This introductory book offers a rich, stimulating, and authoritative account of key debates and issues in the discipline from a range of highly regarded experts in the field. Carefully structured and edited, it explores sociological understandings of a range of core topics and critically examines what key issues have emerged for debate from past and current research. As state-of-the-art guide to its subject, this volume offers a refreshing and stimulating path through contemporary debates within a familiar and accessible format.