research article about sociology

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Sociology articles from across Nature Portfolio

Long online discussions are consistently the most toxic

An ambitious investigation has analysed discourse on eight social-media platforms, covering a vast array of topics and spanning several decades. It reveals that online conversations increase in toxicity as they get longer — and that this behaviour persists despite shifts in platforms’ business models, technological advances and societal norms.

Latest Research and Reviews

Racial capitalism and covid-19.

• Ajnesh Prasad

Non-coresidential intergenerational relations from the perspective of adult children in China: typology and social welfare implications

• Zhenyu Wang
• Kinglun Ngok

Being an only child and children’s prosocial behaviors: evidence from rural China and the role of parenting styles

Effects of the three-child policy on the employment bias against professional women: evidence from 260 enterprises in jiangxi province.

• Hengyang Chen

Commemorative textiles: an African narrative of identity and power

• Ladu D. M. Lemi

Intersectionalities and im/mobilities in family and marriage: a comparative study of Germany and India

• Mayurakshi Chaudhuri
• Saurav Karmakar
• Sakshi Shukla

News and Comment

We urgently need a culture of multi-operationalization in psychological research

Analysis of different operationalizations shows that many scientific results may be an artifact of the operationalization process. A culture of multi-operationalization may be needed for psychological research to develop valid knowledge.

• Dino Carpentras

Using stakeholder network analysis to enhance the impact of participation in water governance

Citizen participation in water governance can improve the relevance, implementation, and effectiveness of public policies. However, participation can be expressed in a great diversity of forms, on a gradient ranging from mere public consultation to shared governance of natural resources. Positive outcomes ultimately depend on the conditions under which participation takes place, with key factors such as leadership, the degree of trust among stakeholders, and the interaction of public authorities with citizens. Social network analysis has been used to operationalize participatory processes, contributing to the identification of leaders, intersectoral integration, strategic planning, and conflict resolution. In this commentary, we analyze the potential and limitations of participation in water governance and illustrate it with the case of the Campina de Faro aquifer in southern Portugal. We propose that stakeholder network analysis is particularly useful for promoting decentralized decision-making and consensual water resources management. The delegation of power to different interest groups is a key process in the effectiveness of governance, which can be operationalized with network analysis techniques.

• Isidro Maya Jariego

How a tree-hugging protest transformed Indian environmentalism

Fifty years ago, a group of women from the villages of the Western Himalayas sparked Chipko, a green movement that remains relevant in the age of climate change.

• Seema Mundoli

To understand mRNA vaccine hesitancy, stop calling the public anti-science

• Patrick Peretti-Watel
• Pierre Verger
• Jeremy K. Ward

Scientists under arrest: the researchers taking action over climate change

Fed up with a lack of political progress in solving the climate problem, some researchers are becoming activists to slow global warming.

• Daniel Grossman

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High Impact Sociology Research

Oxford University Press publishes a portfolio of leading Sociology journals. To keep up to date with the latest research your peers are reading and citing, browse our selection of high impact articles on a diverse breadth of topics below.  

All articles are freely available to read, download, and enjoy until May 2023.

• Community Development Journal
• European Sociological Review 
• International Political Sociology 
• Journal of Human Rights Practice 
• Journal of Refugee Studies
• Refugee Survey Quarterly 
• Social Forces 
• Social Politics 
• Social Problems
• Social Science Japan Journal 
• Sociology of Religion 
• The British Journal of Criminology 

Community Development Journal  

Covid-19 and community development Sue Kenny Community Development Journal , Volume 55, Issue 4, October 2020, Pages 699–703, https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsaa020

Financialization, real estate and COVID-19 in the UK Grace Blakeley Community Development Journal , Volume 56, Issue 1, January 2021, Pages 79–99, https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsaa056

Financial subordination and uneven financialization in 21st century Africa Ingrid Harvold Kvangraven, Kai Koddenbrock, Ndongo Samba Sylla  Community Development Journal , Volume 56, Issue 1, January 2021, Pages 119–140, https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsaa047

CDJ Editorial—What is this Covid-19 crisis? Rosie R. Meade  Community Development Journal , Volume 55, Issue 3, July 2020, Pages 379–381, https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsaa013

There’s a time and a place: temporal aspects of place-based stigma Alice Butler-Warke Community Development Journal , Volume 56, Issue 2, April 2021, Pages 203–219, https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsaa040

European Sociological Review  

Cohort Changes in the Level and Dispersion of Gender Ideology after German Reunification: Results from a Natural Experiment Christian Ebner, Michael Kühhirt, Philipp Lersch European Sociological Review , Volume 36, Issue 5, October 2020, Pages 814–828, https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcaa015

‘Cologne Changed Everything’—The Effect of Threatening Events on the Frequency and Distribution of Intergroup Conflict in Germany Arun Frey European Sociological Review , Volume 36, Issue 5, October 2020, Pages 684–699, https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcaa007

The Accumulation of Wealth in Marriage: Over-Time Change and Within-Couple Inequalities Nicole Kapelle, Philipp M. Lersch European Sociological Review , Volume 36, Issue 4, August 2020, Pages 580–593, https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcaa006

Three Worlds of Vocational Education: Specialized and General Craftsmanship in France, Germany, and The Netherlands Jesper Rözer, Herman G. van de Werfhorst European Sociological Review , Volume 36, Issue 5, October 2020, Pages 780–797, https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcaa025

Intergenerational Class Mobility among Men and Women in Europe: Gender Differences or Gender Similarities? Erzsébet Bukodi, Marii Paskov European Sociological Review , Volume 36, Issue 4, August 2020, Pages 495–512, https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcaa001

