As the age of globalization and New Media unite disparate groups of people in new ways, the continual transformation and interconnections between ethnicity, class, and gender become increasingly complex. This reader, comprised of a diverse array of sources ranging from the New York Times to the journals of leading research universities, explores these issues as systems of stratification that work to reinforce one another. Understanding Inequality provides students and academics with the ba...

Drugs, Alcohol, and Social Problems, a collection edited James D. Orcutt and David R. Rudy, includes 14 clearly written articles that exemplify the best of sociological scholarship on drug and alcohol problems. The readings strike a balance between constructionist, epidemiological, and ethnographic approaches to the study of drinking, drug use, and related problems such as domestic violence, crime, and the spread of HIV/AIDS. A general introduction and five section introductions w...

The second edition of The Sociology of Katrina brings together the nation's top sociological researchers in an effort to deepen our understanding of the modern catastrophe that is Hurricane Katrina. Five years after the storm, its profound impact continues to be felt.This new edition explores emerging themes, as well as ongoing issues that continue to besiege survivors. The book has been updated and revised throughout-from data about recovery efforts and environmental cond...

Ectodermal Dysplasias (ED) are a diverse group of genetic disorders characterized by congenital defects of two or more ectodermal structures (e.g., sweat gland, tooth, nail, hair), that count about 100 different manifestations. Therefore, the multidisciplinary aspect is a novel but crucial approach to correctly diagnose and treat this kind of diseases and eventually direct patients to specialized centers. A new classification has been proposed as well as new therapeutic options, such as th...