Bob Dylan wrote “The Times They Are a-Changin” in 1964, and those words remain relevant even now in this new millennium. Sociology in Our Times, Seventh Canadian Edition, brings to light the relevance of sociology to students’ lives in this rapidly changing world. The text highlights the profound importance of understanding how and why people act the way they do, how societies grapple with issues and major problems, and why many of us are reassured by social institutions – including family, religion, education, government, and the media – even at times when we might like to see certain changes occur in these institutions. Like previous editions of this widely read text, this seventh Canadian edition is a cutting-edge book in two ways: (1) by including a diversity of classical and contemporary theory, interesting and relevant research, and lived experiences that accurately mirror the diversity in society itself, and (2) by showing students that sociology involves important questions and issues that they confront both personally and indirectly through the media and other sources. This text captures the interest of a wide variety of Canadian students by taking into account their concerns and perspectives. As the title suggests, topics were selected to be most pertinent to “Our Times,” including the widening income gap between the rich and poor, new and emerging definitions of family life, changing constructions of sexuality, and ongoing concerns related to our environment. In doing so, we hope that students will learn to critically examine their social world, and to further contemplate the social world they hope to live in moving forward. Sociology in Our Times captures the excitement of this new era and aims to help students understand how sociological theory and research can be applied to both everyday life and the pressing social issues we face in this rapidly changing world.