International Political Sociology  

Confronting the International Political Sociology of the New Right Rita Abrahamsen, Jean-François Drolet, Alexandra Gheciu, Karin Narita, Srdjan Vucetic, Michael Williams International Political Sociology , Volume 14, Issue 1, March 2020, Pages 94–107, https://doi.org/10.1093/ips/olaa001

Collective Discussion: Toward Critical Approaches to Intelligence as a Social Phenomenon Hager Ben Jaffel, Alvina Hoffmann, Oliver Kearns, Sebastian Larsson International Political Sociology , Volume 14, Issue 3, September 2020, Pages 323–344, https://doi.org/10.1093/ips/olaa015

The Cruel Optimism of Militarism: Feminist Curiosity, Affect, and Global Security Amanda Chisholm, Hanna Ketola International Political Sociology, Volume 14 , Issue 3, September 2020, Pages 270–285, https://doi.org/10.1093/ips/olaa005

Feminist Commodity Activism: The New Political Economy of Feminist Protest Jemima Repo International Political Sociology , Volume 14, Issue 2, June 2020, Pages 215–232, https://doi.org/10.1093/ips/olz033

Affect and the Response to Terror: Commemoration and Communities of Sense Angharad Closs Stephens, Martin Coward, Samuel Merrill, Shanti Sumartojo International Political Sociology , Volume 15, Issue 1, March 2021, Pages 22–40, https://doi.org/10.1093/ips/olaa020

Journal of Human Rights Practice  

Africa, Prisons and COVID-19 Lukas M. Muntingh Journal of Human Rights Practice , Volume 12, Issue 2, July 2020, Pages 284–292, https://doi.org/10.1093/jhuman/huaa031

Pandemic Powers: Why Human Rights Organizations Should Not Lose Focus on Civil and Political Rights Eda Seyhan Journal of Human Rights Practice , Volume 12, Issue 2, July 2020, Pages 268–275, https://doi.org/10.1093/jhuman/huaa035

Affirming Radical Equality in the Context of COVID-19: Human Rights of Older People and People with Disabilities Supriya Akerkar Journal of Human Rights Practice , Volume 12, Issue 2, July 2020, Pages 276–283, https://doi.org/10.1093/jhuman/huaa032

Digital Dead Body Management (DDBM): Time to Think it Through Kristin Bergtora Sandvik Journal of Human Rights Practice, Volume 12 , Issue 2, July 2020, Pages 428–443, https://doi.org/10.1093/jhuman/huaa002

Legal Reasoning for Legitimation of Child Marriage in West Java: Accommodation of Local Norms at Islamic Courts and the Paradox of Child Protection Hoko Horii Journal of Human Rights Practice , Volume 12, Issue 3, November 2020, Pages 501–523, https://doi.org/10.1093/jhuman/huaa041

Journal of Refugee Studies  

Refugee-Integration-Opportunity Structures: Shifting the Focus From Refugees to Context Jenny Phillimore Journal of Refugee Studies , Volume 34, Issue 2, June 2021, Pages 1946–1966, https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/feaa012

What Difference do Mayors Make? The Role of Municipal Authorities in Turkey and Lebanon's Response to Syrian Refugees Alexander Betts, Fulya MemiŞoĞlu, Ali Ali Journal of Refugee Studies , Volume 34, Issue 1, March 2021, Pages 491–519, https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/feaa011

Old Concepts Making New History: Refugee Self-reliance, Livelihoods and the ‘Refugee Entrepreneur’ Claudena Skran, Evan Easton-Calabria Journal of Refugee Studies , Volume 33, Issue 1, March 2020, Pages 1–21, https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/fez061

Research with Refugees in Fragile Political Contexts: How Ethical Reflections Impact Methodological Choices Lea Müller-Funk Journal of Refugee Studies , Volume 34, Issue 2, June 2021, Pages 2308–2332, https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/feaa013

The Kalobeyei Settlement: A Self-reliance Model for Refugees? Alexander Betts, Naohiko Omata, Olivier Sterck Journal of Refugee Studies , Volume 33, Issue 1, March 2020, Pages 189–223, https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/fez063

Migration Studies  

International migration management in the age of artificial intelligence Ana Beduschi Migration Studies , Volume 9, Issue 3, September 2021, Pages 576–596, https://doi.org/10.1093/migration/mnaa003

Migration as Adaptation? Kira Vinke, Jonas Bergmann, Julia Blocher, Himani Upadhyay, Roman Hoffmann Migration Studies , Volume 8, Issue 4, December 2020, Pages 626–634, https://doi.org/10.1093/migration/mnaa029

Research on climate change and migration where are we and where are we going? Elizabeth Ferris Migration Studies , Volume 8, Issue 4, December 2020, Pages 612–625, https://doi.org/10.1093/migration/mnaa028

The emotional journey of motherhood in migration. The case of Southern European mothers in Norway Raquel Herrero-Arias, Ragnhild Hollekim, Haldis Haukanes, Åse Vagli Migration Studies , Volume 9, Issue 3, September 2021, Pages 1230–1249, https://doi.org/10.1093/migration/mnaa006

'I felt like the mountains were coming for me.'-The role of place attachment and local lifestyle opportunities for labour migrants' staying aspirations in two Norwegian rural municipalities Brit Lynnebakke Migration Studies , Volume 9, Issue 3, September 2021, Pages 759–782, https://doi.org/10.1093/migration/mnaa002

