Our social world : introduction to sociology / Jeanne H. Ballantine, Keith A. Roberts.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Instructors: how to make this book work for you -- Understanding our social world : the scientific study of society -- Sociology : a unique way to view the world -- Examining the social world : how do we know? -- Social structure, processes, and control -- Society and culture : hardware and software of our social world -- Socialization : becoming human and humane -- Interaction, groups, and organizations : connections that work -- Deviance and social control : sickos, perverts, freaks, and folks like us -- Inequality -- Stratification : rich and famous- or rags and famine? -- Race and ethnic group stratification: beyond "we" and "they" -- Gender stratification: she/he- who goes first? -- Institutions -- Family: partner taking, people making, and contract breaking -- Education : what are we learning? -- Religion : the meaning of sacred meaning -- Politics and economics: penetrating power and privilege -- Medicine: an anatomy of health and illness -- Social dynamics -- Population and urbanization: living on spaceship Earth -- The process of change: can we make a difference?