John J. Macionis (pronounced ma-SHOW-nis) was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received a bachelor's degree from Cornell University and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania. His publications are wide-ranging, focusing on community life in the United States, interpersonal intimacy in families, effective teaching, humor, new information technology, and the importance of global education. He is author of SOCIOLOGY and also SOCIETY: THE BASICS, the two most popular sociology introductory texts in the United States. Macionis's SOCIAL PROBLEMS is the most popular book for that course. He and Nijole V. Benokraitis have edited the leading reader, SEEING OURSELVES: CLASSIC, CONTRMPORARY, AND CROSS-CULTURAL READINGS IN SOCIOLOGY. Macionis and Vincent Parrillo have written the popular urban studies text, CITIES AND URBAN LIFE. John collaborates on international editions and translations of these texts that are used in Canada, Europe, Latin America, Australia, and elsewhere around the world.

John Macionis is Professor and Distinguished Scholar of Sociology at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. Over a teaching career of almost thirty years at Kenyon, he has chaired the Sociology Department, directed the college's multidisciplinary program in humane studies, and presided over the college's faculty.

Professor Macionis has been active in academic programs in other countries, having traveled to some fifty nations. Mot recently, he directed the global education course for the University of Pittsburgh's Semester at Sea program, teaching 400 students on a floating campus that visited twelve countries as it circled the globe.

Macionis writes, "I am an ambitious traveler, eager to learn—and, through the texts, to share much of what I discover with students, many of whom know little about the rest of the world. For me, traveling and writing are all dimensions of teaching. First and foremost, I am a teacher—a passion for teaching animates everything I do." At Kenyon, Macionis offers a wide range of upper-level courses, but his favorite course is Introduction to Sociology, which he schedules every year. He enjoys extensive contact with students, making an occasional appearance on campus with his electric guitar and each term inviting his students to enjoy a home- cooked meal. Macionis is a frequent visitor to other campuses as well.

In 1998, the North Central Sociological Association honored Macionis for his work with textbooks and for pioneering the use of new technology in sociology by bestowing on him their Award for Distinguished Contribution to Teaching.
The American Sociological Association named Macionis as the recipient of the Award for Distinguished Contributions to Teaching for 2002. This award recognizes contributions that have had a significant impact on the undergraduate teaching of sociology at national and international level.

The Macionis family—John, Amy, and children McLean and Whitney (along with Braveheart the dog and six barn cats)—live on a farm in rural Ohio. In his free time, Macionis enjoys bicycling through the Ohio countryside, playing oldies rock and roll or the Scottish bagpipes, and a warm afternoon might find him sharing an adventure with his two children.