Kerry Ferris and Jill Stein set out to write a book that was written not for other instructors but rather for student readers. And they know what resonates with today’s students, because they both teach the course every year. Examples from everyday life, the media, and pop culture get students thinking sociologically and illustrate the relevance of sociology to students’ relationships and jobs and the future of society. Exciting content updates—including a thoroughly updated chapter on race and ethnicity, updates on climate change, and new pop culture examples throughout—make the best-selling book for the intro course more relevant than ever.
What’s NEW in the Ninth Edition?
Theory in Everyday
Life Interactives
New Theory in Everyday Life interactives of the Norton Illumine Ebook expand on the popular in-text feature and provide students with more support with sociological theory.
Norton Illumine Ebook
A new Norton Illumine Ebook includes Check Your Understanding questions with rich answer-specific feedback, Dynamic Data Figures, and short video clips.
Updated coverage
of race
A thoroughly updated chapter on race and ethnicity features expanded coverage of the mechanisms of privilege, the work of antiracist allies, and critical race theory, as well as new discussions of current research.
About the Authors
Kerry Ferris is Associate Professor of Sociology at Northern Illinois University, where she teaches introduction to sociology, qualitative methods, mass media and popular culture, and sociology of food. She uses ethnographic methods and a symbolic interactionist approach to study celebrity as a system of social power.
Jill Stein is Professor of Sociology at Santa Barbara City College where she teaches introduction to sociology in both face-to-face and online formats every semester. She also teaches classes on social psychology, media, culture and society, and social problems. Her research has examined narrative processes in twelve-step programs, the role of popular culture in higher learning, and group culture among professional rock musicians.
What Instructors are Saying
“I have been using The Real World for nine years and appreciate how the authors have updated each edition to keep up with the ever changing landscape of our social world. This is especially true for the ways in which they have adapted to gender identity, gender expression, and sexuality.”
— Dina Giovanelli, Monroe Community College
Image Credits: (Ferris) by Kerry Ferris; (Stein) Jill Stein
Copyright © W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. 2024