An introduction to current debates around the themes of culture, identity and lifestyle. Such debates often begin with the assertion that we live in a "society of signs". Features include: summary and critical discussion of some basic approaches in social theory and cultural analysis; key readings of some of the work of writers including Barthes and Giddens; reviews of work in more traditional areas, for example, the sociology of identity and the embedding process found in social life; and advice on further reading.