Hundreds of demonstrators from the community gather and speak out against racism and racial injustice

The study of race, justice, and inequality is at the fore for many of our faculty and graduate students.

See our research and resources on understanding and ameliorating racial inequality More
Lake Mendota, Lake Monona, along with the downtown Madison.

We are proud to be consistently ranked as a top Sociology department in the country, excelling in a wide variety of intellectual pursuits.

Photo of campus in winter

Decency. Excellence. Diversity.

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“Guided by the Wisconsin Idea of service to the citizens of Wisconsin and beyond, the Department of Sociology conducts world-class research on important local and global social issues and prepares students for meaningful careers and lives of engaged citizenship.”
- Mission Statement of the Department of Sociology

Our department is a well-knit community of faculty, staff, and students.  Under our umbrella, we pursue research that is leading many sociological subfields in new and different directions. We emphasize teaching and public service as well as research. Indeed, we draw no hard boundaries between our research, teaching, and service missions. We value and promote methodological, social, and cultural diversity.

Chaeyoon Lim to Deliver Sewell Memorial Lecture

The 16th William H. Sewell Memorial Lecture and reception has been postponed to Friday, April 22, 2022 at 4:00pm CT in room 8417 in the Sewell Social Sciences Building.  There will also be an option to attend virtually via Zoom. Professor Chaeyoon Lim will deliver the lecture “Changing Religious Landscape in America: What Is Happening and How Does It Matter?”Headshot view of Chaeyoon Lim

Partners, spouses, and other family members are invited to attend the lecture and the following outdoor reception. Attend in person if you are able and feel comfortable; we will post the Zoom link as the event date gets closer.

William Sewell became chair of the Department of Sociology in 1960 and during his tenure he established a guiding principle of “decency, excellence, and diversity” that the department still aims toward today. After he passed away in June 2001, the department established a lecture to honor his memory.

Click here  for a complete calendar