Sociology, 19th edition

About our authors

John J. Macionis (pronounced “ma-SHOW-nis”) has been writing about sociology and engaged in classroom teaching for 50 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 bestseller, Macionis has also written Society: The Basics, the most popular brief text in the field, now available in its 17th Edition. He collaborates on international editions of the titles Sociology: Canadian Edition; Society: The Basics, Canadian Edition; and Sociology: A Global Introduction, which is available in Europe and Asia. Sociology is also available for high school students and in a number of foreign-language editions. All the Macionis titles are available as low-cost Revel editions that offer an interactive, digital learning experience and give students the option of adding a print version. Students can also rent print versions of all US titles.

In addition, Macionis edited the best-selling anthology Seeing Ourselves: Classic, Contemporary, and Cross-Cultural Readings in Sociology, which is also available in a Canadian edition. Macionis and Vincent Parrillo wrote the leading urban studies title Cities and Urban Life, now available in its 8th Edition. Macionis is also the author of Social Problems, now in its 9th Edition and the leading title in this field.

The latest on all the Macionis titles, as well as teaching materials and dozens of internet links of interest to students and faculty in sociology, can be found at the author's personal website. You can also follow Macionis on his Facebook author page.

Macionis stands alone among authors in this field for taking personal responsibility for writing all print and electronic content, just as he authors all the supplemental material. He proudly resists the trend toward “outsourcing” such material to nonsociologists.

John has also written a new book explaining body science developed by Myrna Haag, R.D., that allows the body to realize lean weight and optimal health. Why Your Diets Fail and the Science That Really Works (by Haag and Macionis, 2025) is available in electronic and print versions from all major book outlets.

John Macionis is now retired from full-time teaching at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where he served as a 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 titles.

Professor Macionis has been active in academic programs in other countries, having traveled within 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, but his favorite classes have always been Introduction to Sociology and Social Problems. He continues to enjoy extensive contact with students across the United States and around the world.

John lives in Vero Beach, Florida, where he enjoys tennis, swimming, and playing blues and oldies rock-and-roll. He is an environmental activist in the Lake George region of New York’s Adirondack Mountains, where he spends the summer and works with a number of organizations, including the Lake George Land Conservancy, where he is past president of the board of trustees, and Fort Ticonderoga, a leading organization in the teaching of US history, where he is vice-chair 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 page or via e-mail: macionis@kenyon.edu.