OER: Open Educational Resources

“Cases on Social Issues: For Class Discussion – 2nd Edition” was inspired by students and co-authored by people who are usually under-represented in higher education. These realistic, emotional cases are designed to help students grapple with ethical issues related to discrimination, diversity, equity, inclusion and general social issues in the workplace. These valuable cases are appropriate for upper-level undergraduate or graduate students in the humanities, business, healthcare, agriculture, environmental studies, Indigenous studies, land use studies, law and more. In addition to the background description and scenario, each case comes with modifiable discussion questions, notes on teaching strategies, and a reading list.

Inequality and Interdependence: Social Problems and Social Justice examines the persistent social problems of our world, asking both who suffers and who benefits. We explore inequality in issues that challenge communities today, such as education, mental health, death and dying, and disaster recovery, among others. We invite students to celebrate the work of those who remind us of our interdependence, to imagine powerful equitable solutions, and to co-create a more just world.

This textbook introduces key feminist concepts and analytical frameworks used in the interdisciplinary Women, Gender, Sexualities field. It unpacks the social construction of knowledge and categories of difference, processes and structures of power and inequality, with a focus on gendered labor in the global economy, and the historical development of feminist social movements. The book emphasizes feminist sociological approaches to analyzing structures of power, drawing heavily from empirical feminist research.

This Open Educational Resource textbook on racial and ethnic diversity is innovative and timely. The author, a sociology Ph.D. at an Ohio two-year college, provides a well-researched and detailed introduction to this topic. In addition to the sociological approach, the textbook uses a comparative approach, discussing U.S. diversity in international and historical perspective, especially in terms of North America's many political, economic, and social relationships with Latin America. This comparative approach is especially important for today's students, given the current Hispanicization of the U.S.

"Introduction to Sociology 3e adheres to the scope and sequence of a typical, one-semester introductory sociology course. It offers comprehensive coverage of core concepts, foundational scholars, and emerging theories. The textbook presents section reviews with rich questions, discussions that help students apply their knowledge, and features that draw learners into the discipline in meaningful ways. The second edition has been updated significantly to reflect the latest research and current, relevant examples." - works with SOC 101

Lifespan Psychology offers an overview of the discipline of developmental psychology with attention paid to the physiological, psychological, social, and cultural factors that influence and form the human experience from conception and birth to death and grief. Particular emphasis is given to examples that speak to underrepresented populations and, as an added twist, with examples drawn from Louisiana's rich heritage.

Lifespan Development aligns to the topics and objectives of most introductory developmental psychology courses taught across departments. Grounded in foundational theories and scientific research, the text teaches students about core aspects of human development—physical, cognitive, social, emotional—across the lifespan. A primary goal of the book is to incorporate content, scholarship, and activities that explore a variety of perspectives that encourage all students to feel seen and included.
Lifespan Development strives to openly address complex topics with scholarly responsibility and an effort to increase equity and inclusion in the research presented, as well as to foster student engagement in the classroom through relevant examples and applications. Focused on driving meaningful and memorable learning experiences, the narrative places concepts in contexts that give students the means to understand human development and how that knowledge can be applied to and improve their own lives and the lives of others.

We are living in unprecedented times. The United States is an aging nation. For over a century, the U.S. has experienced exponential demographic growth in the number and proportion of persons aged 65 and older. The previous decade between 2010 to 2020 represented the fastest growth period ever in the number of Americans who turned 65 and reached late adulthood. In fact, the older adult population increased at five times the rate of the total population. Nearly 56 million or roughly 17 percent of the U.S. population is currently comprised of person over 65 years of age. This amounts to 1 in every 6 Americans alive today who are older adults. Most of this growth can be attributed to the aging of the Baby Boomers (persons born between 1946-1964) who began turning 64 in 2011. By the end of 2029, all remaining and surviving members in this large birth cohort will be 65 and older.

The Black Lives Matter collaborative storytelling project aims to underscore the persistence of racism and injustice in the United States. This project draws from critical race theory, storytelling strategies and inclusive media practices that provide students the tools to reflect on their understanding and experiences about race, racism, and racial justice, particularly as it pertains to Black Lives.

"Introduction to Sociology 3e adheres to the scope and sequence of a typical, one-semester introductory sociology course. It offers comprehensive coverage of core concepts, foundational scholars, and emerging theories. The textbook presents section reviews with rich questions, discussions that help students apply their knowledge, and features that draw learners into the discipline in meaningful ways. The second edition has been updated significantly to reflect the latest research and current, relevant examples." - works with SOC 101

This OER covers law enforcement, criminal courts, sentencing, penal institutions, and community-based sanctions. It also includes historical and contemporary perspectives on components of the criminal justice system, as well as the legal and constitutional frameworks in which they operate.

