Applied Sociology – Page 5 – Sociology at Work

Rigour in Sociological Practice

We tell graduates that sociology can be used to improve the delivery of social services, that it can better shape social policy, that we can use it to mediate conflict to achieve social justice. Yet, once we enter our paid professional life, practitioners often encounter the perception that applied sociological work is less rigorous. WhyContinueContinue reading “Rigour in Sociological Practice”

Retaining Sociology Students

Sociology has a problem recruiting and retaining students. The way forward is for sociological degrees to demonstrate how their training prepares them for the workplace. The latest American Sociological Association (ASA) survey of almost 2,700 sociology students in the USA finds that retention is not purely about loving the subject matter. Students are most satisfiedContinueContinue reading “Retaining Sociology Students”

Sociology’s Gendered “Ritual Nods”

White male European and American voices dominate sociology. New analysis makes me wonder: are we reproducing inequality through our “ritual nods” to social theory? Sociologist Rafael Pereira published an analysis of the most-cited authors in sociology papers. The analysis was limited to the Google Scholars Citations page. Pereira finds that the top sociology citations favourContinueContinue reading “Sociology’s Gendered “Ritual Nods””

Dr Martin Luther King: “Public Sociologist Par Excellence”

Dr Martin Luther King is a Black man with a moustache and buzz cut black hair. He smiles broadly

Dr Martin Luther King Jr is described as “a public sociologist par excellence.” We look at how sociology students can model his use of sociology to transform society, through civil rights principles.

Applied Sociology Roles, Skills and Methods – New Series

People walk in a crowded place with a train station in the background

What are the roles that applied sociologists take on? What skills and methods do they apply in order to carry out their work? What workplace issues do they face? How do they manage their professional challenges and celebrate their triumphs?

Doing Sociology Beyond Academia: Making Applied Sociology “Work”

A student wears a graduation cap that says: 'I'm a social worker! What's your superpower?'

This article provides an overview of applied sociological practice, the origins of The Applied Sociology Thematic Group of The Australian Sociological Association, and a summary of this special edition on ‘Doing Sociology Beyond Academia’ By Zuleyka Zevallos This special edition of Nexus focuses on the applied work of sociologists. There are multiple interpretations of what this mightContinueContinue reading “Doing Sociology Beyond Academia: Making Applied Sociology “Work””

Youth Unemployment in the Illawarra: An Investigation into the Problems facing Young Job Seekers in our Region

Aerial view of two young people sitting on a bench outdoors. Both wear caps and they have a backpack beside them

Scott Burrows discusses his social policy work on youth unemployment. He explores how sociology can be used as a framework to understand citizenship. He ends by reflecting on his transition from university to a private organisation. By Scott Burrows [1] This short article discusses the way I have experienced studying a social policy issue such as unemploymentContinueContinue reading “Youth Unemployment in the Illawarra: An Investigation into the Problems facing Young Job Seekers in our Region”

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”