Essentials of Sociology

New content to capture students’ attention and connect sociology to their lives.

New chapter openers include a discussion of Hurricane Katrina in the urbanization chapter, a description of group behaviors of West Point cadets in the chapter on organizations, and, in the stratification chapter, a discussion of the pecking order among high school students.

Public sociology essays show students why sociology matters.

These short essays emphasize real-world applications of method and theory, highlighting individual sociologists’ efforts to engage a wider audience and to get the public to think sociologically. New essays include a profile of Andrew Beveridge, who advises the New York Times on social statistics; an interview with Jane Jacobs, the pioneering author of The Death and Life of Cities; and an interview with Victoria Pitts, an expert on body modification, who recounts her experience as a witness in a case where a man was accused of abuse after he and his girlfriend scarred each other’s arms.

More opportunities for student review and reflection.

The Second Edition dramatically expands the student review material. Each chapter begins with Learning Objectives that identify the primary concepts that students should understand from the pages that follow. As they read, students encounter short review quizzes that question basic comprehension and prompt further critical thinking. New “Analyzing the Data” captions and online “Practicing Sociology” data exercises teach students to explore the sociology behind the numbers by applying a sociological perspective to data from the text and online. New “Making Sociology Work” activities provide students with a scenario from the work world and ask them to apply sociological concepts to the situation. And an in-text study guide includes a study outline, key concepts, review questions, “Thinking Sociologically” exercises, and links to additional review materials online.