Seeing Ourselves: Classic, Contemporary, and Cross-Cultural Readings in Sociology / Edition 8

by John Macionis, Nijole Benokraitis

Overview

This best-selling introductory sociology reader provides classical, contemporary and cross-cultural readings on each key sociological topic. Seeing Ourselves strives to showcase the different perspectives sociology offers and the complexity of the social world.

This reader has 72 readings composed of 26 Classic articles, 26 Contemporary articles, and 20 Cross-cultural articles.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780205733163
Publisher:	Pearson Education
Publication date:	11/13/2009
Series:	Mysearchlab Series for Sociology
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	456
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)
Lexile:	1330L (what's this?)

About the Author

John J. Macionis was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania.

John Macionis' publications are wide-ranging, focusing on community life in the United States, interpersonal intimacy in families, effective teaching, humor, new information technology, and the importance of global education.

In addition, John Macionis and Nijole V. Benokraitis have edited the best-selling anthology Seeing Ourselves: Classic, Contemporary, and Cross-Cultural Readings in Sociology. Macionis and Vincent Parrillo have written the leading urban studies text, Cities and Urban Life (Pearson). Macionis’ most recent textbook is Social Problems (Pearson).

John Macionis is Professor and Distinguished Scholar of Sociology at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where he has taught for almost thirty years. During that time, he has chaired the Sociology Department, directed the college’s multidisciplinary program in humane studies, presided over the campus senate and the college’s faculty, and taught sociology to thousands of students.

In 2002, the American Sociological Association presented Macionis with the Award for Distinguished Contributions to Teaching, citing his innovative use of global material as well as the introduction of new teaching technology in his textbooks.

Professor Macionis has been active in academic programs in other countries, having traveled to some fifty nations. He writes, “I am an ambitious traveler, eager to learn and, through the texts, to share much of what I discover with students, many of whom know little about the rest of the world. For me, traveling and writing are all dimensions of teaching. First, and foremost, I am a teacher—a passion for teaching animates everything I do.”

At Kenyon, Macionis teaches a number of courses, but his favorite class is Introduction to Sociology, which he offers every semester. He enjoys extensive contact with students and invites everyone enrolled in each of his classes to enjoy a home-cooked meal.

The Macionis family—John, Amy, and children McLean and Whitney—live on a farm in rural Ohio. In his free time, Macionis enjoys tennis, swimming, hiking, and playing oldies rock-and-roll (he recently released his first CD). Macionis is as an environmental activist in the Lake George region of New York’s Adirondack Mountains, working with a number of organizations, including the Lake George Land Conservancy, where he serves as president of the board of trustees.

Nijole V. Benokraitis, professor of sociology at the University of Baltimore, has taught the marriage and family course for almost 25 years. It’s her favorite class, but her courses in racial and ethnic relations and gender roles run a close second. Professor Benokraitis received a B.A. in Sociology and English from Emmanuel College, an M.A. in sociology from the University of Illinois at Urbana, and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a strong proponent of applied sociology and requires her students to enhance their study through interviews, direct observation, and other hands-on learning methods. She also enlists her students in community service activities such as tutoring and mentoring inner-city high school students, writing to government officials and other decision makers about specific social problems, and volunteering research services to nonprofit organizations. Professor Benokraitis, who immigrated to the United States from Lithuania with her family when she was 6 years old, is bilingual and bi-cultural and is very empathetic of students who try to balance several cultural worlds. She has authored, co-authored, edited, or co-edited eight books, including Contemporary Ethnic Families in the United States: Characteristics, Variations, and Dynamics; Feuds about Families: Conservative, Centrist, Liberal, and Feminist Perspectives; Modern Sexism: Blatant, Subtle, and Covert Discrimination; and Seeing Ourselves: Classic, Contemporary, and Cross-Cultural Readings in Sociology. Dr. Benokraitis has published numerous articles and book chapters on such topics as institutional racism, discrimination against women in government and higher education, fathers in two-earner families, displaced homemakers, and family policy. She has served as both chair and graduate program director of the University of Baltimore’s Department of Sociology and has chaired numerous university committees. She has received grants and fellowships from many institutions, including the National Institute of Mental Health, the Ford Foundation, the American Educational Research Association, the Administration on Aging, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. She has for some time served as a consultant in the areas of sex and race discrimination to women’s commissions, business groups, colleges and universities, and federal government programs. She has also made several appearances on radio and television on gender communication differences and single-sex educational institutions. She currently serves on the editorial board of Women & Criminal Justice and reviews manuscripts for several academic journals. Professor Benokraitis lives in Maryland with her husband, Dr. Vitalius Benokraitis, associate chair and director of graduate studies in computer science, Loyola College in Maryland. They have two adult children, Gema and Andrius.

