principles of Political Economy, there's something here for you.
Browse our top picks by discipline. Every textbook is free to read online or download as PDF.
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Overview
Social Sciences Books
Start with these introductions to social science research methods and the field as a whole. Each book covers what the discipline studies and how researchers approach human behavior and society.
An open Pressbooks textbook that surveys the social sciences as a coherent field, covering anthropology, sociology, political science, geography, and economics with applied case studies from contemporary global issues.
A practical research handbook covering principles, methods, and ethics for doctoral and postgraduate students in social science, business, and education. Walks through the full research cycle from theory building to data analysis with worked examples and clear methodology.
A practical research methods textbook walking through the full lifecycle of a study, from research questions and ethics to sampling, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and reporting. Loaded with examples and exercises from public safety and social services.
A guide to qualitative research designed for undergraduate and graduate students in the social sciences. Covers interviews, ethnography, focus groups, content analysis, coding, and writing up findings, with examples drawn from real fieldwork.
Sociology studies how people interact, form groups, and shape the structures that organize daily life. These five intro textbooks are used in college classrooms across the United States and Canada.
OpenStax third edition of a college-level introduction to sociology, with 21 chapters covering theory, research, culture, deviance, race, gender, work, and social change. Includes review questions, key terms, and short answer prompts.
A concise introductory sociology textbook that distills core theories, methods, and research findings into 18 focused chapters. Strong coverage of inequality, social institutions, and social change, with discussion questions and key takeaways at every chapter.
Adapted Canadian edition of an introductory sociology textbook covering theory, research methods, culture, socialization, deviance, social stratification, and global inequality. Includes Canadian case studies and updated references.
An introductory sociology textbook designed for health science students, blending classical theory with applications to public health, family, gender, and development. Lecture notes prepared in collaboration with The Carter Center.
A concise CUNY open educational resource that introduces core sociological concepts and theories, designed for community college students. Focused chapters on culture, socialization, deviance, and social inequality with classroom-ready activities.
An adapted introductory psychology textbook covering biology of behavior, sensation and perception, learning, memory, intelligence, lifespan development, and abnormal psychology. Annotated diagrams and study aids throughout.
A cognitive psychology textbook covering attention, perception, memory systems, language, problem solving, and reasoning. Built for upper-division undergraduate courses with classroom exercises and visual summaries.
A comprehensive social psychology textbook covering attitudes, group dynamics, attraction, prejudice, aggression, and social influence. International H5P edition with interactive activities and updated research from Stangor, Jhangiani, and Tarry.
A concise introduction to psychology written for health extension workers, with practical chapters on perception, learning, motivation, personality, and abnormal behavior. Lecture notes prepared in collaboration with The Carter Center.
A focused introduction to core psychological principles for occupational health and safety practitioners. Covers learning, motivation, perception, and individual differences with applications to workplace behavior and risk management.
Political science looks at power, government, and how citizens shape public life. The selection ranges from American government textbooks to John Stuart Mill's foundational work on political economy.
OpenStax third edition introduction to American government and politics, covering constitutional foundations, civil rights, federalism, Congress, the presidency, the judiciary, and policymaking. Includes critical thinking questions and key vocabulary.
A foundational textbook on political theory for undergraduate semesters, covering the state, sovereignty, law, liberty, equality, justice, and rights. Each chapter ends with revision questions and recommended readings.
A UNESCO question-and-answer guide to democracy in 80 entries, covering elections, accountable government, civil society, rights, and contemporary challenges. Illustrated with cartoons by Plantu of Le Monde.
A unit-based introduction to political theory covering classical and modern thinkers, foundational concepts of power and justice, and key institutions of political life. Designed as a course textbook with summary questions per unit.
The classic treatise on political economy by John Stuart Mill, covering production, distribution, exchange, and the role of government in the economy. Remains a foundational text in classical economic and political thought.
Economics studies how people, firms, and societies decide what to produce and how to share scarce resources. These textbooks cover micro and macro fundamentals at the introductory level.
OpenStax second edition principles of economics textbook spanning both microeconomics and macroeconomics, with chapters on supply and demand, market structures, labor markets, monetary policy, and international economics.
