Sociology in the World

Sociology is the study of human social life as it is manifested within groups, institutions and whole societies. It is as Sociology’s subject matter extends from the personal (why do we read self-help books?) to the political (why are social movements attracting more recruits than political parties?); from the local (what role does the GAA play in sustaining communities?) to the global (what are the forces that drive globalization?); from the material (what are the factors that contribute to child poverty?) to the virtual (what is the impact of Facebook on the shaping of social networks and individual identity?) The questions posed by sociologists are endless, the means toward addressing those questions are diverse and the quest to find answers is a highly rewarding enterprise.

Sociology is not confined to the academy. Every one of us has the capacity to develop a sociological imagination and to bring a sociological perspective to bear in our engagement with the wider world. To help to orient you in finding out more about the discipline we have created four domains which you are welcome to check out: Knowing, Using, Reading and Doing.