Read an Excerpt

PREFACE If there is a college course that is more exciting for students than the introduction to sociology, we don't know what it is. Both of us began our careers as students taking the "intro course," and we both found it to be life-changing. Over the (many) years since then, we have received thousands of e-mail messages from students that, in different ways and using different words, say pretty much the same thing: "Sociology has given me a new way to see the world around me, it has changed the way I think about myself and our society, it has given me knowledge and skills that I can use every day." Why is sociology so exciting? First, understanding how society operates is a source of power, helping us to recognize the opportunities and challenges that frame our lives and to see that society is a human creation that is subject to change. Second, sociology is liberating. It frees us from the belief that we alone are responsible for our life situations and, by showing how society shapes our world, opens the door to new possibilities. Third, sociology is plain fun. Looking at our families, workplaces, campuses, and local communities with a sociological eye, we suddenly recognize patterns and processes that were always there but went unnoticed. To learn to see sociologically is to have the world around you come alive as it never has before. What could be more fun than that? Sociology is also a vast and diverse body of knowledge that stretches back more than 150 years. Seeing Ourselves: Classic, Contemporary, and Cross-Cultural Readings in Sociology captures this rich legacy, presenting it to readers in the words of the men and women who created it. This collection of readings contains the work of the discipline's founders and others who have made lasting contributions. In addition, it contains important research being done by women and men who are standing on the shoulders of the founders. Finally, it deepens our understanding of our own way of life by making comparisons with other societies and cultural systems. This reader provides excellent material for use in a wide range of courses. Seeing Ourselves is most widely used in introductory sociology, but it is also well suited for courses in social problems, cultural anthropology, social theory, social stratification, American studies, women's studies, and marriage and the family. Since its introduction a decade ago, Seeing Ourselves has been the most popular reader in the discipline. This seventh edition offers eighty-three readings that represent the widest range of material found in any similar text. In short, Seeing Ourselves gives instructors the largest selection of articles to consider for their courses. It also give students the best value for their textbook dollar, costing less per article than competing readers and "custom" readers. THE THREE C'S: CLASSIC, CONTEMPORARY, AND CROSS-CULTURAL Seeing Ourselves is the only reader that systematically weaves together three types of selections. For each general topic typically covered in a sociology course, three types of articles are included: classic, contemporary, and cross-cultural. Classic articles—thirty in all—are sociological statements of recognized importance and lasting significance. Included here are the ideas of sociology's founders and shakers—including Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, Max Weber, Georg Simmel, Ferdinand Tönnies, as well as Margaret Mead, W. E. B. Du Bois, Louis Wirth, George Herbert Mead, Thomas Robert Malthus, and Charles Horton Cooley. There are also many more recent contributions by Alfred Kinsey, Jessie Bernard, Robert Merton, Erving Goffman, Peter Berger, Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore, C. Wright Mills, Talcott Parsons, Leslie White, and Jo Freeman. We realize that not everyone will agree about precisely which selections should be called "classics." But we hope that instructors will be pleased to see the work of so many outstanding men and women—carefully edited with undergraduate students in mind—available in a single, affordable source. Thirty contemporary selections focus on current sociological issues, controversies, and applications. These articles show sociologists at work and demonstrate the importance of ongoing research. They address many of the issues that concern today's students, providing solid data and reasoned analysis. Among the contemporary selections in Seeing Ourselves are Donna Gaines on teenage suicide, Patricia Madoo Lengermann and Jill Niebrugge-Brantley on women founders of sociology, Becky Thompson on our cultural obsession with thinness, Michael Messner on how our society defines "masculine," Jill Kilbourne on the power of mass-media advertising, Paula Rothenberg on privilege that many of us take for granted, George Ritzer on McDonaldization and jobs, Elijah Anderson on the normative system that operates on the streets of some low-income communities, David Rosenhan on diagnosing mental illness, Andrew Hacker on patterns of inequality in the United States, Judith Lorber on the social construction of gender, Patricia Hill Collins on black women's oppression, Karen Brodkin Sacks on the social construction of