Sociology is the systematic study of society and social interaction. In order to carry out their studies, sociologists identify cultural patterns and social forces and determine how they affect individuals and groups. They also develop ways to apply their findings to the real world.
for individuals with mental and learning disabilities, increased recognition and
accommodation for people from different ethnic backgrounds, the creation of hate
crime legislation, the right of aboriginal populations to preserve their land and
culture, and prison system reforms.
The prominent sociologist Peter L. Berger (1929–), in his 1963 book Invitation to
Sociology: A Humanistic Perspective, describes a sociologist as “someone
concerned with understanding society in a disciplined way.” He asserts that
sociologists have a natural interest in the monumental moments of people’s lives, as
well as a fascination with banal, everyday occurrences. Berger also describes the
“aha” moment when a sociological theory becomes applicable and understood:
[T]here is a deceptive simplicity and obviousness about some sociological investigations. One
reads them, nods at the familiar scene, remarks that one has heard all this before and don’t people
have better things to do than to waste their time on truisms—until one is suddenly brought up
against an insight that radically questions everything one had previously assumed about this
familiar scene. This is the point at which one begins to sense the excitement of sociology (Berger
1963).
Sociology can be exciting because it teaches people ways to recognize how they fit
into the world and how others perceive them. Looking at themselves and society
from a sociological perspective helps people see where they connect to different
groups based on the many different ways they classify themselves and how society
classifies them in turn. It raises awareness of how those classifications—such as
economic and status levels, education, ethnicity, or sexual orientation—affect
perceptions.
Sociology teaches people not to accept easy explanations. It teaches them a way to
organize their thinking so that they can ask better questions and formulate better
answers. It makes people more aware that there are many different kinds of people
in the world who do not necessarily think the way they do. It increases their
willingness and ability to try to see the world from other people’s perspectives.
This prepares them to live and work in an increasingly diverse and integrated world.
Sociology in the Workplace
Employers continue to seek people with what are called “transferable skills.” This
means that they want to hire people whose knowledge and education can be applied
in a variety of settings and whose skills will contribute to various tasks. Studying
sociology can provide people with this wide knowledge and a skill set that can
contribute to many workplaces, including:
• An understanding of social systems and large bureaucracies
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