Theory & Methods – Sociology at Work

Benefits of Sociology to Future Careers

Students in graduation robes throw their caps in the air

A new report identifies four areas of innovation that will open up employment opportunities: technological methods, interdisciplinary methods, applied sociological skills, and consultancy.

Social Survey Invented by Sociology

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“Indeed a case might well be made for the statement that the social survey was an invention of the sociologist.” – E. W. Burgess (1916)

Sociology: ‘A Dazzling and Compelling Enterprise’

People walk through a market in Cairo, Egypt

“Sociology is the study of human social life, groups and societies. It is a dazzling and compelling enterprise, having as its subject matter our own behaviour as social beings.” – Anthony Giddens

Sociology: ‘The Excitement of Finding the Familiar Becoming Transformed’

A young woman of colour holds her hands to her cheeks, her mouth open in happy surprise. Three young women stand behind her

“The excitement of sociology is usually of a different sort… It is not the excitement of coming upon the totally unfamiliar, but rather the excitement of finding the familiar becoming transformed in its meaning.” – Peter Berger

Rigour in Sociological Practice

Three Asian men and an Asian woman in hijab are in a meeting room with a laptop, phone and writing in a book

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”

Sociology’s Gendered “Ritual Nods”

Two miniature figures against a pale blue background, a dwoman in a red dress sitting on a pill, and a man with his hands in his pocket stands beside her

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””

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”

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.

Open Data, Open Access and What They Mean for Applied Sociology

White people work on large screens in a large office

Data are necessary for robust social science but very expensive to collect. Current regulations limit the ability for public servants and researchers sharing their data with the public. What does the open data movement mean for applied sociologists? Here’s two brief case studies on what’s happening in the European Union and in the USA. Open Data inContinueContinue reading “Open Data, Open Access and What They Mean for Applied Sociology”

Using Sociology to Support Domestic Violence Victims

Aerial view of two Black women sit on a couch, holding hands, while one looks down

We explore the experience delivering care in domestic violence shelters, and how this differs from the academic theories of domestic violence survivors.