Cities and Urban Life ― Books a La Carte Edition

For courses in Urban Sociology

A comprehensive overview of classic and contemporary urban sociology.
Cities and Urban Life provides an introduction to the study of urban environments around the world. Using an approach that is multidisciplinary but fundamentally sociological, authors John Macionis and Vincent Parrillo help students see how cities have evolved over time, how cities reflect culture, and where the urban story may take us next. The inclusion of the latest data and research references throughout the seventh edition, as well as updated case studies on a variety of cities, ensures that students come away with an up-to-date understanding of contemporary urban life.

John J. Macionis (pronounced “ma-SHOWnis”) has been in the classroom teaching sociology for more than forty years. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, John earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, majoring in sociology, and then completed a doctorate in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania.

His publications are wide-ranging, focusing on community life in the United States, interpersonal intimacy in families, effective teaching, humor, new information technology, and the importance of global education. In addition to authoring this best-seller, Macionis has also written Society: The Basics, the most popular paperback introductory text in the field, now in its fourteenth edition. John has also authored Sociology, the most popular full-sized introductory text, now in its sixteenth edition. He collaborates on international editions of the texts: Sociology: Canadian Edition; Society: The Basics, Canadian Edition; and Sociology: A Global Introduction. All of his texts, including Cities and Urban Life are available for high school students and in various foreign-language editions. In addition, Macionis edited the best-selling anthology Seeing Ourselves: Classic, Contemporary, and Cross-Cultural Readings in Sociology, also available in a Canadian edition. Macionis is also the author of Social Problems, now in its sixth edition and the leading book in this field. 

The Macionis introductory and social problems texts are now available in low-cost electronic editions in the REVEL program. These exciting programs offer an interactive learning experience. Unlike other authors, John takes personal responsibility for writing all electronic content, just as he authors all the supplemental material. John proudly resists the trend toward “outsourcing” such material to non-sociologists.

The latest on all the Macionis textbooks, as well as information and dozens of Internet links of interest to students and faculty in sociology, are found at the author’s personal website: www.macionis.com or www.TheSociologyPage.com. Follow John on this Facebook author page: John J. Macionis. Additional information and instructor resources are found at the Pearson site: www.pearsonhighered.com

John Macionis recently retired from full-time teaching at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where he was Professor and Distinguished Scholar of Sociology. During that time, he chaired the Sociology Department, directed the college’s multidisciplinary program in humane studies, presided over the campus senate and the college’s faculty, and taught sociology to thousands of students.

In 2002, the American Sociological Association presented Macionis with the Award for Distinguished Contributions to Teaching, citing his innovative use of global material as well as the introduction of new teaching technology in his textbooks.

Professor Macionis has been active in academic programs in other countries, having traveled to some fifty nations. He writes, “I am an ambitious traveler, eager to learn and, through the texts, to share much of what I discover with students, many of whom know little about the rest of the world. For me, traveling and writing are all dimensions of teaching. First, and foremost, I am a teacher—a passion for teaching animates everything I do.”

At Kenyon, Macionis taught a number of courses including Urban Sociology, Introduction to Sociology, and Social Problems. He continues to enjoy extensive contact with students across the United States and around the world. 

John now lives near New York City. In his free time, Macionis enjoys tennis, swimming, hiking, and playing oldies rock-and-roll. Macionis is as an environmental activist in the Lake George region of New York’s Adirondack Mountains, where he works with a number of organizations, including the Lake George Land Conservancy, where he serves as president of the board of trustees.

Professor Macionis welcomes (and responds to) comments and suggestions about this book from faculty and students. Contact him at his Facebook pages or email: macionis@kenyon.edu.

Vincent N. Parrillo was born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey. He received his B.S. degree from Seton Hall University, his M.A. from Montclair State University, and his doctorate from Rutgers University.

More recent books include: a historical novel, Guardians of the Gate (2011); Strangers to These Shores, Tenth Edition (2011); Diversity in America, Fourth Edition (2012); Understanding Race and Ethnic Relations, Fourth Edition (2012); Contemporary Social Problems, Sixth Edition (2005); and Millennium Haze (2000). He is General Editor of the two-volume interdisciplinary Encyclopedia of Social Problems (Sage, 2008). Some of his writings have been published in eight languages.

He is the executive producer and writer of two award- winning PBS television documentaries: Smokestacks and Steeples: A Portrait of Paterson (1992) and Ellis Island: Gateway to America (1991). His latest documentary, The Sculptor Laureate of Paterson, is in production and scheduled for release in late 2012.

Vince Parrillo is a Fulbright Scholar and Senior Fulbright Specialist. A visiting professor at the University of Liege and University of Pisa, he has also given dozens of presentations in Asia, Canada, and Europe, under sponsorship of the U.S. Department of State. A keynote speaker at international conferences in Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, and South Korea, he has also conferred with national leaders in Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Norway, Poland, Romania, and Sweden on issues relating to immigration. He has also conducted numerous diversity training sessions for NCOs and senior officers at various military bases at the invitation of the U.S. Department of Defense.

A past vice president of the Eastern Sociological Society (2009), he was its Robin M. Williams, Jr. Distinguished Lecturer in 2006. Recipient of an award from William Paterson University for Excellence in Scholarship (2004), Prof. Parrillo is also co-lyricist of Hamlet: The Rock Opera, which has been performed in New York City, Prague, and Seoul.