Sociology
What is Sociology?
In its broadest sense, sociology is the study of human social life and relationships. It covers a wide range of topics, from family and marriage to education, work, leisure, religion, and crime. It can be divided into two main branches: microsociology and macrosociology.
Microsociology focuses on the study of social interaction, in both face-to-face and online contexts. It looks at how people interact with each other on a daily basis, and how they form social bonds and relationships.
Macrosociology, on the other hand, looks at broad patterns and trends in society, and how these affect individuals and social groups. It covers topics such as population growth, social inequality, and crime rates.
Students who study sociology learn about social interaction, social institutions, and social change. They develop critical-thinking skills and learn to apply sociological concepts and perspectives to real-world problems. A sociology degree can lead to a career in social work, government, education, business, or many other fields.
Sociology Resources
Critical Mass: How One Thing Leads to Another
Are there “natural laws” that govern the ways in which humans behave and organize themselves, just as there are physical laws that govern the motions of atoms and planets? Unlikely as it may seem, such laws now seem to be emerging from at...
Introduction to Sociology
Introduction to Sociology 2e adheres to the scope and sequence of a typical, one-semester introductory sociology course. It offers comprehensive coverage of core concepts, foundational scholars, and emerging theories. The textbook presents section re...
Dollar Street
Photographs of real homes in over 50 countries, sorted by income instead of nationality.
Classical Sociological Theory
This Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) will offer the participants an introduction into the most important classical sociological readings between the 18th and 20th century. Highly influential social science scholars, such as Karl Marx, Max Weber and...
SOC101: Introduction to Sociology
Sociology is the scientific study of society. As such, it closely examines human interactions and cultural phenomena, including topics like inequality and urbanization and the effects of these on groups and individuals. To do their work, sociologists...
Social Norms, Social Change
This is a course on social norms, the rules that glue societies together. It teaches how to diagnose social norms, and how to distinguish them from other social constructs, like customs or conventions. These distinctions are crucial for effective pol...
Understanding Violence
We are so pleased to have you join us as we investigate this crucial topic. Violence is a leading cause of death, disability and health care use worldwide. Violence is a complex problem and can only be understood and reduced though a multidisciplinar...
Sociology
Sociology is the study of how people behave in groups and how these groups interact with each other. This course investigates the process of socialization—how individuals learn to be part of the groups around them, including the family and larger org...
Paradoxes of War
The Paradoxes of War teaches us to understand that war is not only a normal part of human existence, but is arguably one of the most important factors in making us who we are. Through this course, I hope that you will come to appreciate that war is b...
Sociology (online)
Sociology is the study of people, social life and society. In this increasingly connected world, students will examine topics in our society such as crime, race, ethnicity, marriage, family, sports and entertainment. Students will also learn how rela...