This text takes the themes of culture and identity and applies these to a range of crucial sociological debates. The book explores a variety of theoretical perspectives, from classical theories drawn from Marx, Weber and Durkheim to the modern and postmodern thinking of such theorists as Giddens, Beck, Foucault and Baudrillard. The second part of the book then examines a wide spectrum of important substantive areas including youth cultures, consumption, gender and sexuality, and ethnic and national identity, taking a practical and student-centred approach throughout.