Social Inequality: Forms, Causes, and Consequences, Fifth Edition

American society is stratified by several factors, including race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and political leanings. Social Inequality explores the origins of this stratification, how it affects us, and what can be done about it. The book is based on the assumptions that social inequality is multidimensional and that in order to deal with inequality and its consequences we need to understand the theories behind it. Taking a historical and social structural approach, the author simply but compellingly gives a sense of the pervasiveness of social inequality and how it affects us all.

For the fifth edition:

• An examination of the pros and cons of globalization has been added to the chapter on globalization.
• A powerful, in-depth discussion of socioeconomic status of homosexuals and legal discrimination demonstrates how sex, sexual orientation, and gender lead to discrimination in the legal system.
• Added coverage of environmental racism reminds students that economic “resources” are not limited to income, but also to land.
• The addition of discussion on Herbert Spencer's theories of social inequality complements the discussions of the poor and welfare reform.