Overview of and topical guide to sociology
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the discipline of sociology:
Sociology – the study of society[1] using various methods of empirical investigation[2] and critical analysis[3] to understand human social activity, from the micro level of individual agency and interaction to the macro level of systems and social structure.[4]
Nature of sociology
Definition
Sociology can be described as all of the following:
- The study of society.
- Academic discipline – body of knowledge given to - or received by - a disciple (student); a branch or sphere of knowledge, or field of study, that an individual has chosen to specialise in.
- Field of science – widely recognized category of specialized expertise within science, and typically embodies its own terminology and nomenclature. Such a field will usually be represented by one or more scientific journals, where peer reviewed research is published. There are many sociology-related scientific journals.
- Social science – field of academic scholarship that explores aspects of human society.
Essence of sociology
Overall
Sociology
Key themes across sociological research
Sociological associations
Sociological associations
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