Sociology : A Global Introduction

by Macionis, John J.

• ISBN13: 9780131849181
• ISBN10: 0131849182
• Edition: 10th
• Format: Hardcover w/CD
• Copyright: 2005-01-01
• Publisher: Prentice Hall

Summary

The title says it all. This tenth edition of the best-sellingSociologyis a comprehensive book and multimedia package that offers readers aglobal perspectiveto help them better understand their own lives, provides a strong focus onsocial diversitythat allows them to see the impact of race, class, and gender, and focuses oncritical thinking. With technology integratedthroughout,this new edition features hundreds of new research citations, as well as recent data from Census 2000 to present a cutting-edge picture of life both in the United States and around the world.Covering all aspects of sociology, this book describes sociological investigation, culture, society, interaction in everyday life, groups and organizations, deviance, sexuality, social stratification, social class in the United States, global inequality, gender stratification, race and ethnicity, aging, the economy, politics and government, family, religion, education, health and medicine, population and urbanization, collective behavior and social movements, and social change.An excellent resource for professionals in the field of sociology, this book is also an excellent read for non-academic hobbyists and life-long learners.

Table of Contents

The Foundations Of Sociology

The Sociological Perspective

Sociological Investigation

The Foundations Of Society

Culture

Society

Socialization

Social Interaction in Everyday Life

Groups and Organizations

Sexuality (NEW)

Deviance

Social Inequality

Social Stratification

Social Class in Canada

Global Stratification

Gender Stratification

Race and Ethnicity

Aging and the Elderly

Social Institutions

The Economy and Work

Politics and Government

Family

Religion

Education

Health and Medicine

Social Change

Population, Urbanization, and the Environment (NEW)

Collective Behaviour and Social Movements

Social Change: Traditional, Modern, and Post-Modern Societies

Glossary

References

Name Index

Subject Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

At the dawning of the modern age, the French philosopher Francois Voltaire expressed his certainty that humans were meant to live together in society and that the gift of society to each of us is the ability to develop a sense of justice. A young woman or man coming of age today has plenty of reasons to take a keen interest in human society and wonder about justice. The United States is engaged in military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and our nation is fighting a worldwide war against terrorism. Throughout the world, there are several dozen other ongoing military conflicts. At home, the gap between the rich and poor is greater than it has been in half a century, and it is increasing. Worldwide, the income gap between the richest and poorest nations is vast, twice as large as it was a century ago. Facts such as these force us to confront vital questions: What kind of world do we live in? Is it the kind of world we want for ourselves and for our children? Surely there is no better way to begin the process of answering these questions than by learning to use the discipline of sociology. There is another, happier reason to begin the study of society. Learning about the social world all around us is extremely rewarding and often great fun. The daily e-mail I receive from students throughout the United States and around the world is clear testimony both to the power of sociology to help people understand their world and to the pleasure they find in doing it. Ask the women and men who teach sociology in classrooms throughout North America and you will find that, in a large majority of cases, they enjoyed the first course they took so much that they continued, eventually deciding to make the study of society their life's work. Sociology has the power to transform people, and many of these people go on to transform society. All instructors know the deep satisfaction that comes from making a difference in the lives of our students. There is no greater reward for our work and, in my case, no better reason for striving for ever-better revisions ofSociology,which, along with the brieferSociety: The Basics,stand out--as they have for more than a decade--as the discipline's most widely used texts. I hope you will findSociologyto be authoritative, comprehensive, stimulating, and--as so many students testify--plain fun to read. In addition to the book, every new copy ofSociology, Tenth Edition,comes with a CD-ROM that includes a number of learning tools, including short video selections that illustrate major concepts, theories, and research findings, and also a series of "author's tip" videos-one for each chapter-that focus on key chapter themes. The third part of the learning package that is available free with each new book is access to two Web sites. The first is our full-featured Companion Website at http://www.prenhall.com/macionis . From the main page, simply click on the cover of the text to access a comprehensive and interactive study guide. Select a chapter to find chapter summaries, learning objectives, suggested essay questions, and paper topics, as well as multiple-choice and true/false questions. The second, new to this edition, is a premium-content Web site called OneKey. It will serve as a one-stop shop for students and faculty, providing anytime, anywhere access to important course materials. OneKey will also offer a customized student study plan after the student takes a quick diagnostic quiz. Access to OneKey is free with a passcode that can be wrapped withSociology, Tenth Edition. Textbook, CD-ROM, and Web sites: A three-part, multimedia package that is the foundation for sound learning in this new information age. We invite you to examine all three! ORGANIZATION OF THIS TEXT Part Iof the textbook and the CD-ROM introduces