race, William Julius Wilson on the rising desperation of some inner-city residents, Barbara Ehrenreich on the realities of living on a low-income job, Thomas Dye on who's at the center of power in the United States, Susan Douglas and Meredith Michaels on motherhood, Naomi Schaefer Riley on student life at religious colleges, Jonathan Kozol on inequality in U.S. public schools, and Eric Schlosser giving an insider look at the fast-food industry. The twenty-three cross-cultural selections offer sociological insights about the striking cultural diversity of the United States and the larger world. Included are well-known works such as "Body Ritual among the Nacirema" by Horace Miner, "India's Sacred Cow" by Marvin Harris, "The Amish: A Small Society" by John Hostetler, J. M. Carrier's "Homosexuality in Cross-Cultural Perspective," and Elaine Leeder's "Domestic Violence: A Cross-Cultural View." Other articles focus on Arab women and social research, learning to be a doctor in Canada, prostitution around the world, the ways in which global inequality benefits rich countries including the United States, the practice of female genital mutilation, how courtship and marriage differ around the world, global population increase, the health of Native American men, the central role played by Japanese mothers in their children's schooling, and differences in the abortion movements that are found in various countries. Cross-cultural selections broaden students' understanding of other cultures and, in the process, sharpen their understanding of our own society. ORGANIZATION OF THE READER This reader parallels the chapter sequence common to textbooks used in introductory sociology. Instructors can easily and effectively use these articles in a host of other courses, just as teachers can assign articles in whatever order they wish. For each of the twenty-three general topics, a cluster of three to five articles is presented, including at least one classic, at least one contemporary, and at least one cross-cultural selection. The expansive coverage of these eighty-three articles ensures that instructors can choose readings well suited to their own classes, and at the lowest cost. The first grouping of articles describes the distinctive sociological perspective, brings to life the promise and pitfalls of sociological research, and demonstrates the discipline's applications to a variety of issues. The selections that follow emphasize key concepts: culture, society, socialization, social interaction, groups and organizations, deviance, and the importance of sexuality to our society. The focus then turns to various dimensions of social inequality, with attention to class, gender, race and ethnicity, and aging. The major social institutions are covered next, including the economy and work; politics, government, and the military; families; religion; education; and health and medicine. The final sets of articles explore dimensions of global transformation—including population growth, urbanization, the natural environment, social movements, and social change. A NOTE ON LANGUAGE One of the advantages of using this reader is allowing students to read the exact words of dozens of notable sociologists. The editors have assembled their selections from the sources in their original form; we have not altered any author's language. At the same time, we want students and instructors to know that some of the older selections—especially the classics—use male pronouns rather than more contemporary gender-neutral terminology, and one article employs the term "Negro." We have not changed the language in any article, wishing not to violate the historical authenticity of any document. That said, we urge faculty and students, with the original articles in hand, to consider the importance of language and how it has changed in their analysis of the author's ideas. TEACHING FEATURES Seeing Ourselves has two features that enhance the learning of students. First, a brief introduction, placed at the beginning of each selection, summarizes the main argument and highlights important issues to keep in mind while reading the article. Second, at the end of each article are three "Critical-Thinking Questions," which develop the significance of the reading, help students evaluate their own learning, and stimulate class discussion. INTERNET SITES Readers are also invited to visit our sociology Web sites. At http://prenhall.com/macionis, students will find on-line study guides for the Macionis introductory texts (Sociology and Society: The Basics), including discussion topics, test questions, and Internet links. In addition, http://www.TheSociologyPage.com (or http://www.macionis.com) provides information about the field of sociology, biographies of key sociologists, recent news of interest to sociologists, and more than fifty links to worthwhile Internet sites. Also, www.prenhall.com/benokraitis offers more than 400 "hot links" to topics such as theory, sociological research, culture, socialization, interaction and communication, sexuality, race and ethnicity, gender roles, aging, work, marriage and the family, health, and social change. INSTRUCTOR'S MANUAL WITH TEST QUESTIONS Prentice