This is a low-cost, paperback, condensed version of Sociology: A Brief Introduction , Sixth Edition. The conciseness, readability, and highly focused coverage of Sociology Matters are designed to appeal to instructors who rely on several texts rather than on a single comprehensive textbook. Its design and pedagogy are both straightforward and streamlined. Sociology Matters features newly written chapter introductions and a unifying theme--answering the question "How does sociology matter?" "After more than 30 years of teaching sociology to students in colleges, adult education programs, nursing programs, an overseas program based in London, and even a maximum-security prison, I am firmly convinced that the discipline can play a valuable role in teaching critical thinking skills. Sociology can help students to better understand the workings of their own lives as well as of their society and other cultures." –-Richard T. Schaefer.