What is Sociology?
The Sociological imagination is a unique and socially significant way of understanding society. Specifically, it is a perspective in which we understand ourselves and the groups we are members of by studying how persons and groups are linked with the structure and culture of their society in a particular historical period. Moreover, to a greater extent than ever before, our own multi-cultural society is linked with others in a global society. Thus, the contemporary sociological imagination links the quality of mental and material life of individuals with memberships in local social groups and networks, memberships in groups with the culture and structure of their society, and their own society with other societies. Inequality, gender, racism, crime, immigration, health, sexuality, and family relations for example, can all be sociologically studied in this way. The mission of the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Arts, is to provide students with the knowledge and skills that enable them to understand and fully exercise the sociological imagination, and motivate them to study and apply sociological knowledge in the light of that understanding.
Our majors take a sequence of courses with an introduction to a variety of major sociological perspectives on social order, race, class and gender inequality, conformity and regulation, individual and group development, family, and other topics. They also take sociological methods that allow them to read and to access critically sociological research and media commentary in contemporary society.
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