Sociology

Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions. Sociology’s subject matter is diverse, ranging from crime to religion, from the family to the state, from the divisions of race and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture, and from social stability to radical change in whole societies. Unifying the study of these diverse subjects of study is sociology’s purpose of understanding how human action and consciousness both shape and are shaped by surrounding cultural and social structures.

The scientific method emphasizes the careful gathering and analysis of evidence about social life to develop and help our understanding of society and key social processes. The research methods and theories of sociology yield powerful insights into the social processes shaping human lives and social problems. Through sociological research we gain a better understanding how human actions both shape and are shaped by culture and groups.