OpenStax third edition principles of microeconomics, covering consumer choice, firm behavior, market structures, factor markets, market failures, and government policy. Combines clear graphs with worked examples and review problems.
David Shapiro, Daniel Macdonald and Steven A. Greenlaw
OpenStax third edition introduction to macroeconomics, covering GDP, inflation, unemployment, fiscal and monetary policy, exchange rates, and economic growth. Loaded with graphs, real-world examples, and end-of-chapter problems.
David Shapiro, Daniel Macdonald and Steven A. Greenlaw
A complete principles of economics textbook covering both microeconomics and macroeconomics, with detailed coverage of markets, consumer theory, fiscal policy, and international trade. Adapted by University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing.
A principles of microeconomics textbook organized around real-world applications, motivating each theoretical tool with a concrete decision students recognize. Covers consumer and producer behavior, market structures, factor markets, externalities, and policy.
Anthropology studies humans across cultures, time, and biology, from ancient tools to modern identities. These textbooks introduce both cultural and evolutionary approaches to the field.
OpenStax introduction to anthropology integrating the four-field approach across cultural, biological, archaeological, and linguistic anthropology. Strong coverage of contemporary issues including globalization, health, race, and indigenous rights.
Jennifer Hasty, David G. Lewis and Marjorie M. Snipes
An open-access cultural anthropology textbook by Michael Wesch that uses storytelling, photography, and ethnographic fieldwork to introduce culture, language, kinship, religion, and identity. Designed to spark wonder and questioning rather than memorization.
Essays bridging evolutionary biology, cognitive science, and anthropology to explain how human cultural patterns emerge from universal mind processes. Pascal Boyer applies the scientific lens to religion, kinship, morality, and conflict.
An open introduction to cultural anthropology from the American Anthropological Association covering culture, fieldwork, language, kinship, religion, economics, gender, and globalization. Each chapter is written by working anthropologists and includes vivid ethnographic examples.
Nina Brown, Thomas McIlwraith, Laura Tubelle de Gonzalez
An introduction to sociocultural anthropology covering culture concept, kinship, religion, economic systems, and ethnographic methods, written for health science students. Lecture notes developed with The Carter Center.
History gives social sciences the long view of how societies, governments, and economies have changed. These textbooks span ancient civilizations, world history, and the making of the United States.
A college-level world history textbook covering ancient civilizations through 1500, with thematic chapters on agricultural revolutions, empires, religions, and cross-cultural exchange across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Includes maps and chapter quizzes.
A study of ancient civilizations from human evolution through the fall of Rome, covering Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, China, Greece, and Rome. Organized by units with sources and historiographical notes for distance-learning students.
OpenStax US history textbook spanning pre-Columbian peoples through the early twenty-first century, with chronological chapters on colonization, revolution, slavery, expansion, industrialization, world wars, and the civil rights era. Rich illustrations and primary source excerpts.
OpenStax world history volume one, covering prehistory through 1500 with thematic units on early human migration, river valley civilizations, classical empires, world religions, and the medieval period across all continents.
A historiographical case study of the Peter Ryan and Manning Clark controversy, examining how reputations and historical narratives are made, defended, and contested. Doug Munro reconstructs the dispute with extensive archival research.
Pedagogy applies psychology and sociology to teaching and learning in real classrooms. These guides cover classroom management, inclusive teaching, and structured learning models.
A Peace Corps idea book for teachers covering routines, behavior management, lesson pacing, and student engagement in low-resource settings. Packed with practical strategies and templates drawn from field experience worldwide.
Ontario government framework for early childhood pedagogy built around four foundations: belonging, well-being, engagement, and expression. Practical guidance for educators on building responsive learning environments through relationships.
A UNICEF working paper on structured pedagogy programs that combine teacher training, lesson plans, and learner materials to improve foundational literacy and numeracy. Reviews evidence from large-scale implementations in Africa and Asia.
A Northwestern University guide to inclusive teaching practices that support diverse learners across higher-education classrooms. Distills evidence-based strategies for syllabus design, classroom climate, assessment, and feedback.
