Sociology Now, 3rd edition

Published by Pearson (January 19, 2018) © 2019
  • Michael S. Kimmel
  • Amy Aronson
  • Tristan Bridges

Title overview

For courses in Introductory Sociology.

Bring the world into focus through the 5 lenses of iSoc

Sociology NOW offers students a fresh way to make sense of the social world. Reinventing the 3rd Edition, authors Michael Kimmel, Amy Aronson and Tristan Bridges introduce a contemporary paradigm called the iSoc framework. This paradigm empowers students to view the world through 5 sociological lenses: identity, inequality, interactions, institutions and intersections. This approach helps students to better understand sociological research and concepts, and how they are relevant in today's world.

In addition to the iSoc framework, the 3rd Edition includes new chapters devoted to age and education.

Hallmark features of this title

  • Sociology and Our World boxes reveal how sociological concepts are applicable, highlighting the connections between students' lives and sociology.
  • US/World boxes help students better grasp globalization, comparing the US to both other G7 countries as well as countries in the developing world.
  • How Do We Know What We Know? boxes show students the methods used to explore sociological problems, explaining the nuts and bolts of sociological discoveries.
  • What Do You Think? What Does America Think? boxes give students a sense of where their opinions fit with the rest of the country.
  • The authors' engaging writing style includes examples drawn from entertainment, social media and Internet memes, reinforcing the relevance of sociology to students' lives.

New and updated features of this title

  • NEW: The iSoc framework anchors the narrative. The authors introduce 5 sociological lenses through which they encourage students to view the world around them: identity, inequality, interactions, institutions and intersections. Each chapter includes the following elements that encourage students to use the iSoc perspective as they think about issues and examine concepts.
    • iSoc major sections define the chapter's main themes in relation to the iSoc framework. The 5 lenses are addressed within the context of the chapter and accompanied by contemporary examples.
    • iSoc and You summaries reinforce the 5 levels of analysis and provide students with a theoretical lens through which to view social life.
    • Chapter conclusion sections, aligned with the authors' major themes as well as the iSoc levels of analysis, remind students to consider the chapter's key content and themes through the iSoc framework.
  • NEW: Fresh topics and major updates include discussions of the 2016 presidential vote (in Chapter 7, Stratification and Social Class, and Chapter 15, Politics and Religion) and new chapters devoted to age (Chapter 10) and education (Chapter 13).
  • NEW: Learning objectives tied to the major subheadings in every chapter identify the key concepts on which students should focus.

Key features

Features of Revel for the 3rd Edition

  • NEW: Pearson Originals docuseries videos explain contemporary issues, helping students connect with stories on a personal level and contextualize core concepts.
  • NEW: Chapter-opening videos, narrated by lead author Michael Kimmel, provide contemporary vignettes that illustrate key themes and content from the chapter.
  • NEW: Topic-based animation videos, narrated by authors Amy Aronson and Tristan Bridges, focus on contemporary subjects that illuminate sociological concepts. Topics include friendship networks and the gender wage gap.
  • NEW: Data-rich interactive maps, figures and tables with Social Explorer technology let students explore key concepts.
  • NEW: Currency windows put late-breaking stories into the context of sociology. Each chapter begins with a brief, author-written account of a recent event such as a movie release, research report or election result that is relevant to the chapter at hand. These bulletins will be updated regularly to ensure that the topics remain up to date.
  • NEW: Did You Know? boxes present short sociological factoids that illustrate the sociological ideas being discussed. For example, “Did you know that Eskimos really do have about 50 words for snow?” These entertaining points keep students engaged as they read.

Table of contents

PART I: FOUNDATIONS OF THE FIELD
1. What Is Sociology?
2. Culture and Media
3. Society: Interactions, Groups, and Organizations
4. How Do We Know What We Know? The Methods of the Sociologist
5. Socialization
6. Crime and Deviance

PART II: IDENTITIES AND INEQUALITIES
7. Social Class and Stratification: Identity and Inequality
8. Race and Ethnicity
9. Sex and Gender
10. Age: From Young to Old
11. The Body: Health and Sexuality

PART III: SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS
12. Families
13. Education
14. Economy and Work
15. Politics and Religion
16. Sociology of Environments: The Natural, Physical, and Human World

Author bios

About our authors

Michael Kimmel, Professor of Sociology at Stony Brook University, is 1 of the pioneers in the sociology of gender and 1 of the world's leading experts on men and masculinities. He was the first man to deliver the International Women's Day lecture at the European Parliament; he was the first man to be named the annual lecturer by the Sociologists for Women in Society; and he has been called as an expert witness in several high-profile gender discrimination cases. Among his many books are Men's Lives, The Gendered Society, Manhood in America and Revolution: A Sociological Perspective. He is also known for his ability to explain sociological ideas to a general audience. His articles have appeared in dozens of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Nation, The Village Voice, The Washington Post and Psychology Today.

Amy Aronson is Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at Fordham University. She is the author of Taking Liberties: Early American Women's Magazines and Their Readers and an editor of the international quarterly, Media History. She has coedited several books, including a centennial edition of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Women and Economics and the 2-volume Encyclopedia of Men and Masculinities, which was honored by the New York Public Library with a Best of Reference Award in 2004. A former editor at Working Woman and Ms. Magazine, she has also written for publications including BusinessWeek, Global Journalist and the Sunday supplement of The Boston Globe.

Tristan Bridges is Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is the coeditor of Exploring Masculinities: Identity, Inequality, Continuity, and Change and book review editor at Men and Masculinities. Tristan has also published extensively on issues to do with transformations in masculinity and gender and sexual inequality and is an avid public sociologist.

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