Seeing Ourselves: Classic, Contemporary, and Cross-Cultural Readings in Sociology, Sixth Edition
John J. Macionis,professor of sociology at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received a bachelor's degree from Cornell University and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania. Macionis has also authored the two leading introductory sociology textbooks—Sociology,the leading comprehensive textbook, and Society: The Basics, the leading brief textbook. In addition, Macionis and Vincent Parrillo have written the urban studies text,Cities and Urban Life.Professor Macionis has been active in academic programs in other countries, having traveled to some fifty nations. In 2002, the American Sociological Association honored Macionis for his work with textbooks and for pioneering the use of new technology in sociology by bestowing on him their prestigious Award for Distinguished Contributions to Teaching. At Kenyon, Macionis offers a wide range of upper-level courses, but his favorite course is Introduction to Sociology, which he schedules every semester. He enjoys extensive contact with students, making an occasional appearance on campus with his guitar and each term inviting his students to enjoy a home-cooked meal. The Macionis family—John, Amy, and children McLean and Whitney—live on a farm in rural Ohio. In his free time, Macionis enjoys bicycling through the Ohio countryside, or a warm afternoon might find him sharing an adventure with his two children.Nijole V. Benokraitis,professor of sociology at the University of Baltimore, received a bachelor's degree in Sociology and English from Emmanuel College, an M.A. in sociology from the University of Illinois at Urbana, and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Texas at Austin. Professor Benokraitis, who immigrated to the United States from Lithuania with her family when she was six years old, is bilingual and bicultural. She has authored, coauthored, edited, or coeditedMarriages and Familes: Changes, Choices, and Constraints; Contemporary Ethnic Families in the United States: Characteristics, Variations, and Dynamics; Feuds about Families: Conservative, Centrist, Liberal, and Feminist Perspectives; Subtle Sexism: Current Practices and Prospects for Change; Modern Sexism: Blatant, Subtle, and Covert Discrimination;andAffirmative Action and Equal Opportunity: Action, Inaction, and Reaction.She is the recipient of grants and fellowships from many institutions, including the National Institutes of Mental Health, the Ford Foundation, the American Educational Research Association, the Administration on Aging, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Professor Benokraitis lives in Maryland with her husband, Dr. Vitalius Benokraitis, who teaches in the Computer Science Departmexit at Loyola College in Maryland. They have two children, Gema and Andrius.