This text is accessible and informative, acquainting students in the narratives of contemporary social change and teaching the critical thinking skills needed to make sense of the changing world of the 21st century. The question of the book is not: why does social change happen? Rather, it examines five forces that are, and will continue to be, major drivers of social change: science and technology, social movements, corporate power, government actions, and war.

The author unpacks key recent events in history, such as the election of Barak Obama and the uprisings in Egypt that forced President Hosni Mubarak to step down. Not since the 1960s has there been such a time when students wanted and needed to understand social change. This text takes this desire for social change into the realm of social science where clarification, understanding, inquiry and involvement can help provide for both informed opinions and a path to effective engagement.