integrates gender, class, and race and doesn't treat them separately, which makes it both comprehensive but also theoretically cohesive for those scholars who don't want to see these categories divorced
the authors pay increased attention to disability, intersectionality, immigration, religion, and place
greater emphasis placed on crime and the criminal justice system as well as health and the environment
new chapter on policy alternatives and venues for social change.
the chapters are really well calibrated for teaching both in length and progression (they build on each other). Easy to structure the course without switching things around much.
covers a wide net of inequalities, thus raising awareness of inequality in all its phases is
shows structural factors in social stratification.
