The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology (Fifth Edition)

The most relevant textbook for today’s students.

The Real World succeeds in classrooms because it focuses on the perspective that students care about most―their own. In every chapter, authors Kerry Ferris and Jill Stein use examples from everyday life and popular culture to draw students into thinking sociologically and to show the relevance of sociology to our relationships, our jobs, and our future goals. New to the Fifth Edition, two Data Workshops in every chapter give students a chance to apply theoretical concepts to their personal lives and actually do sociology.

Kerry Ferris is Associate Professor of Sociology at Northern Illinois University. She uses ethnographic methods to study fame as a system of social power. Currently, she is researching the lives of professional celebrity impersonators and also analyzing the emotions communicated by celebrities in red-carpet interviews.

Jill Stein is Professor and Chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Santa Barbara City College. In addition to teaching Introduction to Sociology every semester, she has studied narrative processes in 12-step programs, the role of popular culture in higher learning, and group culture among professional rock musicians.