Sociology and anthropology students study human behavior, social interaction, and social organization. They are concerned with how societies are organized and why people do what they do.
Anthropology takes a holistic, comparative approach focused on humanity as both biological and cultural beings. Sociology focuses on social causes and consequences of individual and group behavior and interaction.
Studying Human Behavior and Social Interaction
Our faculty and students in both sociology and anthropology are concerned with how societies are organized and how humans behave, but they approach these issues from different perspectives and traditions.
Our sociologists study how social behavior becomes organized and institutionalized. Our expertise includes crime and deviance, social inequalities, poverty and social welfare, and the intersections of race, class, and gender.
Our anthropologists explore differences in the ways humans organize their lives. Their work around the globe spans the prehistoric past as well as contemporary forms of human culture and society.
Sociology & Anthropology Faculty Research Areas
Prospective graduate students or undergraduates interested in getting involved in research can explore our faculty research areas to find faculty working in areas that interest them.
Research Areas We Focus On
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Archaeological Anthropology
Excavating, analyzing, and interpreting material remains.
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Biological Anthropology
Analyzing the evolution and diversity of humans and other primates.
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Cultural Anthropology
Analyzing diverse cultural practices of politics, religion, law, and economy in an increasingly global world.
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Social Change
Studying the transformation of cultural symbols, rules of behavior, social organizations, value systems and social institutions over time.
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Social Inequality
Studying the unequal distribution of material and nonmaterial resources, and the social forces that generate and perpetuate those distributions.
Between the Waves of Migration and Tourism
Bringing Early Humans and Primates into the Classroom
Swipe for Your Right to Party
Sociology & Anthropology Student Experiences — Here and Abroad
In the field. In service. Around the world. Just a few places you might get hands-on sociology and anthropology experience.
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Field School in Ohio ArchaeologyField school students dig into ancient habitation sites during the Archaic and Woodland periods (4000 B.C. - A.D. 1000) in southeastern Ohio.
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Appalachian Teaching ProjectStudents work with local community leaders to design and lead projects to address regional challenges in local communities.
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Northern Ireland: Human Rights, Law and JusticeSpend spring break in beautiful Northern Ireland and explore the legacy of the conflict known as "the Troubles" through interactions with human rights lawyers, ex-political prisoners, victims associations, and restorative justice practitioners.
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Giving Ohio History a Helping HandAnthropology students volunteer in New Straitsville, a former coal mining town located in southeastern Perry County, collecting artifacts and preserving documents to help others understand the region’s rich history.
Sociology, Criminology & Pre-Law Careers
Alumni Engagement & Giving Opportunities