Hall also supports Seeing Ourselves with an Instructor's Manual, prepared by Leda A. Thompson. For each selection, the Instructor's Manual provides a summary of the article's arguments and conclusions, eight multiple-choice questions with answers, and suggested essay questions. The multiple-choice questions are also available on computer disk for users of IBM and Macintosh personal computers. CHANGES TO THE SEVENTH EDITION We are grateful to our colleagues at hundreds of colleges and universities in the United States and Canada who have made Seeing Ourselves a part of their courses. In response to this unparalleled reception, the editors have worked especially hard this time around to prepare what we believe is the best and strongest reader available for our discipline. Here are the key changes: 1. Sixteen new articles appear in the seventh edition. This raises the total to eighty-three, an increase of six articles from the last edition, and twice as many selections as in some other readers. 2. More attention to important contemporary research. We have made no changes to the classic selections, which, after all, stand up well over time. Most of the changes in this edition are new contemporary selections and reflect recent scholarship that has attracted a lot of attention both within and beyond the field of sociology. These new and popular selections include "Teenage Wasteland" by Donna Gaines, "Women and the Birth of Sociology" by Patricia Madoo Lengermann and Jill Niebrugge-Brantley, "Unmarried with Children" by Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas, "Boyhood, Organized Sports, and the Construction of Masculinities" by Michael Messner, "Invisible Privilege" by Paula Rothenberg, "'Night to His Day': The Social Construction of Gender" by Judith Lorber, "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich, "Who Is Running America?" by Thomas Dye, "The Mommy Myth" by Susan J. Douglas and Meredith W. Michaels, "How Student Life is Different at Religious Colleges" by Naomi Schaefer Riley, and "The Slaughterhouse: The Most Dangerous Job" from Eric Schlosser's recent Fast-Food Nation. In addition, Seeing Ourselves, seventh edition, offers five new cross-cultural selections, enriching the anthology's multicultural and global content. The new selections in this category are "Even If I Don't Know What I'm Doing, I Can Make It Look Like I Do: Becoming a Doctor in Canada" by Brenda L. Beagan, "Prostitution: A Worldwide Business of Sexual Exploitation" by Melissa Farley, "Domestic Violence: A Cross-Cultural View" by Elaine Leeder, "The Roots of Terrorism" from the 9/11 Commission Report, and "Japanese Mothers as the Best Teachers" by Keiko Hirao. 3. A greater emphasis on race, class, and gender. Because so much of the research being carried out in sociology deals with the causes, the character, and the consequences of social inequality, this new edition of Seeing Ourselves offers more on these vital issues than ever before. As in the past, we invite faculty and students to share their thoughts and reactions to this reader. Write to John Macionis at [e-mail] or send a letter to the Department of Sociology, Palme House, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio 43022-9623 and to Nijole Benokraitis at [e-mail] or contact her at the Department of Sociology, University of Baltimore, 1420 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201-5779. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The editors are grateful to many people for their generous help in preparing this reader. First, the relationship between writers and publishers is a special mix of friendship, creative tension, and a shared commitment to doing the best job possible. In this regard, two important people at Prentice Hall are Chris DeJohn, former executive editor of sociology, and Nancy Roberts, Publisher for Humanities and Social Sciences. In addition, we acknowledge the timely and skillful work of the production team, including Joanne Hakim of Prentice Hall and Jessica Balch and the production staff at Pine Tree Composition. A number of out colleagues offered critical comments, which have improved the final book: Francis O. Adeola, University of New Orleans Afrola Anwary, Concordia College Kathleen A. Asburg, Community College of Philadelphia Frank Barter, Community College of Philadelphia Scott H. Beck, East Tennessee State University Marshall A. Botkin, Frederick Community College Joseph E. Boyle, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Julie V. Brown, University of North Carolina - Greensboro Angela D. Danzi, SUNY - Farmingdale Barbara Finlay, Texas A&M University Ralph McNeal, University of Connecticut Meredith A. Myers, University of Georgia Ron Pagnucco, Mt. St. Mary's College Barry Perlman, Community College of Philadelphia Harland Prechel, Texas A&M University Salvador Rivera, SUNY - Cobleskill Ron L. Shamufell, Community College of Philadelphia Randall J. Thomson, North Carolina State University We dedicate this edition of Seeing Ourselves to students—yours and ours. Their insights, probing questions, and thoughtful observations about society enliven our classrooms and enrich our teaching lives immeasurably.

