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Sociology in Our Times, 8th Edition |

Diana Kendall, Rick Linden, Christian Caron, Jane Lothian Murray

Copyright 2026
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Sociology in Our Times 8th Edition by Diana Kendall/Rick Linden/Christian Caron/Jane Lothian Murray

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Overview
Meet the Authors
What's New
Features
Table of Contents
Pricing

Overview

Sociology in Our Times empowers students to connect sociological concepts to their everyday lives, making the subject matter both relevant and engaging in today’s fast-changing world. Through real-world examples and relatable insights, the text helps students understand human behavior, societal challenges, and the enduring influence of institutions like family, education, religion, government, and media.

Introductory sociology courses often face two key hurdles:

Students struggle to grasp abstract theoretical perspectives.

Instructors need tools to drive engagement and monitor comprehension.

SIOT addresses these challenges head-on. Each chapter is structured around five foundational theoretical perspectives, guiding students to explore key issues through multiple lenses. This consistent approach builds confidence and critical thinking, helping students move from confusion to clarity with questions like: “How would a functionalist view deviance?” or “What might a symbolic interactionist say about health?”

The 8th edition introduces MindTap, a robust digital learning platform designed to elevate the classroom experience. Instructors gain real-time insights into student progress and performance, while students benefit from interactive tools that support diverse learning styles. Alongside multiple-choice assessments, MindTap includes engaging video content and Bongo activities that spark discussion and help students develop their sociological imagination.

Sociology in Our Times isn’t just a textbook—it’s a teaching solution that brings sociology to life.

Meet the Authors

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Diana Kendall

Diana Kendall is professor of sociology at Baylor University, where she has been recognized as an Outstanding Professor. She has taught a variety of courses, including Introduction to Sociology, Sociological Theory (undergraduate and graduate), Sociology of Medicine, Sociology of Law, and Race, Class and Gender. Previously, she enjoyed many years of teaching sociology and serving as chair of the Social and Behavioral Science Division at Austin Community College. Dr. Kendall's areas of specialization and primary research interests are sociological theory and the sociology of medicine. In addition to SOCIOLOGY IN OUR TIMES: THE ESSENTIALS, she is the author of THE POWER OF GOOD DEEDS: PRIVILEGED WOMEN AND THE SOCIAL REPRODUCTION OF THE UPPER CLASS (Rowman & Littlefield, 2002), MEMBERS ONLY: ELITE CLUBS AND THE PROCESS OF EXCLUSION (Rowman & Littlefield, 2008) and FRAMING CLASS: MEDIA REPRESENTATIONS OF WEALTH AND POVERTY IN AMERICA, 2nd Edition (Rowman & Littlefield, 2012). Her most recent scholarly publication is "Class: Still Alive and Reproducing in the United States", a book chapter in PRIVILEGE: A READER, 4th Edition (2016, Westview Press). Dr. Kendall is actively involved in national and regional sociological associations, including the American Sociological Association, the Society for the Study of Social Problems and the Southwestern Sociological Association. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, where she was invited to membership in Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

Rick Linden

Rick Linden is Professor of Sociology at the University of Manitoba. He has B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Alberta and a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Washington. He is the author of over 60 published papers and reports and is the author or editor of four books, including Canada’s best-selling Criminology text which is now in its 7th edition. He has published several crime prevention handbooks and has done many evaluations of crime prevention programs. Rick is currently the co-chair of the Manitoba Auto Theft Task Force. The Task Force developed an auto theft prevention strategy which reduced auto theft rates in Winnipeg by over 80 percent and which won the 2010 Quality Policing Award from the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He is also the Chair of the Manitoba Police Commission and serves on the management committee of Winnipeg’s Gang Response and Suppression Program.