Refugee Survey Quarterly  

Refugee Rights Across Regions: A Comparative Overview of Legislative Good Practices in Latin America and the EU Luisa Feline Freier, Jean-Pierre Gauci Refugee Survey Quarterly , Volume 39, Issue 3, September 2020, Pages 321–362, https://doi.org/10.1093/rsq/hdaa011

Syrian Refugee Migration, Transitions in Migrant Statuses and Future Scenarios of Syrian Mobility Marko Valenta, Jo Jakobsen, Drago Župarić-Iljić, Hariz Halilovich Refugee Survey Quarterly , Volume 39, Issue 2, June 2020, Pages 153–176, https://doi.org/10.1093/rsq/hdaa002

Ambiguous Encounters: Revisiting Foucault and Goffman at an Activation Programme for Asylum-seekers Katrine Syppli Kohl Refugee Survey Quarterly , Volume 39, Issue 2, June 2020, Pages 177–206, https://doi.org/10.1093/rsq/hdaa004

Behind the Scenes of South Africa’s Asylum Procedure: A Qualitative Study on Long-term Asylum-Seekers from the Democratic Republic of Congo Liesbeth Schockaert, Emilie Venables, Maria-Teresa Gil-Bazo, Garret Barnwell, Rodd Gerstenhaber, Katherine Whitehouse Refugee Survey Quarterly , Volume 39, Issue 1, March 2020, Pages 26–55, https://doi.org/10.1093/rsq/hdz018

Improving SOGI Asylum Adjudication: Putting Persecution Ahead of Identity Moira Dustin, Nuno Ferreira Refugee Survey Quarterly , Volume 40, Issue 3, September 2021, Pages 315–347, https://doi.org/10.1093/rsq/hdab005

Social Forces  

Paths toward the Same Form of Collective Action: Direct Social Action in Times of Crisis in Italy Lorenzo Bosi, Lorenzo Zamponi Social Forces , Volume 99, Issue 2, December 2020, Pages 847–869, https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soz160

Attitudes toward Refugees in Contemporary Europe: A Longitudinal Perspective on Cross-National Differences Christian S. Czymara Social Forces , Volume 99, Issue 3, March 2021, Pages 1306–1333, https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soaa055

Opiate of the Masses? Inequality, Religion, and Political Ideology in the United States Landon Schnabel Social Forces , Volume 99, Issue 3, March 2021, Pages 979–1012, https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soaa027

Re-examining Restructuring: Racialization, Religious Conservatism, and Political Leanings in Contemporary American Life John O’Brien, Eman Abdelhadi Social Forces , Volume 99, Issue 2, December 2020, Pages 474–503, https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soaa029

Evidence from Field Experiments in Hiring Shows Substantial Additional Racial Discrimination after the Callback Lincoln Quillian, John J Lee, Mariana Oliver Social Forces , Volume 99, Issue 2, December 2020, Pages 732–759, https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soaa026

Social Politics  

Varieties of Gender Regimes Sylvia Walby Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society , Volume 27, Issue 3, Fall 2020, Pages 414–431, https://doi.org/10.1093/sp/jxaa018

The Origins and Transformations of Conservative Gender Regimes in Germany and Japan Karen A. Shire, Kumiko Nemoto Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society , Volume 27, Issue 3, Fall 2020, Pages 432–448, https://doi.org/10.1093/sp/jxaa017

Counteracting Challenges to Gender Equality in the Era of Anti-Gender Campaigns: Competing Gender Knowledges and Affective Solidarity Elżbieta Korolczuk Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society , Volume 27, Issue 4, Winter 2020, Pages 694–717, https://doi.org/10.1093/sp/jxaa021

Gender, Violence, and Political Institutions: Struggles over Sexual Harassment in the European Parliament Valentine Berthet, Johanna Kantola Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society , Volume 28, Issue 1, Spring 2021, Pages 143–167, https://doi.org/10.1093/sp/jxaa015

Gender Regime Change in Decentralized States: The Case of Spain Emanuela Lombardo, Alba Alonso Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society , Volume 27, Issue 3, Fall 2020, Pages 449–466, https://doi.org/10.1093/sp/jxaa016

Social Problems  

Technologies of Crime Prediction: The Reception of Algorithms in Policing and Criminal Courts Sarah Brayne, Angèle Christin Social Problems , Volume 68, Issue 3, August 2021, Pages 608–624, https://doi.org/10.1093/socpro/spaa004

White Christian Nationalism and Relative Political Tolerance for Racists Joshua T. Davis, Samuel L. Perry Social Problems , Volume 68, Issue 3, August 2021, Pages 513–534, https://doi.org/10.1093/socpro/spaa002

The Increasing Effect of Neighborhood Racial Composition on Housing Values, 1980-2015 Junia Howell, Elizabeth Korver-Glenn Social Problems , Volume 68, Issue 4, November 2021, Pages 1051–1071, https://doi.org/10.1093/socpro/spaa033

Transition into Liminal Legality: DACA' Mixed Impacts on Education and Employment among Young Adult Immigrants in California Erin R. Hamilton, Caitlin Patler, Robin Savinar Social Problems , Volume 68, Issue 3, August 2021, Pages 675–695, https://doi.org/10.1093/socpro/spaa016

Constructing Allyship and the Persistence of Inequality J. E. Sumerau, TehQuin D. Forbes, Eric Anthony Grollman, Lain A. B. Mathers Social Problems , Volume 68, Issue 2, May 2021, Pages 358–373, https://doi.org/10.1093/socpro/spaa003

