This text offers students a lively, provocative introduction to the principles of sociology. It encourages students to develop what C. Wright Mills called a "sociological imagination," enabling them to see how their position in society and in history shapes their personal lives. Using a critical approach, the authors raise analytical questions and explore the social forces that affect each individual's life and life chances. While focusing on the influence of power and privilege on society's haves and have-nots, the authors suggest the need for social change.