Author Description

"This edition of Introduction to Sociology brings on a new co-author. The relationship between George Ritzer and J. Michael Ryan goes back more than two decades. In this letter, the two authors talk more about their relationship, how they came to work together on this text, and hopefully, to inspire students to see how sociology, and sociologists, work "behind the scenes." George: "Michael was first a student in one of my classes at the University of Maryland. He went on to take every class I offered, and even co-taught a class with me. He also became a research assistant serving as managing editor of a scholarly journal I edited, the Journal of Consumer Culture. Michael also contributed several updates to another book of mine, The McDonaldization of Society, and will be co-author on future editions. Most recently, he has been my co-editor (also with Chris Rojek) on The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, 2nd edition (the largest major reference work in the field today). In between all of that, we have published several academic articles together, had a few quarrels, and more than a few laughs. Michael has emerged as a leading global scholar in his own right, providing fresh perspectives on many of the classical issues I write about. Significantly, he has held academic positions across five continents. In a world where understanding the importance of globalization has perhaps never been so important, this standpoint has served to significantly enhance this edition." Michael: "It goes without saying that George is one of the leading sociologists in the world today. His contributions to the discipline have spanned nearly five decades and have had a significant influence within the discipline of sociology, as well as beyond it. One of the many strengths of this new edition is that it represents a more rounded vision of sociology. Despite being frequent collaborators, we often have very different perspectives and, while frequently overlapping, our individual area