Sociology

Overview

About the Program

Since 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 the Sociology program of Rutgers University 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.

Major questions sociologists address include:

• How are groups, organizations, and societies structured, and how do individuals interact within these contexts? What are the causes and consequences of social inequality?

• How do social categorizations such as gender, class, race, ethnicity, and sexuality shape life chances for individuals?

• How do important institutions such as education, the family, religion, and the economy shape society?

• What forces lead to social change in a society? How do social movements originate, and what makes them succeed or fail?