Our Social World
Introduction to Sociology
Ninth Edition
- Jeanne H. Ballantine - Wright State University, USA
- Kathleen Odell Korgen - William Paterson University
Other Titles in:
Sociology (General)
Sociology (General)
June 2025 | 488 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
The Ninth Edition of Our Social World: Introduction to Sociology by Jeanne H. Ballantine and Kathleen Odell Korgen inspires students to develop their sociological imaginations, see the world and personal events from a new perspective, and confront sociological issues on a day-to-day basis. The text is organized around the "Social World" model, a conceptual framework that demonstrates the relationships among individuals (the micro level); organizations, institutions, and subcultures (the meso level); and societies and global structures (the macro level). The consistent application of the Social World Model across chapters (represented in a visual diagram in the chapter openers) helps students develop the practice of using three levels of analysis, and to view sociology as an integrated whole, rather than a set of disparate subjects.
This text is offered in Sage Vantage, an intuitive learning platform that integrates quality Sage textbook content with assignable multimedia activities and auto-graded assessments to drive student engagement and ensure accountability. Unparalleled in its ease of use and built for dynamic teaching and learning, Vantage offers customizable LMS integration and best-in-class support.
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Take a brief self-guided tour with our interactive demo
This text is offered in Sage Vantage, an intuitive learning platform that integrates quality Sage textbook content with assignable multimedia activities and auto-graded assessments to drive student engagement and ensure accountability. Unparalleled in its ease of use and built for dynamic teaching and learning, Vantage offers customizable LMS integration and best-in-class support.
Instructors, see how Vantage works!
Take a brief self-guided tour with our interactive demo
Preface
Instructors
A Personal Note to the Instructor
Acknowledgments
Part I: Understanding Our Social World
Chapter 1: Sociology: A Unique Way to View the World
Chapter 2: Examining the Social World: How Do We Know What We Know?
Part II: Social Structure, Processes, And Control
Chapter 3: Society and Culture: Hardware and Software of Our Social World
Chapter 4: Socialization: Becoming Human and Humane
Chapter 5: Interaction, Groups, and Organizations: Connections That Work
Chapter 6: Deviance and Social Control: Sickos, Weirdos, Freaks, and Folks Like Us
Part III: Inequality
Chapter 7: Economic Inequality: From Wealth to Want
Chapter 8: Racial and Ethnic Inequality: Beyond “Us” and “Them”
Chapter 9: Gender Inequality: She/He/They—Who Goes First?
Part IV: Institutions
Chapter 10: Family: Partner Taking, People Making, and Contract Breaking
Chapter 11: Education: What Are We Learning?
Chapter 12: Religion: The Social Meaning of Sacred Meaning
Chapter 13: Health Care: An Anatomy of Health and Illness
Chapter 14: Politics and Economics: Probing Power, Dissecting Distribution
Part V: Social Dynamics
Chapter 15: Environmental Sociology: Population, Urbanization, and the Environment
Chapter 16: Process of Change: We Can Make a Difference!
Glossary
References
Index
About the Authors