As the nation charts a course out of the Great Recession and towards a brighter tomorrow, women's participation in the labour market and power over household purchases will be critical for economic growth. Women comprise half the workforce, and receive the majority of bachelor's degrees granted today. Women's earnings are crucial for family well-being, women's purchasing power drives the economy and women's leadership in the boardroom is a proven boon for businesses' bottom line. Because of all this and more, investing in women means investing in the nation as a whole. This book provides a comprehensive overview on women's position in the economy today. Decades of progress mean women are poised to lead the nation's next chapter of economic growth. Yet roadblocks remain and these blockades are hampering women's ability to reach their full economic potential.

How did the study of sociology develop? History and Theory focuses on the development of sociological theorists' ideas about society and social research over time. Ideas of major classical theorists such as Auguste Comte, Karl Marx, and Max Weber are explored, as well as a range of schools of thought in sociology, including structural functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism, phenomenology, ethnomethodology, critical theory, and postmodernism and emancipatory theories. This brand-new, full-color volume concludes with a discussion of the relationship between sociological theory and public policy.