Sociologists teaching an introductory course focus on a wide array of topics, ranging from culture and socialization to institutional structures and stratification. One of the main lessons we impart to our students relates to the effects social inequalities have on our lives, particularly on the goals we establish for ourselves and families, and the structural barriers that serve to prohibit us from reaching these goals. For people who aspire to achieve upward social mobility, earning a college degree is a key means of doing so, however, with the rising costs of college education, access is out of reach for many. Community colleges are uniquely positioned to serve the American public by offering a quality education at a relatively low cost. Many community college professors teach at these institutions because they are invested in offering equitable access to higher education and desire to be part of a system that works toward this goal. To this end, we developed this text for our students because we know that rising textbook costs prohibit some of them from purchasing the materials necessary for their academic success. This text allows us to contribute one small piece to the educational equity puzzle and take one small step closer to social equality.
The Integrated Workbook Edition of this text was conceived of by Suzanne Latham, who felt that the text, coupled with an embedded workbook providing students with opportunities to interact with, reflect upon and recall concepts and theories, would significantly enhance their learning experience and understanding of the field of sociology. In addition to the new workbook element, this edition also includes updates to data and discussion of current issues.

"Introduction to Sociology 3e adheres to the scope and sequence of a typical, one-semester introductory sociology course. It offers comprehensive coverage of core concepts, foundational scholars, and emerging theories. The textbook presents section reviews with rich questions, discussions that help students apply their knowledge, and features that draw learners into the discipline in meaningful ways. The second edition has been updated significantly to reflect the latest research and current, relevant examples." - works with SOC 101

This equity-focused textbook includes interactive activities, videos, images, charts and graphs, and resources that use the tools of sociology (sociological perspectives, research, and theory) to explore the social interactions and structures in which gender and sexuality are socially constructed, imposed, enforced, reproduced, challenged, and negotiated. This textbook will introduce students to the leadership, research, and theories of contemporary sociologists—many of whom identify as women, LGBTQIA+, and People of the Global Majority—who are shaping this exciting field of study. This textbook also describes how social movements have influenced theories of gender and how the field of sociology has been responsive to these movements.

This universally accessible text provides students with a foundational understanding of the changing experiences and needs of contemporary families in the United States. It emphasizes the multi-directional influence of social structure as well as the impacts of difference, power, and oppression. Using an intersectional lens and placing the diversity of families at its core, the text prepares students with a range of majors and career paths to use their sociological imaginations, identify privilege and oppression, practice inclusion and take part in increasing equity for families, whether at the professional level, the personal level or both.Resources for students and instructors include chapter learning objectives, key terms with definitions, chapter activities, and reflective questions for application and discussion. In addition, instructors have access to chapter questionnaires for formative assessment, larger summative assignments, and a crosswalk to identify the location of specific topics.

Welcome to Sociology of Family! I am excited to make the textbook for this class available to you for free. The web version doesn’t cost anything but a bit of eye fatigue from reading on your screens. If you want an old school hard copy, you can purchase one from the College Bookstore… they will place an order to have it printed in Delta’s printing services, and you pay for the cost of printing… that’s it.
This textbook is a massive long term collaboration between sociologists who want to lessen the cost of higher education for students like you. This book is originally written by Ron Hammond at Utah Valley University and published under a Creative Commons License, making it an Open Educational Resource, which means it is available for modification by other sociologists, such as myself. Additional editing for readability, a global to local focus, and modern context is underway. This text is a work in progress, and your questions and feedback make it more relevant and relatable.
Thank you for taking a Soc class, and I hope you enjoy the journey.
Donna Giuliani, Delta College

This textbook is divided into two parts because our teaching commitment has course content divided into two, separate 10–12-week terms (Psychology 231 and Psychology 232). You will note that the first section, Reflections and Explorations in Human Sexuality, includes ten chapters ranging from Sexology to Gender to Sexual Behaviors. In many ways, Part 1 is a great example of introductory human sexuality and many of the subjects have personal application to one’s experiences and learning. Our second section, Part 2, is Professional and Clinical Topics in Human Sexuality and covers topics such as Sexuality Over the Lifespan, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Sexual Dysfunctions and Treatment. While our Part 2 is still considered introductory in nature, it does have a more clinical/professional approach to topics in terms of learning. We feel, strongly, that all these subjects hold value for students’ personal and professional development whether they’re going into psychology, social work, gender and sexuality studies, nursing, public health, anthropology, or something else entirely.

"Introduction to Sociology 3e adheres to the scope and sequence of a typical, one-semester introductory sociology course. It offers comprehensive coverage of core concepts, foundational scholars, and emerging theories. The textbook presents section reviews with rich questions, discussions that help students apply their knowledge, and features that draw learners into the discipline in meaningful ways. The second edition has been updated significantly to reflect the latest research and current, relevant examples." - works with SOC 101