Social Science Japan Journal  

Nuclear Restart Politics: How the ‘Nuclear Village’ Lost Policy Implementation Power Florentine Koppenborg Social Science Japan Journal , Volume 24, Issue 1, Winter 2021, Pages 115–135, https://doi.org/10.1093/ssjj/jyaa046

Factors Affecting Household Disaster Preparedness Among Foreign Residents in Japan David Green, Matthew Linley, Justin Whitney, Yae Sano Social Science Japan Journal , Volume 24, Issue 1, Winter 2021, Pages 185–208, https://doi.org/10.1093/ssjj/jyaa026

Climate Change Policy: Can New Actors Affect Japan's Policy-Making in the Paris Agreement Era? Yasuko Kameyama Social Science Japan Journal , Volume 24, Issue 1, Winter 2021, Pages 67–84, https://doi.org/10.1093/ssjj/jyaa051

Japan Meets the Sharing Economy: Contending Frames Thomas G. Altura, Yuki Hashimoto, Sanford M. Jacoby, Kaoru Kanai, Kazuro Saguchi Social Science Japan Journal , Volume 24, Issue 1, Winter 2021, Pages 137–161, https://doi.org/10.1093/ssjj/jyaa041

Administrative Measures Against Far-Right Protesters: An Example of Japan’s Social Control Ayaka Löschke Social Science Japan Journal , Volume 24, Issue 2, Summer 2021, Pages 289–309, https://doi.org/10.1093/ssjj/jyab005

Sociology of Religion  

Religion in the Age of Social Distancing: How COVID-19 Presents New Directions for Research Joseph O. Baker, Gerardo Martí, Ruth Braunstein, Andrew L Whitehead, Grace Yukich Sociology of Religion , Volume 81, Issue 4, Winter 2020, Pages 357–370, https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/sraa039

Keep America Christian (and White): Christian Nationalism, Fear of Ethnoracial Outsiders, and Intention to Vote for Donald Trump in the 2020 Presidential Election Joseph O. Baker, Samuel L. Perry, Andrew L. Whitehead Sociology of Religion , Volume 81, Issue 3, Autumn 2020, Pages 272–293, https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/sraa015

Formal or Functional? Traditional or Inclusive? Bible Translations as Markers of Religious Subcultures Samuel L. Perry, Joshua B. Grubbs Sociology of Religion , Volume 81, Issue 3, Autumn 2020, Pages 319–342, https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/sraa003

Political Identity and Confidence in Science and Religion in the United States Timothy L. O’Brien, Shiri Noy Sociology of Religion , Volume 81, Issue 4, Winter 2020, Pages 439–461, https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/sraa024

Religious Freedom and Local Conflict: Religious Buildings and Zoning Issues in the New York City Region, 1992–2017 Brian J. Miller Sociology of Religion , Volume 81, Issue 4, Winter 2020, Pages 462–484, https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/sraa006

The British Journal of Criminology  

Reporting Racist Hate Crime Victimization to the Police in the United States and the United Kingdom: A Cross-National Comparison Wesley Myers, Brendan Lantz The British Journal of Criminology , Volume 60, Issue 4, July 2020, Pages 1034–1055, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azaa008

Does Collective Efficacy Matter at the Micro Geographic Level?: Findings from a Study Of Street Segments David Weisburd, Clair White, Alese Wooditch The British Journal of Criminology , Volume 60, Issue 4, July 2020, Pages 873–891, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azaa007

Responses to Wildlife Crime in Post-Colonial Times. Who Fares Best? Ragnhild Aslaug Sollund, Siv Rebekka Runhovde The British Journal of Criminology , Volume 60, Issue 4, July 2020, Pages 1014–1033, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azaa005

‘Playing the Game’: Power, Authority and Procedural Justice in Interactions Between Police and Homeless People in London Arabella Kyprianides, Clifford Stott, Ben Bradford The British Journal of Criminology , Volume 61, Issue 3, May 2021, Pages 670–689, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azaa086

Live Facial Recognition: Trust and Legitimacy as Predictors of Public Support For Police Use of New Technology Ben Bradford, Julia A Yesberg, Jonathan Jackson, Paul Dawson The British Journal of Criminology , Volume 60, Issue 6, November 2020, Pages 1502–1522, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azaa032

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Articles on Sociology

Displaying 1 - 20 of 127 articles.

Have smartphones created an ‘anxious generation’? Jonathan Haidt sounds the alarm

Hugh Breakey , Griffith University

W.E.B. Du Bois’ study ‘The Philadelphia Negro’ at 125 still explains roots of the urban Black experience – sociologist Elijah Anderson tells why it should be on more reading lists

Elijah Anderson , Yale University

How people get sucked into misinformation rabbit holes – and how to get them out

Emily Booth , University of Technology Sydney and Marian-Andrei Rizoiu , University of Technology Sydney

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“Stethoscope and Macbook” by NegativeSpace is licensed under CC0.

Sociology is Essential for Students in Medicine – and Beyond

I love sociology majors. They have a unique perspective as they try to apply recently learned concepts and methods while grappling to understand the sometimes-broken systems in our society so they can change them from within and address the disparities they’ve noticed in their daily lives. Some of the sociology majors taking my courses are focused on specific instances of injustice, often related to a structural inequality that has impacted them personally. I had a transgender student in my class who was interested in educating others about the violence related to a trans identity. I have had female students involved with organizing a “Take Back the Night” event to raise awareness and reduce stigma around sexual assault. I had a student who was president of the Black Student Union (BSU) focused on hosting cultural events with the goals of providing a social support network for Black college students. In each of these examples, the students had lived experience in a minoritized role – and the language to talk about it. And importantly, they wanted to use their training in sociology to raise awareness and provide support and services to those impacted by structural inequalities.

