The third edition of this best-selling introductory reader in sociology has been thoroughly restructured, and fully revised and updated to offer a stimulating and wide-ranging set of readings for students approaching sociology for the first time. A strong emphasis has been placed on creating a productive mixture of classic and contemporary readings which is highly readable and lively, yet remains challenging. Whilst particularly useful as a companion to the sixth edition of Giddens's Sociology, the reader is designed for use independently or alongside other textbooks. The reader maintains the distinctive approach which Sociology pioneered: strongly comparative and historically informed, it stresses the influence of globalizing trends in social life. The carefully selected readings range from studies of face-to-face interaction through to the analysis of large-scale global systems, and cover sociological theories of society as well as research methods. Amongst the new selections in this volume are readings on the Internet and virtual communities, the impact of ecological thinking and climate change on social science, offshoring and the future of work, global cities, patriarchy and shifting gender relations, intersecting social inequalities, the idea and practice of restorative justice, new forms of cybercrime, war, terrorism and the prospects for a global cosmopolitan democracy. The readings are arranged in ten thematic sections and each section is preceded by a summary in order to facilitate students' comprehension and critical reflection. The result is an exciting new text that encompasses the major themes and debates in both classical and contemporary sociology. Sociology: Introductory Readings will be an essential resource for anyone who wishes to engage with the scope of sociological thought today.