Society in Focus: An Introduction to Sociology (with Study Card)

This specially priced comprehensive, introductory text emphasizes the increasing diversity and globalization of societies everywhere, and the special role of mass media and information technology in contemporary society. It offers balanced coverage of sociology's three major theoretical perspectives, and shows how other paradigms (including feminism) can deepen our understanding of complex issues.

Table of Contents:
Each chapter includes “Sociological Focus” boxes, a summary, and key terms.   I. THE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE. 1. Discovering Sociology. What Is Sociology? Sociology and Critical Thinking. The Development of Sociology. Contemporary Sociology. Looking to the Future: Sociology in the Twenty-First Century. 2. Doing Sociology. Globalization, Diversity, and Types of Knowledge. Sociology and Scientific Knowledge. Types of Research and Research Designs. The Relationship between Theory and Methods. Social Research and the Media. Looking to the Future: Social Research in the Twenty-First Century. II. THE SOCIAL FRAMEWORK. 3. Culture and Society. What Is Culture? What is Society? Types of Societies. Technomedia and Postindustrial Societies. Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism. Components of Culture. Globalization and Cultural Diversity. Sociological Approaches to Culture. Looking to the Future: Culture in the Twenty-First Century. 4. Socialization. The Socialization Process. Major Agents of Socialization: A Global View. Socialization and the Life Course. Desocialization and Resocialization. Understanding Socialization: A Comparative Analysis. Looking to the Future: Socialization in the Twenty-First Century. 5. Social Interaction in Everyday Life. Social Structure. Social Interaction. Sociological Approaches to Interaction in Everyday Life. Looking to the Future: Social Interaction in the Twenty-First Century. 6. Social Groups and Organizations. Social Groups. Formal Organizations. Bureaucracies. Media Organizations and Change. Looking to the Future: Groups and Organizations in the Twenty-First Century. III. SOCIAL DIFFERENTIATION AND INEQUALITY. 7.Deviance and Conformity. Defining Deviance and Conformity: A Global View. Popular Explanations for Deviance. Sociological Analysis of Deviance and Conformity. Deviance, Conformity, and Social Control. Looking to the Future: Deviance and Conformity in the Twenty-First Century. 8. Social Stratification and the U.S. Class System. Understanding Social Stratification. Systems of Stratification. Determining Social Class Ranking. Social Classes in the United States. Poverty: Media Images and Reality. Social Class in the United States: Myth and Reality. Perspectives on Social Stratification. Looking to the Future: The U.S. Class System in the Twenty-First Century. 9. Global Stratification. Globalization and Economic Development. Global Stratification and Quality of Life. Explaining Global Stratification. Transnational Corporations: The Making of New “Haves” and “Have-Nots.” Corporations and the New Global Assembly Line. Looking to the Future: Global Stratification in the Twenty-First Century. 10. Race and Ethnicity. Understanding Race and Ethnicity in a Global Society. Prejudice. Discrimination. Dominant-Minority Group Relations. Race and Ethnic Diversity in the United States. Looking to the Future: Race and Ethnic Relations in the Twenty-First Century. 11.Sex and Gender. Sex and Gender in a Global Society. Explaining Gender Differences. Sexism: Inequality Based on Sex and Gender. Feminism: The Struggle for Gender Equality. Looking to the Future: Sex and Gender in the Twenty-First Century. 12. Age and the Elderly. Gerontology: The Study of Aging. Aging and Diversity: A Global Perspective. Growing Old in American Society. Sociological Explanations of the Aging Process. Looking to the Future: The Graying of America in the Twenty-First Century. IV. SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS. 13. Families. What Is a Family? Family Diversity: A Global Portrait. Sociological Approaches to the Family. U.S. Families: In the Life Course. U.S. Families: A Portrait of Social Diversity. Family Transitions and Family Problems. Looking to the Future: Families in the Twenty-First Century. 14. Education. Education in a Global Society. The Role of Education: A Functionalist Perspective. Education and Social Stratification: A Conflict Perspective. Education and Everyday Life: An Interactionist View. Contemporary Trends in American Education. Looking to the Future: Education in the Twenty-First Century. 15. Religion. Defining Religion. Global Religious Diversity. The Social Organization of Religion. Religion and Society: Three Perspectives. Religious Movements in Focus. Religion and the Media. Religious Diversity in the United States. Looking to the Future: Religion in the Twenty-First Century. 16. Politics and War. Power and Politics. Types of Authority. Politics and Influence. Globalization and Political Systems. Democracy: American Style. War, Nuclear War, and Society. Peace Organizations and Peace Movements. Looking to the Future: Global Politics in the Twenty-First Century. 17. The Economy and Work. Sociology and the Study of the Economy. The Global Economy. The American Economy and Work. Work as a Social Phenomenon. Taking a Closer Look at the Economy and Work. Looking to the Future: The Economy and Work in the Twenty-First Century. 18. Health and Medicine. Health and Sickness: A Global View. Health and Sickness in the United States. Medicine and Health Care: A Cross-Cultural View. Medicine and Health Care in the United States. Looking to the Future: Health and Medicine in the Twenty-First Century. V. SOCIAL CHANGE. 19. Population, Urbanization, and Ecology. Demography and Global Population. Population Growth. The Growth of Cities and Urbanization. Urban Sociology and Human Ecology. Human Ecology and the Environment. Looking to the Future: Population, Urbanization, and Ecology in the Twenty-First Century. 20. Social Change, Collective Behavior, and the Future. What Is Social Change? Sociological Approaches to Social Change. Collective Behavior. Social Movements. Looking to the Future: The Media, Social Change, and Life in the Twenty-First Century.  Glossary. Bibliography. Name Index. Subject Index. Photo Credits. Text Credits.