This concise, affordable anthology contains 22 popular sociology statements designed to introduce readers to the sociological perspective. The readings cover core topics in sociology, including culture, socialization, interaction, deviance, gender, class, and race.

An alternate, topical table of contents suggests ways to match readings to other subfields in sociology (like family, education, work, and religion), and identifies readings that reflect four theoretical traditions: functionalism, symbolic interactionism, conflict theory, and feminism.