But because I work at the only public institution in Georgia to have a medical school and because I teach undergraduate medical sociology courses, most of the students in my sociology classes are not sociology majors. In fact, many of the people who take my class will only take this one class in the social sciences. This is their only formal exposure to sociology. And they see my course as just another box to check off their list towards their degree so that they can get to their actual career…in medicine.

Students in my classroom on the pre-med track are focused on getting into medical school and jumping through all the many hoops so they can eventually help people in their future role as medical doctors. As part of that long road with many expectations and requirements (including a high GPA in all classes), these students are often focused on what they need to do to get the grade in my class. I try to help them see how sociology applies to the medical field – whether it be related to gender-affirming healthcare, reducing barriers to accessing medical services following sexual assault, or racial differences in health outcomes. But these smart, motivated, capable students who are singularly focused on medical school are rarely interested in synthesizing sociological concepts in the same manner as majors. Instead, they want to know the answer to one driving question: “what’s gonna be on the test?” They want to do well on both the tests in my courses and the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).

My situation is not unique. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) recognizes the value of social science for a medical education. The AAMC recently restructured the MCAT so that understanding the principles of social science now comprises a quarter of the entrance exam to medical school . This has resulted in an increase in medically minded students in sociology courses all across the country. This shift has given instructors of sociology an important opportunity to provide the next generation of medical students with a sociological perspective . Sociology will help them not only on the entrance exam, and then in medical school, but in their intended careers interacting with hundreds of patients and dozens of colleagues.

Along with my co-authors, Dr. Melissa Powell-Williams and Dr. Kim Davies, I published a study in Teaching Sociology of how students who had recently completed the MCAT perceived sociology prepared them. Respondents in our study reported that their sociology courses helped them 1) develop empathy and 2) gain a sociological imagination . It should not be surprising that we think those are actually way more important skills to carry into a career in medicine than just scoring well on the MCAT. Of course, you do need to score well on the MCAT to get into medical school, and we as instructors want to help our students do well on their tests. But we shouldn’t be creating a “pre-MCAT” course to address the influx of premedical students seeking social sciences. We should keep teaching sociology as a discipline. All of our students will benefit from learning to identify the sources of a news story or read a primary source and analyze it from a sociological perspective. Developing empathy and understanding how social structure affects individual decisions are extremely important skills for people in any field – very much including medicine.

It is our mission as sociology instructors to give all our students – majors or otherwise – the skills to navigate a multicultural world. A primary portion of those skills is developing empathy and a sociological imagination. The quote that motivates the URL for this website comes from an American Sociological Association Presidential Address where Dr. Michael Burawoy said, “our students are our first and captive public,” and indeed the restructuring of the MCAT is bringing many more students into our classrooms. Even as they come to us in order to score well on a standardized test, this gives us an opportunity to teach them sociology. The AAMC’s emphasis on the importance of social science in providing more effective medical services is laudable. We need to validate their intention to cultivate cultural competence by helping students understand and appreciate how useful a sociological imagination can be for their intended career in medicine and as members of our society.   

The students I teach want to be doctors, nurses, physical therapists, or work in healthcare administration. And, in those roles, they will interact with a wide cross-section of people who vary from them on many social demographic indicators. They will interact with patients and colleagues who are different from them in terms of gender, race, sexuality, social class, age, religion, and ability, among others. They will be participants in the systems and institutions that sociologists study. They will deal with people in their most vulnerable moments when empathy and productive communication can be life-changing, or even life-saving. It’s critical that we distill to them the relevance of our hard-won insights. What I try to do in my class is to teach sociology as a way to think about taking the role of the other – imagining how someone makes decisions based on their position in the broader social structure and seeking to understand where inequalities stem from as we examine the structures in which people are embedded. I try to get students to think about how people make choices in context, how people are constrained by their socioeconomic status, their race/gender/sexuality and the political environment into which they were born. By first understanding these inequalities in our society, we can then work to address them and facilitate change. These sociological teachings are valuable for future medical providers to reach their patients and serve them effectively.

Elizabeth Culatta is an assistant professor of sociology in the Department of Social Sciences at Augusta University. Dr. Culatta studies social determinants of health especially focused on identity tied to mental health and substance abuse for young adults. She has published in journals including Society and Mental Health, Social Currents, and Journal of Health Psychology. Dr. Culatta teaches medical sociology courses as well as Introduction to Sociology, often including pre-medical students.

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• FP Teaching is public sociology

Intro to Sociology courses often serve as the “public” face of the field, but how do they contribute to students’ “mental image” of sociology? Miskolczi (2023) conducted a qualitative longitudinal study of students’ mind mapping the central concept of sociology in Hungary discovering recurring vagueness in their conceptualization of the field.

Host and Co-Creator of "The Social Breakdown" podcast, Ellen Meiser (2021) , reflects on using podcasts in pedagogy, encouraging instructors to find ways to combat monotony in the classroom and critically analyze multimedia.

ASA Presidents Joya Misra, Prudence Carter, and Adia Harvey Wingfield defend the value of sociology in response to Florida's "gross mischaracterization" of the discipline and the state's decision to eliminate sociology as a core course option.