Table of Contents

Readings new to this edition in bold.

THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION

Classic

1. "The Sociological Imagination" by C. Wright Mills

Classic

2. "Invitation to Sociology" by Peter L. Berger

Contemporary

3. "Women and the Birth of Sociology" by Patricia Madoo Lengermann and Jill Niebrugge-Brantley

Cross-Cultural

4. "Body Ritual among the Nacirema" by Horace Miner

SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH

Classic

5. "The Case for Value-Free Sociology" by Max Weber

Contemporary

6. "The Importance of Social Research" by Earl Babbie

Cross-Cultural

7. "Cultural Obsession with Thinness: African American, Latina, and White Women” by Becky W. Thompson (was #11 in SO7)

CULTURE

Classic

8. "Symbol: The Basic Element of Culture" by Leslie A. White

Contemporary

9. "Manifest and Latent Functions" by Robert K. Merton

Cross-Cultural

10. "India's Sacred Cow" by Marvin Harris

SOCIETY

Classic

11. "Manifesto and the Communist Party" by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

Classic

12. "Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft" by Ferdinand Tönnies

Contemporary

13. "Unmarried with Children" by Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas

Cross-Cultural

14. "The Amish: A Small Society" by John A. Hostetler

SOCIALIZATION

Classic

15. "The Self" by George Herbert Mead

Contemporary

16. "Boyhood, Organized Sports, and the Construction of Masculinities" by Michael A. Messner

Contemporary

17. "Socialization and the Power of Advertising" by Jean Kilbourne

Cross-Cultural

18. "Parents' Socialization of Children in Global Perspective" by D. Terri Heath

SOCIAL INTERACTION IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Classic

19. "The Dyad and the Triad," by Georg Simmel

Classic

20. "The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life" by Erving Goffman

Contemporary

21. "Invisible Privilege" by Paula S. Rothenberg

Contemporary

22. "You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation" by Deborah Tannen

Cross-Cultural

23. "The DOs and TABOOs of Body Language around the World" by Roger E. Axtell

GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS

Classic

24. "Primary Groups" by Charles Horton Cooley

Classic

25. "The Characteristics of Bureaucracy" by Max Weber

Contemporary

26. "McJobs: McDonaldization and the Workplace" by George Ritzer

Cross-Cultural

27. "Even If I Don't Know What I'm Doing, I Can Make It Look Like I Do: Becoming a Doctor in Canada" by Brenda L. Beagan

DEVIANCE

Classic

28. "The Functions of Crime" by Emile Durkheim

Contemporary

29. "On Being Sane in Insane Places" by Donald L. Rosenhan

Contemporary

30. "The Code of the Streets" by Elijah Anderson

Cross-Cultural

31. "Prostitution: A Worldwide Business of Sexual Exploitation" by Melissa Farley

SEXUALITY AND SOCIETY

Classic

32. "Understanding Sexual Orientation" by Alfred C. Kinsey, Wardell B. Pomeroy, and Clyde E. Martin

Contemporary

33. "Sex in America: How Many Partners Do We Have?" by Robert T. Michael, John H. Gagnon, Edward O. Laumann, and Gina Kolata

Cross-Cultural

34. "Homosexuality in Cross-Cultural Perspective" by J. M. Carrier

SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

Classic

35. "Some Principles of Stratification" by Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore, with a response by Melvin Tumin

Contemporary

36. “Nickel and Dimed: On (not) Getting By in America” by Barbara Ehrenreich [I need to know the permission cost for this one]

Cross-Cultural

37. "The Uses of Global Poverty: How Economic Inequality Benefits the West" by Daina Stukuls Eglitis

GENDER

Classic

38. "Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies" by Margaret Mead

Contemporary

39. "'Night to His Day': The Social Construction of Gender" by Judith Lorber

Contemporary

40. "How Subtle Sex Discrimination Works" by Nijole V. Benokraitis

Cross-Cultural

41. "Domestic Violence: A Cross-Cultural View" by Elaine Leeder

RACE AND ETHNICITY

Classic

42. "The Souls of Black Folk" by W. E. B. Du Bois

Contemporary

43. "Controlling Images and Black Women's Oppression" by Patricia Hill Collins

Contemporary

44. "How Did Jews Become White Folks?" by Karen Brodkin Sacks

Cross-Cultural

45. “Are Asian Americans Becoming White?” by Min Zhou

THE ECONOMY AND WORK

Classic

46. "Alienated Labor" by Karl Marx

Contemporary

47. "When Work Disappears" by William Julius Wilson

Cross-Cultural

48. "Getting a Job in Harlem: Experiences of African American, Puerto Rican, and Dominican Youth" by Katherine S. Newman

POLITICS, GOVERNMENT, AND THE MILITARY

Classic

49. "The Power Elite" by C. Wright Mills

Contemporary

50. "Can Anyone Become President of the United States?" by G. William Domhoff

Cross-Cultural

51. "The Roots of Terrorism" by The 9/11 Commission

FAMILIES

Classic

52. "'His' and 'Her' Marriage" by Jessie Bernard

Contemporary

53. "The Mommy Myth" by Susan J. Douglas and Meredith W. Michaels

Cross-Cultural

54. "Mate Selection and Marriage around the World" by Bron B. Ingoldsby

RELIGION

Classic

55. "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism" by Max Weber

Contemporary

56. "How Student Life is Different at Religious Colleges" by Naomi Schaefer Riley

Cross-Cultural

57. "Women and Islam" by Jane I. Smith

EDUCATION

Classic

58. “Education and Inequality" by Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis

