Includes glossary.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Thinking sociologically : theories and methods -- What is sociology? -- Theories and theorizing -- Methods and research -- Social identities -- Socialization, identity, and interaction -- Sex, gender, and sexuality -- Racial and ethnic identities -- Crime and deviance -- Body, health, and medicine -- Culture, knowledge, and belief -- Education -- Communication and the media -- Religion, belief, and meaning -- Social organization and control -- Family and life course -- Cities and communities -- Organization, management, and control -- The state, social policy, and welfare -- Globalization -- Production, inequalities, and social divisions -- Work, employment, and leisure -- Inequality, poverty, and wealth -- Stratification, class, and status -- Power, division, and protest.

The fourth edition of Fulcher and Scott's Sociology provides an authoritative and theoretically grounded approach to sociology, covering both classic and contemporary research. It provides the context for debate and discussion that enables students to develop their critical awareness skills. Contemporary issues such as anti-social behavior are reinforced with recent research, bolstering the text's student-centreded approach. This edition also looks at popular culture and recent developments in social networking and online identities.