A contemporary introduction to sociology : culture and society in transition / Jeffrey C. Alexander, Kenneth Thompson ; with the assistance of Lisa McCormick ... [et al.].

Includes bibliographical references (p. 584-610) and index.

Sociological stories -- The individual and the social -- The sociological imagination -- Society today: so what`s new? -- How do we understand today`s social world? -- Avoiding easy answers: theory and evidence? -- Conclusion -- Exercises -- Study questions -- Further reading -- Research methods -- Introduction -- Some key research terms -- Concepts and theories -- Methodology and methods -- Postmodernism, relativism, and research methods -- Research in the future -- Conclusion -- Exercises -- Study questions -- Further reading -- Culture -- Introduction -- An individual or a social story? -- Thinking sociologically about culture -- Postmodernity, globalization, and the cultural turn -- Conclusion -- Exercises -- Study questions -- Further reading.

Media and communication -- Introduction -- An individual or a social story? -- The importance of the mass media -- The mass media-concepts and history -- Conclusion -- Exercises -- Study questions -- Further reading -- Socialization and the life cycle -- Introduction -- An individual or a sociological story? -- The paradox of socialization -- The "self" in history -- Creating the self -- Primary socialization: the family -- Secondary socialization -- Life stages and the life cycle -- Emotion work in postmodern life -- Conclusion -- Exercises -- Study questions -- Further reading -- Sexuality -- An individual or a social story? -- Naturalism versus constructivism -- Sexuality before modernity -- Modern sexuality -- Polluting non-procreative sex -- Underground sexual practices -- Sexuality in the postmodern transition -- Historical developments -- Sex today -- Exercises -- Study questions -- Further reading.

Marriage and the family -- Introduction -- An individual or a sociological story? -- Marriage and family: the social forces of change -- Marriage from modern to postmodern society -- The modern family -- The postmodern family: emerging possibilities -- The conservative backlash -- A new consanguinity? -- Exercises -- Study questions -- Further reading -- Inequality -- Introduction -- An individual or a social story? -- Social stratification -- Social mobility -- Beliefs and attitudes -- Inequality: past, present and future -- Conclusion -- Exercises -- Study questions -- Further reading -- Gender -- Introduction -- An individual or sociological story? -- Gender at work -- Exploitation and violence -- Everyday culture and mass media -- Looking to the future - changing times -- Exercises -- Study questions -- Further reading.