Prospective Students
Why study Sociology?
Sociology is the study of everyday life. It seeks to explain why individuals,
groups, cultures and people are the way they are and also asks how they might be
different. Sociology combines two ways of thinking about social life.
Firstly,
it poses broad questions about the world. Why are societies unequal? How should
we define equality? What does it mean to hold power over others? What forms can
power take? Why are some societies more authoritarian or violent than others?
Secondly, it provides practical means of investigating and answering those
questions: sociologists are skilled at, for example, interviewing, conducting
focus groups, running surveys, observing organisations, analysing texts and
statistical data. The combination of these two elements – theories of social
life and ways of researching social life – helps to make sociology a distinct
discipline, one that is very well-placed to address the many problems, passions,
dilemmas and dreams that mark our modern world.
Why study Sociology at Essex?
The Department of Sociology at Essex is large, friendly, international and
diverse. Essex has long been recognised as one of the most outstanding
departments of sociology both nationally and internationally. It has a global
reputation for its research. It is one of only two out of the 60 sociology
departments in the UK to achieve maximum research ratings in consecutive
national evaluations.
Essex students are at the ‘cutting edge’ of knowledge
about social change at the beginning of the twenty-first century and benefit by
learning about the latest research findings from staff who are amongst the
leaders in their fields. We look at a wide range of areas, including:
- globalisation
- the environment
- culture
- the media
- crime and deviance
- advertising
- social movements
- health
- citizenship
- gender and ethnic divisions
- masculinities
- sexualities and intimacies, and the work place.
We have experts
on Europe, North America, Latin America, Japan, East Asia and Africa.
Find out more about:
Last modified on 15 December 2008