For courses in Introductory Sociology.

Through its distinctive approach to the field, its readability, and its relevance to students’ lives, Exploring Sociology: A Canadian Perspective helps professors develop the sociological imagination in their students by encouraging them to see sociology through multiple lenses. Topics are presented in ways that allow students to engage with the material and to exercise their sociological imaginations.

Hallmark themes of this resource

Each chapter features a selection from four different theme boxes, all of which engage students with topical discussions to foster and to challenge their sociological imaginations.

• Why Should We Care? These boxes explore many of today’s pressing social issues, such as family values and parental rights, evolution and social Darwinism, when languages die, abuse and misogyny in sport, socialization in the military, Trans Day of Remembrance, Syrian refugees in Canada, Black-focused schools, the death of Brian Sinclair, the anti-vaccination movement, discrimination in the criminal justice system, dating 2.0, sex and gender on birth certificates and passports, global versus local strategies to assist the poor, the Amazon Effect, fast fashion, and more..
• Issues in a Global Context. These boxes showcase and investigate issues around the world, for example, the Rwandan genocide, the gap between the rich and the poor, anti- and pro-natalist policies around the world, the appeal of right-wing popularism, child labour around the world, medically assisted suicide, human trafficking, women’s literacy, environmental racism, China’s treatment of Uyghurs, digital black markets, extreme heat and precarious work, global media ownership, and fresh water as a commodity.
• That Was Then, This Is Now. These boxes capture how society changes over time—the Industrial Revolution and today’s technological revolution, the commercialization of academic research, Canada’s residential school system, soup kitchens in Canada, Viagra and masculinity, corporal punishment of children, credential inflation, being a Muslim in Canada, and Canadians’ standard of living in historical perspective, global citizenship, and climate change anxiety.
• Canadian Contributions in Sociology. Highlighting sociologists working in Canada and their contributions to sociology, these boxes showcase Dorothy Smith, Vanessa Watts, Terry Wotherspoon & Emily Milne, William Carroll, Gary Kinsman, Yasmin Jiwani, Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme, Meg Luxton, Sandra Acker, Joel Thiessen, Marshall McLuhan, Mark Stoddart, and Ana Isla.
• Animals and Human Societies. These boxes explore the classic and new research that investigates how animals and humans interact. These boxes also examine some of the ways that animals interact with social institutions. The topics covered in these boxes are as wide-ranging as we could make them: from exploring the use of animals in the movies to a discussion of animals and our health. Each box is intended to get students to think about their relationship to non-human species from a new perspective.

New GenAI Study Tool

We’ve heard how important it is for students to use reliable AI tools in responsible and productive ways. To that end, Pearson is focused on creating tools that combine the power of generative AI with trusted Pearson content to provide students with a simplified study experience, delivering on-demand and personalised support that compliments your teaching and aligns with the text you’ve chosen. The Study Tool is available to students who access the Pearson eText on its own or through MyLab.

What can the AI Study Tool do?

• Generate simplified explanations of challenging sections
• Summarize material to help learners focus on key topics and ideas
• Students can ask for multiple choice or short answer questions related to a specific chapter or section to help fill knowledge gaps
• For extra practice, students can also generate flashcards and notes based on their chat interaction with the tool

New and updated features of this title

• NEW Indigenous Council Videos. We are fortunate to continue to learn and grow from the advice and support of our Indigenous Council colleagues. At every stage of the revision process they were steadfast in their desire to use our textbook to promote understanding and compassion and celebrate Indigenous insights and perspectives. For this edition, we created a series of reels to not only introduce each Council member but also have them share their unique insights and perspectives on various topics and issues. From what decolonization means, Indigenous perspectives on academic research, the gender binary, Two Spirit pride, generations of residential schooling, health care, racism in sport, and that Canada was built without Indigenous Peoples in mind, they all highlight the diversity contained within Indigenous ways of knowing. We also have “From the Indigenous Council” boxes to highlight issues and topics they found particularly relevant and engaging. Topics explored in these boxes include the sexualization of Indigenous women, Indigenous views on traditional family structures, the use of terminology around race, dismantling colonial barriers within education, Indigenous access to health care, and the Idle No More social movement in Canada.
• Student Advisory Council. In preparing for this new edition, we were committed to gathering authentic feedback from students. To achieve this, we recruited students from across the country who had used the fifth edition of the text in their first-year courses and, we believe, would be ideally suited to offer a student’s perspective on how to improve it. Their reviews were focused on providing new students with feedback on topics and theories they themselves struggled with and, by doing so, helped us ensure our content speaks to the world students live in, not the one we do. Members of the SAC also made reels to accentuate issues they were most interested in. Learn More.