Welcome to the Department of Sociology

The Department of Sociology brings together faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students to study and understand local, national, and global challenges and the forces that shape the human experience.

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We are committed to the power of the sociological imagination, and to discovering new solutions to complex social issues in society. We promote ways of imagining and re-imagining the common good and encourage the use of knowledge and skills to realize a more just society. We offer students opportunities to learn and apply these skills through research and experiential learning activities in D.C. and beyond.

Ever Wonder What Studying Sociology Can Lead You To?

Amanda S. C. Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, majored in Sociology at Harvard. On January 20, 2021, at age 22, she shared her poetry at President Biden’s Inaugural Ceremony. She has written for the New York Times and other venues, and she is the author of books of poetry and has a forthcoming children’s book. Alondra Nelson, Professor of Sociology and President of the Social Science Research Council, was appointed by President Biden to the position of Deputy Director for Science and Society in the Office of Science and Technology Policy. This is a new position designed to bring social science expertise into science and technology strategy and policy.

Learn What Our Alumni Are Doing Now

Undergraduate Programs

Our undergraduate programs have been thoughtfully created to support our students’ capacity to understand and interact with a broad variety of perspectives held by individuals from various backgrounds. Our curriculum explores the intricate structure of human society while addressing pressing concerns that affect both local and global communities.  We promote ways of imagining and re-imagining the common good and encourage the use of knowledge and skills to realize a more just society. Students will gain a deep understanding of social and human behavior as they work through our curriculum, investigating the far-reaching effects of their choices.

Learn More About Our Undergraduate Programs

Recent Faculty Publications

The Department of Sociology’s faculty are actively involved in their scholarly work with publications and creative activity. The publications listed were chosen as outstanding examples of our faculty’s work. Notably, our faculty members demonstrate both remarkable productivity and a strong spirit of collaboration — as evidenced by the numerous works involving multiple authors, including colleagues within the department, from various departments on campus, and from other institutions.

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Focus on Research

More Research News
Healy Hall at Sunset

Announcements, Events, Research

2023-2024 Colloquia

The table below provides information on upcoming colloquia events: DatesSpeakerAffiliation9/23/2023Rachel EllisUniversity of Maryland10/18/2023Tanya Golash-BozaUniversity of California,…

August 28, 2023

Research

Georgetown Features at the 2023 ASA Conference

Georgetown Sociology was well represented at the 2023 American Sociological Association meetings this August in Philadelphia! Faculty members were featured on presidential and other invited…

August 28, 2023

screenshot of SSM article

Research

Prof. Hsu Published in SSM-Mental Health

Professor Becky Hsu and her colleague Roman Palitsky were recently published in the journal SSM – Mental Health for their work on Chinese grave sweeping as a method of adapting bonds during…

May 7, 2023