ABSTRACT
This chapter sketches out a brief introduction to what sociology entails. Sociological analyses feature regularly in media commentary and public debate, and concepts such as globalisation, economic rationalism, socialisation, class, social status, deviance, alienation, and lifestyle all have sociological origins. Many sociologists have attempted to encapsulate the nature of sociology in a concise statement, and some of the most commonly cited of these are reproduced in this chapter. Sociology graduates find work in fields such as journalism, teaching, public administration, policy development and analysis, or as political advisers, social program managers, welfare officers, community development officers, and research consultants. In highlighting the impact of ‘the social’, sociology plays an important part, and our hope is that it contributes to improving the quality of human existence. The increased interconnectedness of the cultural, economic, and political aspects of social life; intensified circulation of capital, goods, information, and people across national boundaries; and increased interdependence of countries and regions of the world.
