Introductory Sociology

'Simply the best book for Introducing Sociology.' - M. Erben, University of Southampton 'An excellent sociology textbook.' - Barbara Griffin, University of Sunderland 'The book is excellent.' - S. Leaton-Gray, Cambridge University 'Well written and structured...it is very accessible and yet it maintains its academic standard.' - George Smith, University of Central England 'Excellent user-friendly layout - easy to find key information.' - Dr Sophie Gilliat-Ray, Cardiff University 'An excellent introductory text which is written in a style which is very accessible to students. The additional on-line material is very helpful.' - J. West, Glasgow Caledonian University 'Continual improvement of an already excellent introduction to the subject.' - P. Nicholls, Staffordshire University 'A comprehensive introduction to sociology.' - J. Montgomery, University of Wales, Bangor Reviews of the previous edition: 'Bilton's team of authors has grown to six since the second edition and the book has also expanded in length, but the work has lost none of its topicality, sound scholarship and breadth of coverage. In addition, it comes this time with an instructor's pack, which ought to be purchased by anyone interested in using it on courses, since the exercises and overheads will make class preparation much easier... Introductory Sociology can be warmly recommended...' - Times Higher Education Supplement 'I am impressed with the range, scale and scope of this volume. As always it contains a range of very good material where data are presented clearly and elegantly and illustrated with material drawn from a range of sociological studies.' - Professor Robert Burgess, University of Warwick

"Introductory Sociology" is a textbook structured to cover all the main substantive topics studied at an introductory level within a framework that engages with contemporary debates about modernity, globalization and social identity.Introductory Sociology is one of the most ambitious, scholarly and popular textbooks in its field. This welcome new edition builds on the strengths of its predecessor in its thematic coherence, clarity of exposition and analytical depth. It is carefully structured to cover all the main substantive topics studied at an introductory level within a framework that engages with exciting contemporary debates about modernity, globalisation and social identity.

Key features of the new edition include:

- a completely new chapter on the media
- extended coverage of social divisions to include disability, youth and old age as well as class, gender and race
- clearer and more compact treatment of social theory, incorporating discussion of work by such contemporary theorists as Habermas, Giddens and Beck
- an even stronger blend of theoretical, empirical and illustrative material, consolidating the critical and applied approach that is one of the text's most well-liked defining features

With outstanding presentation and pedagogical support for the student and hard-pressed lecturer alike, the text includes:

- an Instructor's Resource Pack, complete with powerpoint slides, available on the Palgrave website (or in hardcopy for adopters of the textbook, by written request)
- a detailed and extensive glossary - practically a 'mini dictionary' of sociology in its own right and an ideal reference tool
- chapter-specific further reading lists, annotated for further guidance and support
- questions to think about, which can be used as the basis for essays, class discussion and further study
- pictures, figures, graphs and tables.