Sociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World

Students often take sociology courses and become sociology majors because they want to make a difference in their society. The founders of sociology in the United States also wanted to make a difference. A central aim of sociologists in the early 20th century at universities in Atlanta, Chicago, and elsewhere was to use sociological knowledge to benefit society. A related aim of sociologists like Jane Addams, W. E. B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, and others since was to use sociological knowledge to understand and alleviate racial, class, and gender inequality.

It is no accident, then, that many sociology instructors and students are first drawn to sociology because they want to learn a body of knowledge that can help them make a difference in the world at large. This textbook is designed for this audience. As its subtitle implies, it aims to present not only a sociological understanding of society but also a sociological perspective on how to improve society.