Sociology Facts for Kids

Sociology is the study of how people live and act together in groups. It's a social science, which means it uses scientific methods to understand human society. People who study sociology are called sociologists.

The word "sociology" was first used by a French thinker named Auguste Comte in 1838. Early sociologists looked at problems caused by big changes, like when many people moved to cities to work in factories. Important thinkers like Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Émile Durkheim studied things like how communities work, who has power, and how people feel when they don't have much control over their lives.

Today, sociology explores many different parts of society. This includes things like race, ethnicity, social class, gender, families, and how people interact every day. Sociologists also study challenges like crime and divorce. Sociology can even look at how people live together in the whole world. A society is a group of people in a country or area who share customs, laws, and organizations.

"Rosie the Riveter" was a symbol of American women working during World War II. This showed a change in gender roles because of wartime needs.

What Do Sociologists Study?
- How Sociologists Do Research
History of Sociology
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What Do Sociologists Study?

Sociologists research the ways society is organized. They look at things like race, gender (whether someone is male or female), and social class (like rich or poor).

Many sociologists focus on specific areas. For example, some study inequality and class differences in society. Others look at how populations change in size or type. Criminology is a field that examines criminal behavior and crime. Political sociology studies government and laws. There are also fields that focus on how people think about race and gender.

How Sociologists Do Research

Sociologists often use statistics to count and measure patterns in how people act. They also talk to people through interviews or group discussions to understand why people behave in certain ways. Some sociologists use a mix of these research methods.

Sociologists also work outside universities. Their research helps teachers, lawmakers, and government leaders make better rules and programs for everyone.

History of Sociology

People have thought about society for a very long time, even since the time of Plato. But sociology became a science in the early 1800s. This was a time when European cities were growing fast, and many people moved to work in factories. Sociologists wanted to understand how people and groups interacted in these new ways of living.

The first time sociology was taught at a university was at the University of Kansas in 1890. Soon after, departments for sociology were started in other countries, like France in 1895 by Émile Durkheim, and in Britain in 1904 at the London School of Economics.