Want to engage more students using the Socratic method in your classes? Check Chiang-Lopez & Nuñez 's (2024) piece on the method's challenges and strategies to minimize harm and student exclusion.

Struggling with how to assess active learning in the online classroom? Hasnine, Ahmed, and Ueda (2020) provide an analysis on active learning in various global contexts.

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30 sociology research questions for your next project

Last updated

30 April 2024

Reviewed by

Being a human being and living in modern society can be confusing and complicated. A wide range of historical, behavioral, and structural factors impact our day-to-day experiences. People who study sociology aim to better understand how culture, social interactions, and relationships impact individual and collective well-being.

Sociology research helps provide answers that policymakers, entrepreneurs, and individuals can use to improve the lives of local and global communities. But they can only do this if they ask and address the right questions.

Use this article to kickstart your research. It will help you choose an in-demand sociology research question to explore for your next project or assignment.

• Why sociology research matters

Sociology is a diverse, complex, and essential area of study. It’s the study of life, social change, and human behaviors. Sociology research explores how societal structures and organizations impact everyday life and well-being.

Social communication and interaction are fundamental components of the human experience. Studying these topics in detail helps uncover flaws or biases within our societal structures that impact particular individuals or groups of people.

To properly address societal issues, we first need to identify and understand them. Conducting your own high-quality sociology research gives you the opportunity to explore a topic you are passionate about. You can contribute valuable information to improve our existing societal structures and systems.

• How to choose a great sociology research topic

Whether you’re choosing a topic for a school project or want to expand into a new niche with your existing research practices, choosing the right sociology research question is essential during the early stages of your work.

The topic and people you choose to study will greatly differ depending on what you have access to. So, to make your efforts worthwhile, we recommend considering the following points before you make your final decision:

Consider your bandwidth

It’s easy to get in over your head with a particularly ambitious research project.

To be able to produce the best work and ensure you can actually complete your project, consider the following questions before choosing your research question:

What is my research project timeline?

How much support do I have to complete my research?

What research tools and platforms do I have access to?

How much research experience do I have?

Factor in your target audience

Sociology is the study of human behavior, so your study participants will significantly impact the results.

Depending on the scope of your work, research questions that focus on harder-to-access groups may pose a challenge for students, novice researchers, or projects with little funding. Children, people living in rural areas, or people with particular health conditions are all examples of groups that are harder to access for research.

So, depending on your experience level, resources, and support, you should consider these limitations before choosing a research question that involves working with these groups.

Focus on your skills

Everyone has a set of skills they bring to the table. If you want to get the most bang for your buck with your research efforts, lean into your skills when choosing your research question.

Sociology is a diverse area of study that has plenty of room for both anecdotal and emotional research and statistical analysis. For this reason, you need to factor in your preferences and skillset when you decide which type of question to pursue.

If you love talking to people and collecting nuanced opinions, a qualitative -focused question will best suit your project. Or, you might prefer more numeric analysis. In this case, choosing a question that allows you to collect quantitative data about a specific population will be better suited to your skill set.

Catch up on the latest trends

Finally, one of the most important things to consider when choosing your sociology research question is the existing trends within your area of study.

Reading up on the latest research projects surrounding your topic is an absolute must. It’s a great way to stay involved in the research community and ensure you don’t accidentally copy or repeat existing research.

Additionally, your research will become more nuanced and impactful the more plugged into your topic you are. Getting to grips with existing research will provide inspiration and ideas, particularly about knowledge gaps or challenges, giving your project the best chance of success.

• Sociology research questions for college students

Sociology research is a common project or assignment for college students looking to learn more about human behavior and society. 

College students are often limited by time, resources, and funding. However, they can still explore plenty of incredibly interesting and important sociology research questions. And hey, you never know, maybe this first project will kickstart your career as a sociology researcher!

Consider these examples of trending sociology research topics for college students:

How prevalent is bullying in a particular age category, and what strategies can we use to tackle it?

How does student debt impact college student spending habits?

What impact does living on campus vs. living off campus have on student friendships in the first year of university?

What are the most commonly reported stressors reported by rural students moving to campus for university?

How do students respond to group projects vs. individual assignments, and which option is best suited for post-secondary education?

• Sociology research questions about cultural bias

Culture (the behaviors, teachings, and beliefs that a group of people shares) plays a significant role in modern society. It’s often attributed to a specific region or location and is created by groups of like-minded people sharing ideas, opinions, and values.

Culture significantly influences how people interact with the world around them, and studying this impact is a hot-button topic for sociologists.

Here are some examples of sociology research questions about culture and cultural bias:

To what extent does cultural bias impact female empowerment?

What are the predominant traits a person who describes themselves as a “patriot” would attribute to themselves?

To what extent does Westernized culture impact health and wellness?

How are people who belong to cultural minorities treated differently from the majority?

How has globalization and social media affected the concept of cultural heritage?

• Sociology research questions about religion

Around the world, religion is a powerful connecting force. Some of the most commonly known religions today have thousands of years of history and impact.

Because of its prevalence and influence, it’s no surprise that religion is a common topic for sociology researchers—especially as the global community becomes more connected and aware of different religious practices.

Examples of trending sociology research questions about religion include the following:

To what extent should schools teach students about religion?

How important is it for [a particular group of people] to follow the rules of their chosen religion? Why do they feel it’s important to do so?

How does spirituality differ from religious practice?

How has religion shaped the structures of modern Western society?

Is it important for people to participate in traditional religious ceremonies, and how do they feel when participating?

