Sociology in Today's World explores why sociology is important and relevant to everyday life. It teaches students how to think sociologically, not just what to think, and shows how sociology can help us make sense of our lives. It comprehensively covers key aspects and current issues in Australian and New Zealand society, whilst emphasising the importance of diversity and a global perspective.

We are living in a turbulent world marked by fast, continuous social changes that affect the lives of individuals, families, communities, organizations, businesses, nation-states, and international networks. This fundamentally commits contemporary sociology to being a science of change. This collection effectively mirrors this diversity and variety of transformations underway in today′s societies and transnational spaces. Written by a group of internationally renowned sociologists, it offers a cutting edge understanding of what is happening in our life worlds, work lives and frames of social existence. Bringing up issues such as political turbulence, cultural and artistic dynamics, family changes, gender roles, migration flows and social movements, it is a timely contribution that discusses transformation and globalization and their consequences in both theoretical and substansive terms. Illuminating and comprehensive, this book will be of immense use for sociology students on all levels, as well as lecturers, researchers and others who are interested in social life and the consequences of human action. Arnaud Sales is Emeritus Proessor of Sociology at the University of Montreal, Canada.

Religion is a major force in contemporary society. It is also one of the least understood social and political influences on individuals and communities. In this innovative collection of original essays and classic readings, experts explore the significance of contemporary religiosity: as a source of meaning and motivation, how it unites and divides us, and how it is used politically and culturally. Readers will be introduced to the broad debates in ways that will equip them to analyze, discuss, and make their own judgments about religion and society. This book should be read by anyone interested in understanding religion as a central source of meaning and politics, and is ideally suited for undergraduate teaching on religion and social issues and from a global perspective.

Explores why sociology is important and relevant to everyday life. This balanced, attractive, totally up-to-date text is unrivalled in its ability to get students to see the connections between themselves and the social world. It teaches students how to think sociologically, not just what to think, and shows how sociology can help us make sense of our lives. Conversational and engaging, it comprehensively covers key aspects and current issues in Australian and New Zealand society, whilst emphasising the importance of diversity and a global perspective. It stands out for its ability to present sociological concepts in a fresh, contemporary light, offering examples from music, sports, movies, TV, fashion, the internet and other elements of popular culture.

The works of Pierre Bourdieu occupy a central place in the current development of world sociology. This volume offers an accessible but challenging introduction to Bourdieu's ideas. In a series of discussions, lectures and interviews, the range of Bourdieu's ideas is laid out and its relation to other disciplines and other sociological schools is explored. The issues developed include the sociology of culture, leisure and taste; the intrinsic reflexivity of social science; and the role of language in society and social sciences.