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2 Introduction to Sociology

Lumen Learning

What you’ll learn to do: define sociology and describe the historical and social context from which it emerged

Crowded escalator in the subway.
Figure 1. Sociologists study how society affects people and how people affect society. (Photo courtesy of Diego Torres Silvestre/flickr)

Sociology is the scientific study of human social interaction and society, the study of people doing things together. This section will introduce you to sociology, give a brief history of the discipline, and demonstrate how sociologists use theories to help explain human interactions. 

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Introduction to Sociology Copyright © by Lumen Learning is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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