Society: The Basics (6th Edition)
by John J. Macionis
Category: Sociology

"Wow, what a difference a couple of years makes. Never before in my lifetime (and I have been around the block more times than I care to admit) has there been so much debate and outright disagreement about the state of our society. People are lining up on one side or another regarding immigration, climate change, jobs, the role of government, health care, terrorism, threats to democracy, reproductive rights, and the high cost of higher education. If consensus seems elusive, keep in mind that even the idea of truth is under attack, with people disagreeing not only over the facts but also whether there is such a thing as objective truth and real news. Many of us feel angry, afraid, and overwhelmed. In such a situation, what are we to do? To answer this question, we might turn for inspiration to the wisdom offered more than sixty years ago by C. Wright Mills. When we feel our lives spinning out of control, when we are caught up in changes and challenges that threaten to overwhelm us, Mills suggested that we recognize that our personal problems are rooted in social forces that are bigger than we are. By turning our attention to larger social patterns-in short, by making use of the sociological imagination-we gain a deeper understanding of what's really going on and why. Using the sociological perspective, we draw insight and also gain power because we are now confronting the source of our distress. Focusing on how society operates, we are able to join together with others to change society and, in the process, transform ourselves. For more than 150 years, sociologists have been working to better understand how society operates. As sociologists, we do not arrogantly imagine that we have all the answers, but we are confident that we have learned quite a lot that we can share with others. To our students, we offer an introduction to the fascinating and very practical study of the social world. Our invitation is to learn what we have learned and consider appropriate paths of action. After all, as we come to know our world, we have the responsibility to do all we can to improve it. Society: The Basics, Fifteenth Edition Update, provides you with a comprehensive understanding of how this world works. You will find this title informative, engaging, and even entertaining. Before you have finished the first chapter, you will discover that sociology is both enlightening and useful, and it is also a great deal of fun. Sociology is a field of study that can change the way you see the world and open the door to many new opportunities. What could be more exciting than that?"--