An illuminating and up-to-date guide to sociology, this book will not only educate readers with a burgeoning interest in sociology to the ways in which it can help us understand the personal, social and structural changes going on in the world around us but stoke their own sociological imagination. It uses real world case studies, references to sociological studies, charts, graphs and images to address five key sociological themes: lifestyle and consumption; race and migration; class and social stratification; gender and sexualities; relationships, family and community; and globalization and the political economy. Through discussion of these substantive topics, the role of comparison, critique, and contextualization as central tools in sociological exploration will become apparent. This book will be an invaluable and engaging resource for those who are, in particular, new to sociology. It will also provide a fresh, contemporary insight into the field for those with an existing interest.