Contemporary

59. "Savage Inequalities: Children in U.S. Schools" by Jonathan Kozol

Cross-Cultural

60. “The English Only Debate” by Alejandro Portes

HEALTH AND MEDICINE

Classic

61. "The Social Structure of Medicine" by Talcott Parsons

Contemporary

62. “The Slaughterhouse: The Most Dangerous Job" by Eric Schlosser

Cross-Cultural

63. "Female Genital Mutilation" by Efua Dorkenoo and Scilla Elworthy

POPULATION AND URBANIZATION

Classic

64. "The Metropolis and Mental Life" by Georg Simmel

Classic

65. "Why Humanity Faces Ultimate Catastrophe" by Thomas Robert Malthus

Contemporary

66. "Urbanism as a Way of Life" by Louis Wirth

Contemporary

67. "Urban Sprawl: The Formation of Edge Cities" by John J. Macionis and Vincent R. Parrillo

Cross-Cultural

68. "Let's Reduce Global Population!" by J. Kenneth Smail

SOCIAL CHANGE AND MODERNITY

Classic

69. “Anomy and Modern Life" by Emile Durkheim

Classic

70. "The Disenchantment of Modern Life" by Max Weber

Contemporary

71. "The American Paradox: Spiritual Hunger in an Age of Plenty" by David G. Myers

Cross-Cultural

72. “Global Media” by Todd Gitlin

Preface

Preface

"Change is one thing," Bertrand Russell pointed out, "progress is another." This new edition of Seeing Ourselves brings Russell's words to life. To be sure, the readings in this anthology highlight the many ways our world is changing. But pointing to change is just part of the history. In addition, classroom readings must help students ask questions about the shape of our society: Are social changes–involving technology, the economy, international relations, and social movements at home–improving quality of life? For whom? What should our goals for the future be? Our purpose in revising Seeing Ourselves is to present to students the many social changes that are shaping their lives as well as to help them think critically about the kind of world they will build in the twenty-first century.

Seeing Ourselves presents the very best of sociological thought, from the work of the discipline's pioneers to the men and women who are doing today's cutting-edge research. The selections explore both US. society and global trends. This 'feeder provides excellent material for a wide range 'of courses, including introductory sociology, social problems, cultural anthropology, social theory, social stratification, American studies, women's studies, and marriage and the family.

THE THREE C'S: CLASSIC,
CONTEMPORARY, AND CROSS-
CULTURAL

Since its introduction a decade ago, Seeing Ourselves has been the most popular reader in the discipline. The new, fifth edition offers seventy-seven selections that represent the breadth and depth of sociology. Seeing Ourselves is not only the most extensive anthology available, itis the only one that systematically weaves together three kinds of selections. For each general topic typically covered in a sociology course, three types of articles are included: classic, contemporary, and cross-cultural.

Classic articles—thirty in all—are sociological statements of recognized importance and lasting significance. Included here are the ideas of sociology's founders and shakers—including Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, Max Weber, Georg Simmel, Ferdinand Tönnies, as well as Margaret Mead, W.E.B. Du Bois, Louis Wirth, George Herbert Mead, Thomas Robert Malthus, and Charles Horton Cooley. Also found here are more recent contributions by Alfred Kinsey, Jessie Bernard, Robert Merton, Erving Goffrnan, Peter Berger, Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore, C. Wright Mills, Talcott Parsons, Leslie White, and Jo Freeman.

We recognize that not everyone will agree about precisely which selections warrant the term "classic." We hope, however, that instructors will be pleased to see the work of so many outstanding men and women—carefully edited with undergraduate students in mind—available in a single, affordable source.

Twenty-four contemporary selections focus on current sociological issues, controversies, and applications. These articles show sociologists at work and demonstrate the importance of ongoing research. They make for stimulating reading and offer thought-provoking insights about ourselves and the surrounding world. Among the contemporary selections in Seeing Ourselves are Earl Babbie on the importance of sociological research, George Ritzer on McDonaldization and jobs, James Davison Hunter on today's "culture wars," Jay Coakley offering a sociological analysis of sport, Dianne Herman pointing out the cultural roots of sexual violence, Deborah Tannen explaining why the two sexes often talk past each other, Robert Michael et al. reporting how many sexual partners US. adults really have, George Gerbner on television and violence, Andrew Hacker on the state of black and white America, Patricia Hill Collies analyzing the plight of women of color, Nijole Benokraitis on patterns of subtle discrimination, John Macionis sketching the shape of the coming "cybersociety," William Julius Wilson describing the rising desperation of some inner-city residents, William O'Hare profiling affluent Latinos, Roseann Giarrusso et al. on the increasing importance of grandparenting, Catharine MacKinnon's view of pornography as a form of domination, David Popenoe's contention that fatherhood is in serious decline, Jonathan Kozol's charges of "savage inequalities" in our schools, Ruth Zambrana et al. on the health of Latino families, James Jasper and Dorothy Nelkin's account of the animal rights movement, Lester Brown's survey of the state of the world's environment, and Joe Feagin and Robert Parker's assessment of the role of big business in the life of today's cities.