• Sociology research questions about race and society

The impact of race and ethnicity on a person’s well-being and worldview is always a worthwhile topic to explore. It’s one of the more prevalent themes in sociology research.

Despite the world being more connected than ever, many of our society’s foundational social structures place unnecessary barriers that block people from minority ethnic groups from accessing the same opportunities as the majority.

Sociology research exploring the role of race and ethnicity in society can help provide insights into why this happens. We can use these insights to combat social inequities.

Here are five examples of sociology research questions focused on race, ethnicity, and society:

How does a person’s ethnic background impact their dietary preferences?

To what extent does race impact annual income?

What are the healthcare barriers people from ethnic minorities most commonly report experiencing?

How does international travel impact a person’s understanding of race and ethnicity?

How likely are people from the [X] ethnic community to experience stress, and what are the effects of this?

• Sociology research questions about generational differences

Generational differences play a significant role in how a person communicates with, relates to, and understands the people and environment around them.

New generations are entering the workforce and older generations are heading toward retirement. This means you can collect a wealth of information about each group’s experiences, opinions, values, and concerns.

Things like technology, political opinions, and family values are hot-button topics that differ from generation to generation. Choosing a research question that focuses on generational differences will likely be a great choice if you find any of these topics interesting.

Here are some example questions to consider:

To what extent should younger generations be expected to learn from their elders?

What are the financial differences between baby boomers and millennials?

How do different generations feel about the future?

How are people born before 1965 adapting to new changes in technology?

What are the most common stressors reported by people from different generations, and how do they differ from each other?

• Controversial sociology research questions

“Controversial” research topics are a popular option for many researchers. This is because they are compelling, modern, and useful for shedding light on emotionally charged topics.

Depending on your personal worldview and opinions, these topics may not be controversial or contentious at all. But, as questions that cover topics that trigger a strong emotional response in certain groups of people, these research questions are worth exploring.

Here are some examples of “controversial” sociology research questions: 

To what extent has social media changed communication, and should it be better monitored or regulated?

How have anti-LGBTQ+ policies impacted the health and well-being of people in that community?

How has diet culture impacted how young women feel about their bodies?

To what extent does student debt impact a person’s ability to thrive after post-secondary education?

How does a person’s political views impact their core values?

• Sociology research is essential 

Sociology is a vibrant, unique, and important area of study. Thorough research in this area, regardless of the topic, is always a valuable endeavor. It helps you gain a better understanding of human life, behavior, and connection.

No matter the size and breadth of your next research project or assignment, choosing the right research question will help you uncover important information about society and its structures.

Help break down existing barriers and improve the quality of life for people around the world by conducting your own sociology research on a topic that resonates with your values and experiences. Any insights you collect are valuable and could play a key role in improving the human experience.

Get started today

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New Study Bolsters Idea of Athletic Differences Between Men and Trans Women

Research financed by the International Olympic Committee introduced new data to the unsettled and fractious debate about bans on transgender athletes.

By Jeré Longman

A new study financed by the International Olympic Committee found that transgender female athletes showed greater handgrip strength — an indicator of overall muscle strength — but lower jumping ability, lung function and relative cardiovascular fitness compared with women whose gender was assigned female at birth.

That data, which also compared trans women with men, contradicted a broad claim often made by proponents of rules that bar transgender women from competing in women’s sports. It also led the study’s authors to caution against a rush to expand such policies, which already bar transgender athletes from a handful of Olympic sports.

The study’s most important finding, according to one of its authors, Yannis Pitsiladis, a member of the I.O.C.’s medical and scientific commission, was that, given physiological differences, “Trans women are not biological men.”

Alternately praised and criticized, the study added an intriguing data set to an unsettled and often politicized debate that may only grow louder with the Paris Olympics and a U.S. presidential election approaching.

The authors cautioned against the presumption of immutable and disproportionate advantages for transgender female athletes who compete in women’s sports, and they advised against “precautionary bans and sport eligibility exclusions” that were not based on sport-specific research.

Outright bans, though, continue to proliferate. Twenty-five U.S. states now have laws or regulations barring transgender athletes from competing in girls and women’s sports, according to the Movement Advancement Project , a nonprofit that focuses on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender parity. And the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics , the governing body for smaller colleges, this month barred transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports unless their sex was assigned female at birth and they had not undergone hormone therapy.

Two of the most visible sports at this summer’s Paris Games — swimming and track and field — along with cycling have effectively barred transgender female athletes who went through puberty as males. Rugby has instituted a total ban on trans female athletes, citing safety concerns, and those permitted to participate in other sports often face stricter requirements in suppressing their levels of testosterone.

The International Olympic Committee has left eligibility rules for transgender female athletes up to the global federations that govern individual sports. And while the Olympic committee provided financing for the study — as it does on a variety of topics through a research fund — Olympic officials had no input or influence on the results, Dr. Pitsiladis said.

In general, the argument for the bans has been that profound advantages gained from testosterone-fueled male puberty — broader shoulders, bigger hands, longer torsos, and greater muscle mass, strength, bone density and heart and lung capacity — give transgender female athletes an inequitable and largely irreversible competitive edge.

The new laboratory-based, peer-reviewed and I.O.C.-funded study at the University of Brighton, published this month in the British Journal of Sports Medicine , tested 19 cisgender men (those whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth) and 12 trans men, along with 23 trans women and 21 cisgender women.

