Written in a very accessible and student friendly style, this work promotes the understanding of the nature and positioning of Irish society in relation to other societies. It highlights the key sociological concepts and topics, with the major theoretical perspectives and methods required to produce sociological knowledge. It provides an introduction to and discussion on key issues relevant to 21st century; and contains a section on Methods of Research and Social Investigation. This work is suitable for students studying FETAC, BTEC and HETAC subjects within the fields of Social Science and Health Care.