Outcome: Introducing Sociology

Define sociology and describe the historical and social context from which it emerged

Sociology is the study of human social life. Sociology has many sub-sections of study, ranging from the analysis of conversations to the development of theories to try to understand how the entire world works. This section will introduce you to sociology and explain why it is important, how it can change your perspective of the world around you, and give a brief history of the discipline.

What You’ll Learn To Do:

  • Define and explain concepts central to sociology
  • Describe the history of sociology and match key sociologists to their theories
  • Explain why it is worthwhile to study sociology


The learning activities for this section include:

  • Reading: What Is Sociology?
  • Reading: The History of Sociology
  • Reading: Why Study Sociology?
  • Self-Check: Introducing Sociology