Outline of sociology
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the discipline of sociology:
Sociology is the systematic study of society, human social behavior, and patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and culture. The term sociology was coined in the late 18th century to describe the scientific study of society. It uses a range of methods — from qualitative interviews to quantitative data analysis — to examine how social structures, institutions, and processes shape individual and group life. Sociology encompasses various subfields such as criminology, medical sociology, education, and increasingly, digital sociology, which studies the impact of digital technologies on society. Digital sociology examines the impact of digital technologies on social behavior and institutions, encompassing professional, analytical, critical, and public dimensions. The internet has reshaped social networks and power relations, illustrating the growing importance of digital sociology. Sociologists seek to understand how identities, inequalities, norms, and institutions evolve across time and context.
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 ; 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
SociologyKey themes across sociological research
- Society
- Globalization
- Human behavior
- Human environmental impact
- Identity
- Industrial revolutions 3 & 4
- Social complexity
- Social environment
- Social equality
- Social equity
- Social power
- Social stratification
- Social structure
Digital sociology
Digital sociology is a growing subfield that examines how digital media and technologies affect social behavior, institutions, and patterns of interaction. The field draws on classical and contemporary sociological theory to analyze the influence of the internet, social media, algorithms, and digital surveillance on daily life and social systems.According to sociologist Deborah Lupton, digital sociology includes four key dimensions: professional digital practice, analytical digital sociology, critical digital sociology, and public digital sociology.
Manuel Castells’ work on network societies also highlights how the internet has fundamentally reshaped communication, organization, and relationships in the modern world. This shift has created new forms of inequality and social capital, while transforming traditional institutions such as education, work, and government.
Digital sociology has become increasingly relevant in the 21st century as social life becomes more integrated with digital technologies. It overlaps with fields such as media studies, data science, and science and technology studies, and often uses digital ethnography, big data analysis, and content analysis as methods.
Digital sociology is not only concerned with technology but with the broader implications of a digitally mediated society. It offers insights into how digital environments shape identity, relationships, activism, privacy, and social norms.
History of sociology
Theoretical perspectives in sociology
Approaches
Positivism
Critical realist
Structural
Behavioural
Social justice
Applied
Ecological
Sociologists
Sociological publications
Sociology journalsMagazines
Sociology books