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The ninth edition adopts interactive features designed to engage readers actively with the text. Classic studies boxes introduce some of sociology’s most influential pieces of work, but be aware that ‘classic’ is not just another word for ‘old’. Sociology makes progress by constantly testing ideas, theories and methods in the thousands of research projects, journal articles and books that constitute academic sociology. Of course, the majority of research studies never achieve the status of ‘classics’, but this does not mean they have no value. However, sometimes significant new discoveries are made, a novel research method is devised, or a new theory exerts a major influence on the direction of the discipline. In these cases they may be recognized by professional sociologists as ‘classics’. Hence, a ‘classic’ can be any age, and our selections in the book reflect this. Not everyone will agree with all of our choices, but they are not purely random, personal choices. We have tested them on numerous anonymous reviewers, lecturers and readers, which reassures us that they are widely acknowledged as significant.

There are several other interactive elements throughout the book. Thinking critically boxes mark ‘stopping off’ points, where readers can reflect and think through the significance of what they have learned. We strongly recommend working through these boxes to get the most from the book. Global society boxes encourage students to think globally about even the most apparently local or domestic issues. Boxes labelled Using your sociological imagination often contain unusual or arresting material designed to illustrate or expand on themes found in the chapter. The Glossary continues to expand as sociologists devise new concepts that pass into common currency. All glossary terms are highlighted in bold within chapters for easy reference.

The ‘sociological workshops’ at the end of each chapter have proved useful for teaching and learning and have been updated again this time. The Chapter review asks questions based on chapter material, and it is a good idea to work through these immediately after reading, though they may also be the basis for revision at a later date. Research in practice concentrates on research methods and their application in real-world studies. Here, we point readers to a piece of contemporary research, usually a journal article, and ask them to track it down, read it and make notes as they do so. A series of questions then allows readers to think about the different types of research and methods, what they are used for and how successful they have been. An understanding of research methods is essential for the practice of ‘doing’ sociology.

Thinking it through exercises select a theoretical paper, an online discussion or a newspaper article which raises issues of theory and explanation. Part of the activity is to make sure readers understand the concepts used and the meaning of the paper. A fair number of students tell us they find ‘theory’ difficult to grasp, mainly because it seems abstract and distant from their own lives. We have therefore selected theoretical pieces which bear directly on real events to bridge the apparent divide between theory and daily life.

Society in the arts takes us outside academic social science, into the arts and humanities. In this section we suggest films, TV programmes or plays, novels, artworks or sculptures, music and exhibitions. All of our recommendations are closely linked to the chapter material, and we ask readers to consider how they add to their knowledge of society. What is special about the arts? How is contemporary social life represented in the arts? Do the arts tell us something different about the world that the social sciences never could? We encourage readers to consider such questions carefully in the exercises here.

Finally, the Further readings have been updated and briefly annotated, so readers can make a more informed choice about what they choose to read. Similarly, Internet links have been checked and updated, so readers can explore some of the material now available online. The book also has its own website – www.politybooks.com/giddens9 – which has resources for further research and in support of teaching and learning.