This course introduces students to key thinkers and debates of contemporary sociology. The first part of the course will be dedicated to theorists of the 20th century, covering concepts of time, network, emotion, interaction, function, interpretation, communication, power, as well as critical race and postcolonial theory. The second part of the course involves in-depth discussions of recently published books in sociology on topics such as eviction, income inequality, climate change, the student debt crisis, social media’s influence on politics and everyday life, and the challenges of balancing parenthood with work. Overall, the course equips students with the ability to critically analyze contemporary sociological texts with a particular focus on how these texts apply theoretical frameworks to pressing issues of our time.