Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents: Understanding our social world: the scientific study of society: Sociology: a unique way to view the world -- Examining the social world: how do we know? -- Social structure, processes and control: Society and culture: hardware and software of our social world -- Socialization: becoming human and humane -- Interaction, groups and organizations: connections that work -- Deviance and social control: sickos, perverts, freaks and folks like us -- Inequality: Stratification: rich and famous-or rags and famine -- Race and ethnic group stratification: beyond "we" and "they" -- Gender stratification: she/he-who goes first? -- Institutions: Family: partner taking, people making and contract breaking -- Education: what are we learning? -- Religion: the meaning of sacred meaning -- Politics and economics: penetrating power and privilege -- Medicine: an anatomy of health and illness -- Social dynamics: population and urbanization: living on spaceship earth -- The process of change: can we make a difference? --