Placing an emphasis on global perspectives and current research, this wide praised and adopted sociology textbook introduces the reader to the field of sociology.

John Macionis, like many people, took a college course that shaped his life. His first sociology course helped him make sense of the world. John shares his enthusiasm, excitement, and teaching experience through a clear and engaging writing style and emphasis on sociology’s relevance to everyday life.

"Allows the reader to appreciate the relevance of sociology in everyday life."

Boyejo Adefuye

Collin County Community College 

"Macionis provides tables, charts, and several visuals summaries that other texts do not. These tools not only assist students towards understanding how sociology "works" in society, but they also facilitate an understanding of "why" social inequities exist in the US and abroad."

Anita Gardner

Mitchell Community College

"Macionis is visually stunning."

Patricia Gibbs

Foothill College

"Engaging, accessible narrative and illustrations / learning tools."

Patricia Gibbs

Foothill College

"Easy to approach and understand, yet thorough."

"The boxes are EXCELLENT!!!"

"Good definitions, nicely organized...students do not have to go "searching" for information during the process of studying for exams."

Christine Janis

Northern Illinois University

"I like the way this text “backed” into the theory by first presenting concepts/empirical evidence and then theory."

Chalane Lechuga

University of New Mexico, Albuquerque 

"I like how well balanced the text is between, structural-function, conflict, and symbolic interaction perspectives."

Chalane Lechuga

University of New Mexico, Albuquerque 

"Text is well supported by online student materials, in text review, and an excellent study guide."

J Beth Mabry

Indiana University of Penn

"Crisp writing, excellent examples, and visually intersting."

J Beth Mabry

Indiana University of Penn

"Deals with everyday events and material students can relate to."

Sondra McKinney

Southwest Missouri State University

"Macionis is a very good book for stimulating discussion and explaining basic concepts. In many cases, it makes students want to go beyond it and learn more."

Kendra Murphy

University of Memphis

"Making the Grade is a big asset. My students need constant reinforcement and this provides it immediately."

Meryl Nason

University of Texas, Dallas

"This is a fantastic book, based on my opinion as well as the favorable reports that I get from my students!"

Juanita Ortiz

University of Oklahona, Norman

"I like how the author of the text keeps the students in mind when writing the text."

Timothy Sexton

Chippewa Valley Technical College

"The topics are broad however simple enough for the students to gain knowledge in each of the areas of interest."

Timothy Sexton

Chippewa Valley Technical College

"I like the critical thinking questions presented throughout the text."

Timothy Sexton

Chippewa Valley Technical College

"The pages are colorful and full of valuable information."

Timothy Sexton

Chippewa Valley Technical College

Chapter 13: Family and Religion

"Students come into sociology classes with various levels of preparation at the high school. This chapter is lucid and easy to understand for virtually all categories of students."

Boyejo Adefuye

Collin County Community College 

"Since 1985, I have taught sociology courses at diffent institutions at various levels. I have used a varietyof texts for my courses. On the topic of Family and Religion, this chapter (in this book) is one of the best."

Boyejo Adefuye

Collin County Community College 

Society 10/e shows students how sociology is relevant in their daily lives. The new edition has an innovate new design, contemporary and relevant student applications, plus a wealth of supplemental material. This revision elevates Soceity's high standard of excellence, ensuring that it remains one of the foremost comprehensive introductory sociology resources for students and instructors alike.

John J. Macionis (pronounced “ma-SHOW-nis”) was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and 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 #1 best-seller, Macionis has also written Society: The Basics, the #1 most popular paperback text in the field, now in its ninth edition. He collaborates on international editions of the texts: Sociology: Canadian Edition; Society: The Basics, Canadian Edition; and Sociology: A Global Introduction. Sociology is also available for high school students and in various foreign-language editions.

In addition, Macionis and Nijole V. Benokraitis have edited the best-selling anthology Seeing Ourselves: Classic, Contemporary, and Cross-Cultural Readings in Sociology, also available in a Canadian edition. Macionis and Vincent Parrillo have written the leading urban studies text, Cities and Urban Life (Prentice Hall). Macionis’s most recent textbook is Social Problems (Prentice Hall), now in its third edition and the leading book in this field. The latest on all the Macionis textbooks, as well as information and dozens of Internet links of interest to students and faculty in sociology, are found at the author’s personal Web site: http://www.macionis.com or http://www.TheSociologyPage.com. Additional information, instructor resources, and online student study guides for the texts are found at the Prentice Hall site: http://www.prenhall.com/macionis.

John Macionis is Professor and Distinguished Scholar of Sociology at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where he has taught for almost thirty years. During that time, he has 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 textbooks.

Professor Macionis has been active in academic programs in other countries, having traveled to 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 teaches a number of courses, but his favorite class is Introduction to Sociology, which he offers every semester. He enjoys extensive contact with students and invites everyone enrolled in each of his classes 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 tennis, swimming, hiking, and playing oldies rock-and-roll (he recently released his first CD). Macionis is as an environmental activist in the Lake George region of New York’s Adirondack Mountains, working with a number of organizations, including the Lake George Land Conservancy, where he serves as president of the board of trustees.

Chapter 1: Sociology: Perspective, Theory, and Method

Chapter 2: Culture

Chapter 3: Socialization: From Infancy To Old Age  

Chapter 4: Social Interaction in Everyday Life

Chapter 5: Groups and Organizations

Chapter 6: Sexuality and Society

Chapter 7: Deviance

Chapter 8: Social Stratification

Chapter 9: Global Stratification

Chapter 10: Gender Stratification

Chapter 11:  Race and Ethnicity 

Chapter 12: Economics and Politics

Chapter 13: Family and Religion

Chapter 14: Education, Health and Medicine

Chapter 15: Population, Urbanization, and the Environment

Chapter 16: Social Change: Traditional, Modern, and Postmodern Societies