The twenty-three cross-cultural selections offer sociological insights about the striking cultural diversity of the United States and the larger world. Included are well-known works such as "Body Ritual among the Nacirema" by Horace Miner, "India's Sacred Cow" by Marvin Harris, "The Amish: A Small Society" by John Hostetler, J.M. Carrier's "Homosexual Behavior in Cross-Cultural Perspective," and Elijah Anderson's "The Code of the Streets." Other articles explore issues and problems including the state of American Indians, how familiar gestures can offend people in other societies, how Japanese and US. business people behave according to different sets of rules, the staggering burden of African poverty, women's social standing around the world, the rising number of elderly people worldwide, cross-cultural patterns of mate selection, Islam's view of women, academic achievement among Southeast Asian immigrants, and the rising global population. Cross-cultural selections stimulate critical thinking about social diversity in North America as well as broaden students' understanding of other cultures.

ORGANIZATION OF THE READER

This reader parallels the chapter sequence common to textbooks used in introductory sociology. Instructors can easily and effectively use these articles in a host of other courses, just as teachers can assign articles in whatever order they wish. For each of the twenty-three general topics, a cluster of three or four articles is presented, each cluster including at least one classic, one contemporary, and one cross-cultural selection. The expansive coverage of these seventy-seven articles ensures that instructors can choose readings well suited to their own classes. The first grouping of articles describes the distinctive sociological perspective, brings to life the promise and pitfalls of sociological research, and demonstrates the discipline's applications to a variety of issues. The selections that follow focus on key concepts: culture, society, socialization, social interaction, groups and organizations, deviance, and human sexuality. The focus then turns to various dimensions of social inequality, with attention to class, gender, race and ethnicity, and aging. The major social institutions are covered next, including the economy and work; politics, government, and the military; family; religion; education; and health and medicine. The final sets of articles explore dimensions of global transformation—including population growth, urbanization, the natural environment, social movements, and social change.

A NOTE ON LANGUAGE

All readings are presented in their original form; the editors have not altered any author's language. Readers should be aware that some of the older selections—especially the classics—use male pronouns rather than more contemporary gender-neutral terminology, and one article employs the term "Negro." We have not changed the language in any article, wishing not to violate the historical authenticity of any document. That said, we urge faculty and students, with the original articles in hand, to consider the significance of changing language in their analysis of the author's ideas.

TEACHING FEATURES

This reader has two features that enhance the learning of students. First, a brief introduction, preceding each selection, presents the essential argument and highlights important issues to keep in mind while completing the reading. Second, each article is followed by three or four "Critical-Thinking Questions" that develop the significance of the reading, help students evaluate their own learning, and stimulate class discussion.

INTERNET SITES

Readers are also invited to visit our sociology Web sites. At students will find online study guides for the Macionis introductory texts (Sociology and Society: The Basics), including discussion topics, test questions, and Internet links. Another site, provides information about the field of sociology, biographies of key sociologists, recent news of interest to sociologists, and more than fifty links to worthwhile Internet sites.

Also, offers more than 400 "hot links" to topics such as theory, sociological research, culture, socialization, interaction and communication, sexuality, race and ethnicity, gender roles, aging, work, marriage, health, family violence, and social change.

INSTRUCTOR'S TEST
ITEM FILE

Prentice Hall also supports Seeing Ourselves with a Test Item File, prepared by Leda A. Thompson. For each of the seventy-seven selections in this reader, the Test Item File provides instructors with six multiple-choice questions (with answers) and several essay questions for easy test creation. The multiple-choice questions are also available on computer disk for users of IBM and Macintosh personal computers.

CHANGES TO THE FIFTH EDITION

We are grateful to our colleagues at hundreds of colleges and universities who have made Seeing Ourselves a part of their courses. Energized by this unparalleled reception, the editors have now produced an even stronger edition. Here are the key changes:

1. Sixteen new articles, of a total of seventy-seven, appear in the fifth edition. As one might expect, changes to classic selections are limited: in this case, to a new selection from Alfred Kinsey's groundbreaking study of human sexuality. There are eight new contemporary selections, including Jay Coakley, "How Would a Sociologist Look at Sport?"; Earl Babbie, "The Importance of Social Research"; George Ritzer, "McJobs: McDonaldization and the Workplace"; Robert Michael et al., "Sex in America: How Many Partners Do We Have?"; Andrew Hacker, "Who Has How Much and Why?"; Roseann Giarrusso et al., "How the Grandparent Role Is Changing"; Jonathan Kozol, "Savage Inequalities: Children in US. Schools"; and James Jasper and Dorothy Nelkin, "The Animal Rights Movement as a Moral Crusade."
   
