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Overview
Description
This print textbook is available for students to rent for their classes. The Pearson print rental program provides students with affordable access to learning materials, so they come to class ready to succeed.
For courses in Introductory Sociology
A down-to-earth approach to sociology
With Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach, author Jim Henslin takes students on an intellectual adventure of discovery through firsthand accounts of his travels around the world, original photographs, and personal reflections. Using his hallmark down-to-earth approach, Henslin presents a relatable, sincere, student-friendly narrative that centers around a traditional three-perspectives framework. The 14th Edition includes engaging new content — such as Applying Sociology to Your Life feature boxes — to help students gain a better understanding of both society and themselves.
For courses in Introductory Sociology
A down-to-earth approach to sociology
With Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach, author Jim Henslin takes students on an intellectual adventure of discovery through firsthand accounts of his travels around the world, original photographs, and personal reflections. Using his hallmark down-to-earth approach, Henslin presents a relatable, sincere, student-friendly narrative that centers around a traditional three-perspectives framework. The 14th Edition includes engaging new content — such as Applying Sociology to Your Life feature boxes — to help students gain a better understanding of both society and themselves.
Preface
Preface is available for download in PDF format.
This material is protected under all copyright laws, as they currently exist. No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Features
Highlights of the DIGITAL UPDATE (available for Fall 2020 classes)
Hallmark features complement the core narrative
- UPDATED - Feature boxes on contemporary topics emphasize the relevance of sociology to students’ lives. These include:
- Applying Sociology to Your Life: “Stretching Adolescence: Postponing Adulting” (Chapter 3)
- Down-to-Earth Sociology: “Self-Segregation in College” (Chapter 12)
- UPDATED - Coverage of relevant developments in technology engage students. For example, the Digital Update includes new coverage of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) will impact our future society in Chapter 6.
- UPDATED - Coverage of recent developments in health and medicine keeps the text up to date. Examples include:
- Thinking Critically about Social Life: “Vaping: Cool, Fun — and Dangerous?” (Chapter 17)
- Sociology and Technology: “The Shifting Landscape: Cancer: Tracing the Footprints” (Chapter 19)
- A deeper exploration of issues related to sex and gender highlights contemporary issues. Examples include:
- UPDATED - Sociology and Technology: “The Shifting Landscape: Women in the Mideast: The Times, They Are a’Changin’ — but Slowly” (Chapter 11)
- NEW - Down-to-Earth Sociology: “Transgender and Women’s Sports: Sex Change and Sex Declaration” (Chapter 11)
- NEW - Coverage of the fourth wave of feminism (Chapter 11)
- UPDATED - Coverage of women's social mobility, including a discussion about how mentoring improves upward mobility (Chapter 10)
- UPDATED - Revised material throughout the text reflects the latest events and trends. Here’s a sampling of topics that receive new and updated coverage:
- video game scholarships and the growing value that companies place on the video game experience of new employees (Chapter 3)
- developments in cloning including Chinese scientists' cloning a long-tailed macaque monkey (Chapter 6)
- trends in employee benefits including on-site medical care, which saves companies money on health insurance (Chapter 7)
- new examples of modern slavery including forced prostitution (Chapter 9)
- billionaires in the capitalist class (Chapter 10)
- how scapegoating continues to underlie discrimination in politics and economics (Chapter 12)
- demographic changes including medical advances that allow older women to give birth (Chapter 16)
- the future of higher education including developments in long-distance education, implications of the coming shrinking pool of students, and the decreased emphasis on the liberal arts as greater focus is placed on majors that lead to high-paying careers (Chapter 17)
- NEW - Voice-activated technology gives students the power to listen on Amazon Alexa-enabled or Google Assistant-enabled devices using simple voice commands.
Hallmark features complement the core narrative
- Feature boxes emphasize key themes by delving deeper into sociological topics.
- Applying Sociology to Your Life boxes contextualize core concepts by providing students with real examples of how they can apply sociology to their own life. They help students connect with stories on a personal level, view people with greater empathy, and contextualize core concepts. This feature is followed by a set of questions that students can answer by journaling or participating in shared writing exercises.
- Down-to-Earth Sociology boxes explore sociological processes that underlie everyday life.
- Cultural Diversity around the World boxes reveal how differently life is lived in other countries, while Cultural Diversity in the United States boxes examine the fascinating array of people who form the U.S. population.
- Thinking Critically about Social Life boxes present fair portrayals of opposing positions on controversial social issues that affect the students’ own lives.
- Sociology and Technology: The Shifting Landscape boxes explore how technology affects our lives as it changes society.
- Integrated coverage of globalization throughout the text enables students to explore the impact of global issues on our lives and on the lives of people around the world. In addition to the strong emphasis on global issues that runs throughout this text, a separate chapter on global stratification (Chapter 9) further hammers home this key theme.
- Visual presentations of sociology engage students and make course material more accessible.
