Outline of sociology

Template:Short description Template:See also Template:Sociology The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the discipline of sociology:

Sociology is the systematic study of society, human social behavior, and patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and culture. The term sociology was coined in the late 18th century to describe the scientific study of society.<ref name="Fauré1999">Template:Cite book</ref> It uses a range of methods — from qualitative interviews to quantitative data analysis — to examine how social structures, institutions, and processes shape individual and group life. Sociology encompasses various subfields such as criminology, medical sociology, education, and increasingly, digital sociology, which studies the impact of digital technologies on society. Digital sociology examines the impact of digital technologies on social behavior and institutions, encompassing professional, analytical, critical, and public dimensions.<ref name="Lupton2015">Template:Cite book</ref> The internet has reshaped social networks and power relations, illustrating the growing importance of digital sociology.<ref name="Castells2001">Template:Cite book</ref> Sociologists seek to understand how identities, inequalities, norms, and institutions evolve across time and context. Template:Toc limit

Nature of sociology

Definition

Sociology can be described as all of the following:

The study of society.
Academic discipline – body of knowledge given to - or received by - a disciple (student); a branch or sphere of knowledge, or field of study, that an individual has chosen to specialise in.
Field of science – widely recognized category of specialized expertise within science, and typically embodies its own terminology and nomenclature. Such a field will usually be represented by one or more scientific journals, where peer reviewed research is published. There are many sociology-related scientific journals.
- Social science – field of academic scholarship that explores aspects of human society.