Christian Caron

Jane Lothian Murray

Jane Lothian Murray obtained her Masters degree at the University of Manitoba in 1990 and has been teaching at the University of Winnipeg for 15 years. Before that Jane taught at the University of Manitoba in the Sociology Department.Prior to joining academia, Jane spent ten years working in Youth Corrections, Child Welfare and Mental Health. Her last position was as the coordinator of the assessment unit at Manitoba Adolescent Treatment Centre. Jane's research interests include family violence and youth justice. Jane also has the pleasure of raising three sons and two mangy mutts.

What's New

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Content is streamlined by reducing the number of chapters from 23 to 17 and combining material from related print and online chapters, such as socialization and social interaction, gender and sexuality, population, urbanization and environment, and politics and social movements.
Four New Chapters: This edition features four new chapters. These are Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective, Chapter 6: Media and Communications Technology, Chapter 10: Race, Ethnicity, and Racialization, and Chapter 15: Health, Mental Health, and Aging.
Chapter Opening Vignettes: Most chapters now begin with engaging new vignettes which are authentic first-person accounts. These vignettes create interest and give concrete meaning to the topics being discussed and provide opportunities to consider social life beyond their own experiences from diverse perspectives. Lived experiences include those related to poverty, unemployment and food insecurity, racism, mental illness, the changing meaning of the family, environmental activism, missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, the changing nature of work, disability, and homelessness.
Up-to-Date Data & Research: All statistics and figures have been refreshed, and the latest research developments are integrated throughout.

Features

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Chapter Focus Question: Each chapter begins with an open-ended question that provides a starting point for students to think about the material covered in the chapter.
Learning Objectives list the key themes at the beginning of each chapter to give students an overview of major topics and a convenient aid for review.
Critical Thinking Questions: After the opening experience in each chapter, a series of introductory questions invites students to think about the major topics discussed.
Sociology and Everyday Life: Each chapter has a brief Sociology and Everyday Life quiz that relates the sociological perspective to the pressing social issues presented in the chapter. These topic questions will pique the interest of students. Answers to the quiz are provided at the end of each chapter.
Point/Counterpoint boxes encourage students to use their sociological knowledge to grapple with some of today’s most hotly contested issues, such as the media’s roles and responsibilities; how bureaucratic rigidity contributed to terrorist attacks; ethics and offshore production; race, ethnicity, and genetics; whether tougher prison sentences reduce crime; and current debates over school curriculum. The topics covered can be used as springboards for in-class debate or online discussion forums.
Census Profiles provide information that highlights key changes in Canadian society based on census data. Each unique box uses recent statistics, ensuring students are up to-date and informed about topics discussed.
Global Perspective boxes interconnect topics of the world, extending the sociological imagination beyond national borders. The global implications of topics are examined throughout each chapter. Topics include cybervictimization and technology-facilitated gender-based violence, the myth of meritocracy and settler privilege, commercial surrogacy in India and North America, and how modern slavery intersects with students’ day-to-day live.
Concept Snapshots provide a brief summary of all major perspectives covered in the chapter and the key people connected to those theories.
Time to Review Questions help students to review and retain key information from the preceding sections of the text.
MindTap is an online learning platform that gives professors complete control to craft a personalized, engaging learning experience that challenges students. MindTap delivers access to an eTextbook, study tools, a variety of activities and auto-graded assessment options, and student performance reporting.
Teaching resources available, including Instructor Guide, PowerPoints, and a MindTap Educator’s Guide.

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1. The Sociological Perspective
2. Sociological Research
3. Culture
4. Socialization and Social Interaction
5. Groups and Organizations
6. Media and Communications Technology
7. Deviance and Social Control
8. Social Class and Stratification in Canada
9. Global Inequality
10. Race, Ethnicity, and Racialization
11. Gender and Sexuality
12. Work and the Economy
13. Family and Intimate Relationships
14. Education
15. Health, Mental Health, and Aging
16. Population, Urbanization, and the Environment
17. Politics and Social Movements

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eTextbook: Sociology in Our Times

ISBN-10: 1778417620
ISBN-13: 9781778417627

RETAIL $77.95