Reinterpreting within-country inequality -- High and low inequality as historical equilibria -- High inequality, low inequality and creative destruction -- The distribution of income between nations as a high inequality equilibrium (HIE) -- Global stratification and the three paths of social...

The best-case scenario / Katherine S. Newman and Chauncy Lennon -- High flyers, low riders, and the "up but not out" club -- All in the family -- The national picture / Helen Connolly, Peter Gottschalk, and Katherine S. Newman -- Streetwise economics -- Victor Tan Chen and Katherine S. Newman --...

The new gilded age -- Escalating economic inequality -- Interpreting inequality -- Economic inequality as a political issue -- Inequality and American democracy -- The partisan political economy -- Partisan patterns of income growth -- A partisan coincidence? -- Partisan differences in...

Passing the torch: an overview -- Thirty years later: educational attainments -- How families fared: the college payoff -- Breaking the cycle of disadvantage: maternal education and children's success -- How college changes a mother's parenting and affects her children's educational outcomes --...

George Ritzer's McDonaldization of Society, now celebrating its 20th anniversary, continues to stand as one of the pillars of modern day sociological thought. By linking theory to 21st century culture, this book resonates with students in a way that few other books do, opening their eyes to many...

Introduction -- The Power of the Illusion, the Way We Never Were -- The Dream Interrupted, Insecurity Among the Middle-Aged -- Privileged Expectations and Insecure Realities -- The Myth of Equal Opportunity -- Negotiating Uncertainty -- Economic Vulnerability as the New Normal.