SOC 2020

SOC 2020 is the sixth edition of Jon Witt’s book, and this revision offers significant changes to each chapter; some of the most substantial changes are in Chapter 8, on race and ethnicity, and Chapter 15, on Social Change. The new material on race and ethnicity sets the stage for a more nuanced and sophisticated understanding of these concepts. The updated chapter includes more historical context, a head-on discussion of the limits of biological approaches to race, a consideration of why such biological justifications are put forth, and a more detailed discussion of the consequences of these social constructions. Instructors will find a more expansive discussion of social change in Chapter 15, reinforcing the idea that positive social change is possible and empowering students to work toward improved structures in their own communities.