Cutting-edge research and exceptionally strong graduate and undergraduate training programs
About Us
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.
The department also has close ties with the many other research centers on campus. Interdisciplinary research touches on subjects such as inequality, economics, social sciences, nonlinear systems, politics and social dynamics.
Department Resources
Alumni Spotlight: Catherine Zhang ’22
Learning about sociology was fascinating, said Catherine Zhang ‘22, about her experience delving into subjects like inequality and how institutions shape social phenomena.
During her time at Cornell, she appreciated learning under the brilliant faculty members in the department and finding support in her advisor Professor Bischoff.
Learn more about Catherine's journey and her future endeavor joining pioneering technologist program Schmidt Futures.
Explore more profiles of recent sociology majors below:
Spotlight on Recent Sociology Graduates
Sociology News
Study by Cornell Sociology Professor Landon Schnabel and colleagues refutes impressions of rapid religious decline during COVID
Findings suggest that apparent secularization in America is not a result of declining faith or decreased church attendance during the pandemic.
Read More
Klarman fellow: How do past events affect political present?
Anil Menon is researching the political legacies of forced migration, which is on the rise globally due to climate change and conflict.
Read More
Professor Karen Levy’s new book, “Data Driven: Truckers, Technology, and the New Workplace Surveillance,” will be published in December
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).
Read More
‘Young, male and aimless’: Why are men in India delaying marriage?
Economic changes in India are forcing adaptations in traditional marriage practices, but not enough for a modernizing overhaul to this deeply traditional institution.
Read More
Recent Ceremony Formally Honors Professor Victor Nee's 2020 Induction into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
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.
Read More
Fear of election violence highlights how political landscape has changed
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."
Read More
Laura Tach, Associate Professor, Public Policy and Sociology is Featured QuIRI Researcher
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.
Read More
Income, segregated schools drive Black-white education gaps
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.
Read More
Giving to the Department of Sociology
Unrestricted gifts, no matter what the amount, help support every facet of the Cornell Sociology Department. Gifts may also be designated to support a specific area of the the department's activities.
You can make a gift online at Cornell's Alumni, Parents & Friends page here.