Most history tells the story of the past through anecdotes, but anecdotes do not always present an accurate or complete picture. There is another way to look at history. The rise of widespread, systematic data collection in the twentieth centurythe first measured centuryallows us to examine the past 100 years with unprecedented clarity. Now, The First Measured Century uses social data to tell us what happened to everyday Americans in the twentieth century. Whether the topic is politics, sexual behavior, economics, immigration, living arrangements, religion, longevity, or public opinion, this myth-busting popular reference work shows that the facts often turn out to be more interesting than the fiction. A special feature of The First Measured Century is original 1999 research that builds on the landmark sociological study of the 1920s, "Middletown." With survey results that span more than seven decades, The First Measured Century offers the longest timeline of consistent attitudinal data anywhere. This panorama of the American twentieth century unfolds in a series of key trends, each explained in a one-page essay written for the general reader and illustrated by one or more vibrantly colored charts on the facing page. The First Measured Century is an essential tool for anyone interested in journalism, economics, history, political science, sociology, demography, public relations, business, the arts, or public policy.

War and peace are as important as other institutions- science, politics, family, economy, religion, etc.- but rarely receive the same level of sociological attention. Systems of War and Peace covers this gap by presenting a coherent framework for understanding why and how wars start and end; what military organizations are, how they function, and where they came from; plus, how peace has been achieved in the past and how it can be achieved in the future. The balance of topics is intended to provide a sufficient basis for understanding the whole spectrum of violent social conflict and the reasons why some peace efforts have failed and others have succeeded. The second edition has been updated to include recent developments and new topics. Since the first edition in 1994, there have been no international wars, but there has been a host of rebellions, civil wars, interventions, and terrorist attacks. At the same time, some conflicts have abated and peacemaking attempts have been ongoing in many venues. A number of topics neglected in the first edition, such as sexuality in the military, have been added.