   In addition, this fifth edition offers seven new cross-cultural selections, enriching the anthology's multicultural and global content. The new selections in this category are Elijah Anderson, "The Code of the Streets"; C. Matthew Snipp, "A Comeback for American Indians"; Naomi Neft and Ann D. Levine, "Women in Today's World"; Frank Hobbs and Bonnie Damon, "Our Aging World"; Adrian Karatnycky, "Freedom in the World: A Global Survey"; J. Kenneth Smail, "Let's Reduce Global Population!"; and Janet Hadley, "Abortion Movements in Poland, Great Britain, arid the United States."
2. A new cluster of articles on human sexuality. Many sociology courses now include discussion of human sexuality. In this revision, therefore, the editors have added three selections on this topic: Alfred Kinsey's classic study of sexual orientation; Robert Michael, John Gagnon, Edward Laumann, and Gina Kolata's "Sex in America: How Many Partners Do We Have?"; and J. M. Carrier's "Homosexual Behavior in Cross-Cultural Perspective."
3. A continued emphasis on diversity. In Seeing Ourselves, "diversity" involves three important objectives. First is global content. The editors have worked hard to include in this collection the work of sociologists from around the world. Twenty-one of the selections in this edition deal primarily with social patterns beyond the borders of the United States. Second, "diversity" refers to multicultural issues. The selections in this edition of Seeing Ourselves highlights the lives of African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, and American Indians and other native peoples, as well as women and men from all social class backgrounds. This anthology, in short, brings to the center the lives of people often pushed to the margins of society. Third, "diversity" means presenting to students arguments from different points of view. Using this reader, students will grapple with important issues and debates reflecting various positions on the political spectrum.
4. A small change in topic ordering. In this edition, we have reversed the order of the cluster dealing with gender and the cluster dealing with race and ethnicity. This small change, reflecting the suggestion of several classroom instructors, gives students more experience discussing social inequality before they focus on race, a topic that some students find difficult to discuss in class.
   
   As in the past, we invite faculty and students to share their thoughts and reactions to this reader. Write to John Macionis at the Department of Anthropology-Sociology, Olof Palme House, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio 43022-9623 or to Nijole Benokraitis at the Department of Sociology, University of Baltimore, 1420 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201-5779.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The editors are grateful to a number of colleagues for their help in preparing this reader. First, the relationship between writers and publishers is a distinctive mix of friendship, creative tension, and a shared commitment to do the best job possible. For her unwavering support from the outset, we wish to express our gratitude to Nancy Roberts, publisher, at Prentice Hall. Sharon Chambliss, managing editor for sociology, coordinated myriad tasks and shepherded this edition's production with her usual calm and good cheer. Special thanks go to Barbara Reilly, production editor, for her commitment to excellence and her meticulous attention to detail.

Nijole Benokraitis is grateful to Linda Fair, secretary of the Division of Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Social Policy, at the University of Baltimore and to Taneisha Sanders, graduate research assistant, for their invaluable assistance in preparing many of the articles for publication. Both editors are indebted to Amy Marsh Macionis for her skillful editorial review of the entire manuscript.

A number of other colleagues offered critical comments, which have improved the final book: Afrola Anwary, Concordia College; Kathleen A. Asburg, Community College of Philadelphia; Frank Barter, Community College of Philadelphia; Scott H. Beck, East Tennessee State University; Marshall A. Botkin, Frederick Community College; Joseph E. Boyle, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Julie V Brown, University of North Carolina, Greensboro; Meredith A. Myers, University of Georgia; Ron Pagnucco, Mt. St. Mary's College; Barry Perlman, Community College of Philadelphia; Salvador Rivera, State University of New York—Cobleskill; Ron L. Shamufell, Community College of Philadelphia; and Randall J. Thomson, North Carolina State University.

Finally, recognizing the fact that the academic profession too often undervalues the core role of teaching, John Macionis and Nijole Benokraitis dedicate Seeing Ourselves to the men and women who have committed their lives to educating today's undergraduates, helping them to develop the skills and the insights that will play a part in reshaping tomorrow's world.