Sociology at Work

Opportunities for Teaching Sociology Within Enabling Courses

A Latina in a green graduation cap looks up, smiling

Anna Bennett discusses her experiences teaching sociology outside a university as part of an enabling course for youth aged 17 to 20 years who hope to qualify for tertiary study. By Anna Bennett Sociology not only offers us the tools to analyse and assess the society around us but, in addition, it allows us to considerContinueContinue reading “Opportunities for Teaching Sociology Within Enabling Courses”

The Utility of Participant Observation in Applied Sociological Research

Hundreds of Muslim men bow down in prayer, with their heads on mats in the middle of a street

Jan Ali describes how he used participant observation to study the religious practices of the Tablighi Jama’at. He considers how this metholodogy is an example of applied sociological practice. By Jan Ali Participant observation has long been an important social inquiry tool in sociological investigation of the social world and in applied sociology. It isContinueContinue reading “The Utility of Participant Observation in Applied Sociological Research”

I Can Feel Like a Ship Without a Rudder

Susan Pitt offers an introspection on the importance of peer support and networks for non-academics, and how this shapes her identity as a sociologist. Her paper also provides an example of one career path available to sociology students, within one of the various public service graduate programs. By Susan Pitt I have finally come to theContinueContinue reading “I Can Feel Like a Ship Without a Rudder”

Exploring the Entrepreneurial Option for Sociologists

A white woman wearing a ring is looking through golden binoculars and smiling

Karina Butera covers her PhD journey and how she built a business. She provides advice for other postgraduate students considering entrepreneurship. By Karina Butera Throughout my postgraduate experience I have operated within both the worlds of academia and commercial enterprise. I am perhaps a strange hybrid because I have entwined my ‘sociological imagination’ with my interest ContinueContinue reading “Exploring the Entrepreneurial Option for Sociologists”

Breaking Down the Otherness of Applied Sociology

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This article examines the differences and intersections of applied and academic sociological practices. This includes a case study of applied sociology in social policy. By Zuleyka Zevallos This series on Doing Sociology Beyond Academia focuses on the dis/connections between academia and applied sociology, with a view to breaking down the divide between these complimentary spheres ofContinueContinue reading “Breaking Down the Otherness of Applied Sociology”

A Personal View of Diversity in the Sociological World

Dozens of national flags hang high above an alleyway

Julie Cappleman-Morgan and Annika Coughlin discuss the career opportunties for applied sociologists in the United Kingdom. They provide an overview of Sociologists Outside Academia, the group they lead within the British Sociological Association. By Julie Cappleman-Morgan and Annika Coughlin The world of sociology and sociological research is changing. The increasing demand for policy-related and evidence-based’ researchContinueContinue reading “A Personal View of Diversity in the Sociological World”

Changing Places

Five youth jump in the air on a beach, their feet kicking up sand. The sun is setting in the background

Bruce Smyth discusses his work at a national research agency. He considers the divide between academic and applied sociologies in the context of his recent move back to university work. By Bruce Smyth [1] Until recently, I worked at the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) as a researcher in the area of family lawContinueContinue reading “Changing Places”

Using Sociology in Market Research

Three Black people brainstorm in a room. Two of them sit in front of laptops, while anothe woman presents

We explore the evolving history of sociological contributions to market research. We then delve into a current example of sociology used in a social marketing project for a government organisation.

Breastfeeding Policies atWork

A brown woman smiles as she holds a yawning baby

A new study outlines the lack of support and resources that women academics face when they return to work and need to breastfeed their babies. They encounter disgust, shame and stigma when they breastfeed because they are not provided a comfortable, quiet place where they can lactate. Inside Higher Ed has covered a new bookContinueContinue reading “Breastfeeding Policies atWork”

Limits of Economic Pragmatism

A Black man's hands and arms are seen from the side, as he writes on a laptop showing graphs

A recent poll highlights how Americans interested in “pop economics” have a limited view sociology and research contributions more broadly. Freakonomics has published a survey amongst its readers (primarily economists) about which disciplines are not useful. They had a response of 1,200 voters, who said that political science and sociology were useless because they weren’t “pragmatic”ContinueContinue reading “Limits of Economic Pragmatism”