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The department is known for the cutting-edge research of its faculty and for its exceptionally strong graduate and undergraduate training programs.
The department’s focus on basic science is complemented by a deep commitment to informing public and educational policy, particularly on issues related to gender and racial inequality, income inequality, poverty, drug use, economic development, school funding, organizational practices and race and ethnicity.
Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts.
Because all human behavior is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religious cults; from the divisions of race, gender, and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture; and from the sociology of work to the sociology of sports.
Because sociology addresses the most challenging issues of our time, it is a rapidly expanding field whose potential is increasingly tapped by those who craft policies and create programs.
If you think you might be interested in Sociology, start by taking a class. Or, learn more about the major.
Cornell’s Graduate Field of Sociology provides top-notch training toward the PhD in Sociology, and has long been known for its emphasis on both theoretical innovation and methodological rigor. The Field, which is much larger than the Department, has close to thirty faculty members.
Findings suggest that apparent secularization in America is not a result of declining faith or decreased church attendance during the pandemic.
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Anil Menon is researching the political legacies of forced migration, which is on the rise globally due to climate change and conflict.
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Levy illustrates a behind-the-scenes look at how digital surveillance is affecting the trucking way of life. Data Driven has been described as a “must-read for both those who think AI is our salvation and those who see automation as the devil” (Danah Boyd).
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Economic changes in India are forcing adaptations in traditional marriage practices, but not enough for a modernizing overhaul to this deeply traditional institution.
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Professor Victor Nee signed the Book of Members at an Induction Ceremony that celebrated recently elected artists, scholars, scientists, and leaders in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors.
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Concerns about violence are growing as Election Day in the U.S. nears, says scholar Mabel Berezin: “The expectation of violence at the polls this year signals how much has changed in the American electoral landscape since 2018."
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QuIRI has chosen Dr. Laura Tach as their QuIRI Featured Researcher. Professor Tach has important exemplary contributions focused on family, public policy, and child welfare in the qualitative social science.
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New research co-authored by sociologist Peter Rich finds a generation of federal school reform hasn’t addressed the primary drivers of racial gaps in academic achievement and attainment: economic inequality and segregated schools.
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