Our purpose in writing this text is to convey both the excitement of sociology and its relevance to our lives. The excitement of sociology comes from what it studies: social life and social organization. Sociology encompasses all aspects of society: family life, community change, individual development, group differences, and gender inequality, to name a few. It involves a unique way of looking at the world in which we live, forcing us to question the obvious and understand how society and behavior are patterned and organized. People are discovering that sociology provides them with unique skills and abilities in research methods, in applying social theory in the working world, and in using their understanding of social processes, organization, and change. - Preface.