Branches of Sociology

Theoretical Sociology
Just like it sounds, theoretical sociology focuses on social theories and theoretical frameworks
that guide sociologists in their particular areas of study. You can think of it as the field’s meta-
analysis of itself.

Historical Sociology
Studies in sociology don’t only need to be confined to the present. Historical sociology
investigates the different types of social structures and dynamics of the past. You might find this
interesting in and of itself, but it can also inform the way societies today operate and help us
come to new understandings about it. With this branch, students can trace the development of
our current human society.

Sociology of Knowledge
Sociology of knowledge studies human thoughts and ideas and how they’re influenced by social
structures—as well as how they influence them in return.

Sociology of Criminology
Criminology is one of the most commonly studied branches of sociology, investigating
sociological influences that can lead to crime. If you’ve ever been interested in analyzing crime
from a macro viewpoint, this could be your top pick. Additionally, criminology students will
look at how offenders, victims, officers, judges, and other personnel interact with and behave
around each other.

Sociology of Law
Sociology of law complements the previous branch, continuing the investigation into how
sociological factors surrounding laws, criminal justice systems, various legal processes,
punishments, and more affect social structures.
Sociology of Religion
Sociology of religion studies the various aspects of religion—like faith-based moral codes,
rituals, and social institutions—from a sociological perspective. Students will examine how
religious beliefs influence all levels of interaction, from political and social issues to personal
relationships.

Sociology of the Economy

Sociology of economy studies the interplay between economics and social systems. This subfield
explores how individuals and groups are interconnected and influence each other through their
economic behavior, market factors, financial structures, and labor, among other things, according
to Investopedia.

Urban Sociology
Urban sociology studies social structures in urban areas, as well as the events, dynamics, and
challenges that are present there. If you’re interested in the subfield of urban sociology, you may
want to look at institutions set in urban areas that would allow you to study the subfield in an
urban environment.

Rural Sociology
Rural sociology is like urban sociology, except that its focus is instead on rural environments. It
studies social structures in rural areas and the major problems, conflicts, and phenomena that
arise in them.

Adding population density to urban and rural sociology makes this field even more interesting.

Political Sociology
Political sociology analyzes the relationships among individuals, societies, and political
powers—all of which can be influenced by factors like race, ethnicity, class, and gender.
Students will explore first-hand accounts alongside media representations, political movements,
community action and organization, and how power is gained, maintained, and wielded through
political institutions.

As Thomas R. Bates writes, the theory of hegemony considers how ruling social classes create,
influence, and maintain society's value systems through interactions and alliances with various
groups. If this theory interests you, you might find this subfield of sociology particularly
riveting.
Sociology of Demography
Demography studies various characteristics of a population over time, such as birth rates and
migration, and how these demographic trends change, hold steady, break down, and their
relationship with social dynamics. These examinations also extend to the consequences of
demographics changing (or not) over time.

Familiar with the different types of research methods in sociology? Studying social demography
can help supplement research in other branches of sociology by shedding light on what
characteristics families and households have, what poverty rates are like in a community, or an
area’s immigration or emigration trends.

Social demography can also identify structural inequalities among certain demographics within
the same location (represented through statistical comparisons) so that they can be further
studied and addressed.

Industrial Sociology
Industrial sociology examines industry, its relationships among individuals and social groups,
and how it influences them.

Students studying industrial sociology examine labor movements, formations of unions,

dynamics within different types of workplaces, or how relationships are impacted by changes in
technology or globalization.

Sociology of Family
Sociology of family explores behaviors and dynamics among family groups based on factors like
age, class, race, and gender, which makes it an especially important area of study for social
workers and educators.

It can examine how families form, fracture, and everything between. It can also study how
families are structured and how roles and responsibilities are dispersed among family members.