- Eight Through the Author’s Lens photos essays, taken by author Jim Henslin in Austria, Cambodia, and other locations, expand students’ sociological imaginations, opening their minds to other ways of doing social life and stimulating thought-provoking class discussion.
- Two additional photo essays by other photographers — on standards of beauty and on ethnic work — have been retained in the 14th Edition.
- Photo collages in several chapters help students visualize key content.
- Additional photos by the author sprinkled throughout the text illustrate key sociological principles and topics.
- Pedagogical tools designed to convey important lessons allow students to improve their understanding of the core narrative.
- Chapter-opening vignettes stimulate student interest by illustrating a major aspect of each chapter’s content.
- Learning objectives provide a “road map” that guides students through the text.
- Critical-thinking questions at the end of each chapter prompt students to consider a key issue discussed in the chapter.
- Review the Chapter summaries utilize flashcards that feature key terms and definitions to allow students to review and reinforce the chapter’s content.
- In Sum review sections help students review important points within the chapter before moving on.
Dynamic content designed for the way today's students read, think, and learn brings concepts to life
Superior assignability, tracking, and pedagogical tools help educators make sure students are completing their reading and understanding core concepts
Revel is built for digital learning, but we've got you covered if you need print, too
- Videos and interactives integrated directly into the author-created narrative keep students engaged as they read through each chapter. Thanks to this media-rich presentation of content, students are more likely to complete their assigned reading and retain what they’ve read.
- Hearing from the Students videos feature students discussing the main points of each chapter. These videos give students the opportunity to hear their peers’ thoughts on chapter topics and to learn how other students apply the sociological perspective of the chapter to their own lives.
- The Pearson Originals docuseries is a series of high-quality social impact videos that exemplify and humanize key sociological concepts. These videos illustrate a variety of social issues and current events, creating opportunities for students to further develop their understanding of sociology. They help students connect with stories on a personal level, view people with greater empathy, and contextualize core concepts.
- Embedded videos support the down-to-earth approach with news footage and stories that reflect real-life examples of sociology. Students can revisit major historical events including critical points in the Civil Rights movement and view videos through a sociological lens.
- Data-rich interactives engage students and invite them to interact with text, figures, and photos.
- Enhanced images of historic photos and documents allow students to zoom in to gain different perspectives of the image.
- Simulations guide students through charts and graphs, helping them to see how the many parts of a topic are related.
- Hearing from the Author audio clips feature author Jim Henslin reading the opening vignettes and commenting on the photo essays, personal photos, figures, and tables he wants to highlight in each chapter. This audio feature gives students additional context for understanding difficult topics, while the interweaving of the author’s observations and personal experiences reinforces how sociology is part of our everyday lives.
- The Revel™ mobile app lets students read, practice, and study — anywhere, anytime, on any device. Content is available both online and offline, and the app syncs work across all registered devices automatically, giving students great flexibility to toggle between phone, tablet, and laptop as they move through their day. The app also lets students set assignment notifications to stay on top of all due dates.
- The Revel audio playlist lets students listen and learn as they go.
- Assessments tied to primary chapter sections, as well as full chapter exams, test student understanding of the concepts presented in the chapter and provide immediate feedback. These assessments allow students to test their understanding of the material as they read as well as enable instructors to track progress.
- The writing functionality in Revel enables educators to integrate writing — among the best ways to foster and assess critical thinking — into the course without significantly impacting their grading burden.
- Self-paced Journaling Prompts throughout the narrative encourage students to express their thoughts without breaking stride in their reading.
- Assignable Shared Writing Activities direct students to share written responses with classmates, fostering peer discussion.
- Essays integrated directly within Revel allow instructors to assign the precise writing tasks they need for the course.
- Highlighting, note taking, and a glossary let students read and study however they like. Educators can add notes for students, too, including reminders or study tips.
Superior assignability, tracking, and pedagogical tools help educators make sure students are completing their reading and understanding core concepts
- The assignment calendar allows educators to indicate precisely which readings must be completed on which dates. This clear, detailed schedule helps students stay on task by eliminating any ambiguity as to which material will be covered during each class. When they understand exactly what is expected of them, students are better motivated to keep up.
- The performance dashboard empowers educators to monitor class assignment completion as well as individual student achievement. Actionable information, such as points earned on quizzes and tests and time on task, helps educators intersect with their students in meaningful ways. For example, the trending column reveals whether students' grades are improving or declining, helping educators to identify students who might need help to stay on track.
- LMS integration provides institutions, instructors, and students easy access to their Revel courses via Blackboard Learn™, Canvas™, Brightspace by D2L™, and Moodle™. With single sign-on, students can be ready to access an interactive blend of authors' narrative, media, and assessment on their first day. Flexible, on-demand grade synchronization capabilities allow educators to control exactly which grades should be transferred to their LMS Gradebook.
Revel is built for digital learning, but we've got you covered if you need print, too
- Revel gives students everything they need in an integrated digital learning environment. But if students need a loose-leaf print reference to complement their Revel experience, they can purchase one from within their Revel course at any time.
