Welcome to Sociology
The Department of Sociology contributes to the liberal arts mission of the University of Maine. We are committed to excellence in teaching, research, and public service. We emphasize critical thinking and analysis in our teaching and provide our majors intensive training in research methodology. We seek in this manner to prepare our students for the complex intellectual and vocational demands of modern society.
As sociologists we try to seek beneath the surface of common sense definitions of social reality and identify the more fundamental social processes that affect us. To further this goal, our work in all three areas of our mission emphasizes cultural diversity and pluralism, a focus integral to the sociological tradition. Through our application of the sociological imagination we contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of society and social change.
What our students are saying:
I came to college with no idea what I was interested in or what path I wanted to adventure down. I took a few sociology classes my freshman year in which I experienced an excitement about the topics being proposed and discussed. For the first time, I could actually apply what I was learning to the classroom I was in, the friend sitting next to me, and the world around me! Therefore, I decided to declare my major in sociology and I feel that this decision has made me the person I am today. It is hard to put into words how sociology has changed my life because it truly has changed every single aspect about how I view the world. I feel that I am ready to take on the rest of my life because I have this vast in-depth knowledge which allows me to appreciate differences of opinions, beliefs on a minute level, and also between generations and countries as well. I truly feel that I look at situations differently and have this unexplainable appreciation for life in general because I am at peace with who I am and the world that surrounds me. I have my sociology degree to thank for all of this.
Ellen Sherwood ‘09