Thinking sociologically : theories and methods -- What is sociology? -- Theories and theorizing -- Methods and research -- Social identities -- Socialization, identity, and interaction -- Sex, gender, and sexuality -- Racial and ethnic identities -- Crime and deviance -- Body, health, and medicine -- Culture, knowledge, and belief -- Education -- Communication and the media -- Religion, belief, and meaning -- Social organization and control -- Family and life course -- Cities and communities -- Organization, management, and control -- The state, social policy, and welfare -- Globalization -- Production, inequalities, and social divisions -- Work, employment, and leisure -- Inequality, poverty, and wealth -- Stratification, class, and status -- Power, division, and protest.

Sociology is relevant to current teaching and courses dealing with sociology as a living subject and incorporating the classic traditions of the discipline. This new edition has been updated with a range of new case studies and additional chapters.