New to This Edition
Highlights of the DIGITAL UPDATE (available for Fall 2020 classes)
- UPDATED - Feature boxes on contemporary topics emphasize the relevance of sociology to students’ lives. These include:
- Applying Sociology to Your Life: “Stretching Adolescence: Postponing Adulting” (Chapter 3)
- Down-to-Earth Sociology: “Self-Segregation in College” (Chapter 12)
- UPDATED - Coverage of relevant developments in technology engage students. For example, the Digital Update includes new coverage of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) will impact our future society in Chapter 6.
- UPDATED - Coverage of recent developments in health and medicine keeps the text up to date. Examples include:
- Thinking Critically about Social Life: “Vaping: Cool, Fun — and Dangerous?” (Chapter 17)
- Sociology and Technology: “The Shifting Landscape: Cancer: Tracing the Footprints” (Chapter 19)
- A deeper exploration of issues related to sex and gender highlights contemporary issues. Examples include:
- UPDATED - Sociology and Technology: “The Shifting Landscape: Women in the Mideast: The Times, They Are a’Changin’ — but Slowly” (Chapter 11)
- Down-to-Earth Sociology: “Transgender and Women’s Sports: Sex Change and Sex Declaration” (Chapter 11)
- Coverage of the fourth wave of feminism (Chapter 11)
- UPDATED - Coverage of women's social mobility, including a discussion about how mentoring improves upward mobility (Chapter 10)
- UPDATED - Revised material throughout the text reflects the latest events and trends. Here’s a sampling of topics that receive new and updated coverage:
- video game scholarships and the growing value that companies place on the video game experience of new employees (Chapter 3)
- developments in cloning including Chinese scientists' cloning a long-tailed macaque monkey (Chapter 6)
- trends in employee benefits including on-site medical care, which saves companies money on health insurance (Chapter 7)
- new examples of modern slavery including forced prostitution (Chapter 9)
- billionaires in the capitalist class (Chapter 10)
- how scapegoating continues to underlie discrimination in politics and economics (Chapter 12)
- demographic changes including medical advances that allow older women to give birth (Chapter 16)
- the future of higher education including developments in long-distance education, implications of the coming shrinking pool of students, and the decreased emphasis on the liberal arts as greater focus is placed on majors that lead to high-paying careers (Chapter 17)
- Voice-activated technology gives students the power to listen on Amazon Alexa-enabled or Google Assistant-enabled devices using simple voice commands.
Table of Contents
1. The Sociological Perspective
2. Culture
3. Socialization
4. Social Structure and Social Interaction
5. How Sociologists Do Research
6. Societies to Social Networks
7. Bureaucracy and Formal Organizations
8. Deviance and Social Control
9. Global Stratification
10. Social Class in the United States
11. Sex and Gender
12. Race and Ethnicity
13. Aging and the Elderly
14. The Economy
15. Politics
16. Marriage and Family
17. Education
18. Religion
19. Medicine and Health
20. Population and Urbanization
21. Collective Behavior and Social Movements
22. Social Change and the Environment
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About the Author(s)
About our authors
Jim Henslin was born in Minnesota, graduated from high school and junior college in California and from college in Indiana. Awarded scholarships, he earned his masters and doctorate degrees in sociology at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. After this, he won a postdoctoral fellowship from the National Institute of Mental Health and spent a year studying how people adjust to the suicide of a family member. His primary interests in sociology are the sociology of everyday life, deviance and international relations. Among his many books are Down-to-Earth Sociology: Introductory Readings and Social Problems, now in its 12th edition. He has also published widely in sociology journals, including Social Problems and American Journal of Sociology.
While a graduate student, Jim taught at the University of Missouri at St. Louis. After completing his doctorate, he joined the faculty at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, where he is Professor Emeritus of Sociology. He says, Ive always found the introductory course enjoyable to teach. I love to see students faces light up when they first glimpse the sociological perspective and begin to see how society has become an essential part of how they view the world.
Jim enjoys reading and fishing, and he also does a bit of kayaking and weightlifting. His 2 favorite activities are writing and traveling. He especially enjoys visiting and living in other cultures, for this brings him face to face with behaviors and ways of thinking that challenge his perspectives and make sociological principles come alive. A special pleasure has been the preparation of Through the Authors Lens, the series of photo essays that appear in this text.
Jim moved to Latvia, an Eastern European country formerly dominated by the Soviet Union, where he had the experience of becoming an immigrant. There he observed firsthand how people struggle to adjust to capitalism. While there, he interviewed aged political prisoners who had survived the Soviet gulag. He then moved to Spain, where he was able to observe how people adjust to a declining economy and the immigration of people from contrasting cultures. (Of course, for this he didnt need to leave the United States.) To better round out his cultural experiences, Jim recently visited South Korea, Vietnam and again India. He hopes to travel extensively in South America, where he expects to do more photo essays to reflect their fascinating cultures. Jim is grateful to be able to live in such exciting social, technological, and geopolitical times, and to have access to portable broadband Internet while he pursues his sociological imagination.
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