It's the 21st century and the world is changing. Today's students have instant access to anyone, anything, anywhere, anytime. They want to be enlightened, entertained, and informed on their terms. They want to be shown the relevance of the introductory sociology course to their lives.

Who better than George Ritzer, one of sociology's best-known thinkers, to do just that? While providing a rock-solid foundation of sociology, Ritzer illuminates traditional sociological concepts and theories, as well as some of today's most compelling social phenomena: globalization, consumer culture, and the internet. As technology flattens the globe, students are challenged to apply a sociological perspective to their world. Ritzer brings students into the conversation by bridging the divide between the outside world and the classroom.