For courses in Stratification, Race, Class, and Gender, or Introduction to Gender Studies. Using a concise and easy-to-understand style, this guide provides an integrated approach to the implications of social class, race and ethnicity, and gender, explaining how each relates to economic, social, and political inequality. The author emphasizes that the considerations of race and gender are central to a full appreciation of the composition and dynamics of class systems. The Third Edition continues to build on this perspective, integrating fresh conceptualizations, new research findings, and data into a significant and effective reorganization