All of the participants played competitive sports or underwent physical training at least three times a week. And all of the trans female athletes had undergone at least a year of treatment suppressing their testosterone levels and taking estrogen supplementation, the researchers said. None of the participants were athletes competing at the national or international level.

The study found that transgender female participants showed greater handgrip strength than cisgender female participants but lower lung function and relative VO2 max, the amount of oxygen used when exercising. Transgender female athletes also scored below cisgender women and men on a jumping test that measured lower-body power.

The study acknowledged some limitations, including its small sample size and the fact that the athletes were not followed over the long term as they transitioned. And, as previous research has indicated, it found that transgender female athletes did retain at least one advantage over cisgender female athletes — a measurement of handgrip strength .

But it is a combination of factors, not a single parameter, that determines athletic performance, said Dr. Pitsiladis, a professor of sport and exercise science.

Athletes who grow taller and heavier after going through puberty as males must “carry this big skeleton with a smaller engine” after transitioning, he said. He cited volleyball as an example, saying that, for transgender female athletes, “the jumping and blocking will not be to the same height as they were doing before. And they may find that, overall, their performance is less good.”

But Michael J. Joyner, a doctor at the Mayo Clinic who studies the physiology of male and female athletes, said that, based on his research and the research of others, science supports the bans in elite sports, where events can be decided by the smallest of margins.

“We know testosterone is performance enhancing,” Dr. Joyner said. “And we know testosterone has residual effects.” Additionally, he added, declines in performance by trans women after taking drugs to suppress their testosterone levels do not fully reduce the typical differences in athletic performance between men and women.

Supporters of transgender athletes, and some scientists who disagree with bans, have accused governing bodies and lawmakers of enacting solutions for a problem that doesn’t exist. There are few elite trans female athletes, they have noted. And there has been limited scientific study of presumed unalterable advantages in strength, power and aerobic capacity gained by experiencing puberty as a male.

For those who have competed in the Olympics, results have varied widely. At the 2021 Tokyo Games, Quinn , a soccer player who is trans nonbinary and was assigned female at birth, helped Canada’s team win a gold medal. But Laurel Hubbard , a transgender weight lifter from New Zealand, failed to complete a lift in her event.

“The idea that trans women are going to take over women’s sports is ludicrous,” said Joanna Harper, a leading researcher of trans athletes and a postdoctoral scholar at Oregon Health & Science University.

Dr. Harper, who is transgender, said it was important for sports to consider physiological differences between transgender women and cisgender women and that she supported certain restrictions, such as requiring the suppression of testosterone levels. But she called blanket bans “unnecessary and unjustified” and said she welcomed the I.O.C.-funded study.

“This fear that trans women aren’t really women, that they’re men who are invading women’s sports, and that trans women will carry all of their male athleticism, their athletic capabilities, into women’s sports — neither of those things are true,” Dr. Harper said.

Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics, which governs global track and field, acknowledged that the science remains unresolved. But the organization decided to bar transgender female athletes from international track and field, he said, because “I’m not going to take a risk on this.”

“We think this is in the best interest of preserving the female category,” Mr. Coe said.

In at least two prominent cases, the fight over transgender bans has moved to the courts. The former University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas is challenging a ban imposed by World Aquatics, swimming’s global governing body, after she won the 500-yard freestyle race at the 2022 N.C.A.A. championships. That victory made Thomas, who had been among the best men’s swimmers in the Ivy League, the first known trans athlete to win a women’s championship event in college sports’ top division.

Thomas did not dominate all of her races, though, finishing tied for fifth in a second race and eighth in a third. Her winning time in the 500 was more than nine seconds slower than the N.C.A.A. record. Her case, filed at the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport, is not expected to be resolved before the Paris Olympics begin in July.

Meanwhile, more than a dozen current and former U.S. college athletes, including at least one who competed against Thomas, sued the N.C.A.A. last month . They claimed that, by letting Thomas participate in the national championships, the organization had violated their rights under Title IX, the law that prohibits sex discrimination at institutions that receive federal funding. (Title IX has also been relied upon to argue in favor of transgender female athletes.)

Outsports , a website that reports on L.G.B.T.Q. issues, hailed the I.O.C.-funded study as a “landmark” that concluded that “blanket sports bans are a mistake.” But some scientists and athletes called the study deeply flawed in an article in The Telegraph , which labeled the suggestion that transgender women are at a disadvantage in sports a “new low” for the I.O.C.

So heated is the debate that Dr. Pitsiladis said he and his research team have received threats. That, he warned, could lead other scientists to shy away from pursuing research on the topic.

“Why would any scientist do this if you’re going to get totally slammed and character-assassinated?” he said. “This is no longer a science matter. Unfortunately, it’s become a political matter.”

Jeré Longman covers international sports, focusing on competitive, social, cultural and political issues around the world. More about Jeré Longman

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Sociology program recognizes outstanding students

Each year, the sociology program recognizes outstanding students with annual awards.

Faculty members in the department presented sociology students Holden Pope and Abosede Muinat Onifade with the Excellence in Sociology Award recognizing academic success, professional achievement and professional values and ethics.

Loren Carter and Constance Davis received the Social Justice Award, which recognizes sociology students who have demonstrated leadership abilities and a commitment to the ideals of social justice through their activities.

In addition, five students were inducted into the Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honor Society:  Jordyn Brady, Sydney Geller, Alycety Horton, Cana Jordan and Alexander Marr. Alpha Kappa Delta seeks to acknowledge and promote excellence in the scholarship in the study of social problems, sociology, and intellectual activities that lead to the improvement in the human condition.

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