Promoting sociology in Australia
Facilitating sociology teaching and research
Enhancing the professional development of TASA members
Promoting sociology in Australia
Facilitating sociology teaching and research
Enhancing the professional development of TASA members
Sociology focuses on the organisation of social life. It looks at how people’s lives are influenced by their opportunities and experiences; and the impact that people have on society through taking action and creating change. Sociology provides insights into the ways factors such as class, wealth, race, gender, ethnicity, age, sexuality, disability and religion shape people’s lives, but this is only one part of it. Sociology is diverse and covers all aspects of social life.
Most importantly, sociology is a perspective on the social world that values critical thinking. Sociologists question the commonsense and popular explanations of social life and look at the dynamics of power and inequality in everyday life.
As sociologists we acknowledge traditional owners and First Nations as the custodians of their lands, in Australia and internationally. We also acknowledge the rights of all people to live free from discrimination and disadvantage whatever their class, race, gender, ethnicity, age, sexuality, disability or religion.
Read on for other explanations of ‘What is Sociology’ from the American Sociological Association, the British Sociological Association, the Sociological Association of Ireland and the Sociological Association of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Visit Social Science Space: “A space to explore, share and shape the issues facing social scientists“.
If you're interested in working with people and communities, then sociology is for you. Sociology focuses on the study of human behaviour and social interaction to understand how societies are organised, develop and change. Graduates in sociology develop skills and knowledge applicable to a wide variety of jobs. These skills and knowledge include:
Graduates also develop more specialised skills and knowledge that are needed for the following types of employment:
Many areas of the public and private sectors employ graduates with social science skills. For example:
