A Contemporary Introduction to Sociology

Alexander (sociology, Yale U.) et al. supply students with an introductory textbook on sociology that focuses on trends in contemporary society and real social issues, and contrasts modern and postmodern aspects of social life. Topics are discussed within a framework that highlights historical change and are placed in the perspective of how different contemporary society is compared with earlier times. This edition has a new co-author, Edles (sociology, California State U.-Northridge); new and updated examples from popular culture, current events, and the media; more on new technologies and social media, women, gender, and transgender topics, and gender-related and other inequalities; new coverage of the financial crisis; updated coverage of globalization, crime, health, religion, the changing nature of work, and the role of science and technology; new photos and text boxes; updated tables and figures; and new study questions in each chapter. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Jeffrey C. Alexander is the Lillian Chavenson Saden Professor of Sociology at Yale University, where he is co-director of the Center for Cultural Sociology. Among his many influential books is The Civic Sphere (Oxford University Press, 2006). He is also co-editor of the Yale Cultural Sociology Series (Paradigm Publishers).

Kenneth Thompson, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the Open University, has held positions at Yale, UCLA, Rutgers, and Smith. He is the author of Moral Panics (Routledge, 1998).

Laura Desfor Edles received her doctorate in Sociology from UCLA. Dr. Edles has published articles on race and ethnicity in cultural sociology, and is the co-author (with Scott Appelrouth) of Sociological Theory in the Classical Era. She teaches sociology at California State University, Northridge.