To Survive and Thrive
Nadia Murad has found purpose in pain, advocating for an end to sexual abuse as a weapon of war
Contact Us
Sociology
4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20016-8072
United States
Department of Sociology
The Department of Sociology of the College of Arts and Sciences serves the university and students from the DC area, the United States, and throughout the world as a center for the advanced study of social institutions, global affairs, and social justice. Its programs offer in-depth training in sociological theory and emphasize research methodology at the BA and MA levels, through a BA/MA program (allowing students to complete a BA and MA in 5 years), and two graduate certificates: one in Public Sociology and another in Social Research.
ĢƵ Program Ranked in Top 20
The ĢƵ Sociology Master's Program was ranked , scoring especially high for "Best Practicum Experience.&ܴdz;
Sociologist Jobs Growing by 5% in 2020s
US Department of Labor projects steady growth in the 2020s with DC salaries of $88K above the national median.
Faculty Experts’ Corner: Ernesto Castañeda
Sociology professor Ernesto Castañeda discusses racial and ethnic health disparities in coronavirus cases and deaths, particularly among Latinos. He examines the structural inequalities behind the numbers, including the disproportionate rate of Latinos working in essential positions and with preexisting medical conditions.
Beyond the Curriculum
Our programs prepare students for a variety of careers in social advocacy, research, teaching, human services, and policy-making institutions in both the public and private sectors in Washington and beyond.
ĢƵ's location provides unparalleled access to government, research institutions, data and archival sources, advocacy organizations, and leaders involved in social change. Because ĢƵ attracts many international students, the capacity to think through issues beyond national borders is often present with every year's new cohort; at the same time, faculty and students alike frame global politics, economics, and social and cultural issues at a local level, and often use global and local frames to understand social phenomena.
Beyond the experience of being in DC, sociology majors and minors-a majority in fact-take a semester to participate in the program. Many students find that a SOCY major is easily completed as a double major. The Department now offers a choice among three courses (SOCY 100, 110, and 150) as gateways to the sociology major and minor programs. Our relationships with Critical Race, Gender & Culture Studies, the Center for Israel Studies, and our Center on Health, Risk, and Society make our department a vibrant one within the ĢƵ community.
Center on Health, Risk, and Society
The Center on Health, Risk and Society (CHRS), based in the Department of Sociology at ĢƵ, is an interdisciplinary community of scholars conducting research on the social dimensions of health and health-related risks, especially on their roots in social inequality, and on structural interventions aimed at addressing them.
Mission Statement
"Our common purpose is education and research for social justice in an increasingly global social system. We expect to create sociological knowledge and apply professional research skills to inform effective policies and programs for social change. We intend to empower ourselves, faculty and students, with the knowledge, skills, and commitment necessary to participate in building equitable, humane, and sustainable social institutions. We consider one source of our strength to be the multicultural diversity of our department, and we seek every opportunity to expand that strength."
News
Announcements
- Statement in Solidarity with Anti-Racist Efforts from sociology faculty.
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Ernesto Castañeda spoke with about how President-elect Donald Trump’s desire to crack down on birthright citizenship won’t necessarily deter immigration.
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Sarah Iverson’s contributions to an ĢƵ sustainability research project were featured in .
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Ernesto Castañeda (Sociology, Center for Latin American and Latino Studies) spoke with about the Latino vote for Trump despite the former president’s anti-immigrant rhetoric.
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Tracy Weitz (Sociology, Center for Health, Risk and Society) spoke with Al Jazeera about abortion access in the post-Roe era.
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Kim Blankenship received supplemental funding of $872 (new total: $2,616) from George Washington University for the project “Latino Scholars in HIV/AIDS Research Education (SHARE).”
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Kim Blankenship received a supplemental grant of $23,920 (total awarded amount $176,760) from Yale University for the project "The effects of rental assistance on type 2 diabetes self-management and control."
More Announcements
- Ernesto Castañeda spoke with about his research into immigration as an electoral issue and voters’ evolving views on the subject. He also authored an in The Conversation about the impacts of immigrants on the US economy.
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Tracy Weitz spoke with about a ballot measure in Colorado that would provide abortion protections.
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Kim Blankenship received a $24,818 grant from the George Washington University (GWU) for the project “DC CFAR Pathway Program: Developing an Inclusive Generation of HIV Researchers through Diversity and Community.” Blankenship also received supplemental funding of $13,481 from the George Washington University for the project “District of Columbia Center for AIDS Research (DC CFAR).” She was also awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant for nearly $3.5 million for research on the impacts of structural racism in health.
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Ernesto Castaneda’s research about contributions of immigrants to the U.S. economy was featured in an article in the . covered a panel discussion on US immigration policy at ĢƵ featuring Ernesto Castaneda, director of the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies, Lauren Carruth, associate professor in the School of International Service, Amy Dacey, executive director of the Sine Institute of Policy and Politics, and Amb. Anthony Wayne, Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer and Distinguished Diplomat in Residence at SIS.
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Ernesto Castañeda spoke with about the ways politicians frame issues related to immigration.
- Michelle Newton-Francis with J. Chaikof published ".&ܴdz;Journal of Diversity in Higher Education (2024).
- Nicole Angotti received a $175,015 grant from the NIH for the project “Intergenerational Intervention: Employing Youth to Promote Aging Healthy with HIV in Rural South Africa.”
- Ernesto Castañeda spoke with about drug trafficking in South America.
- Michelle Newton-Francis (Sociology) and former graduate student Jessica Chaikof published an article titled “” in the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education.
- Tracy Weitz received a $6,018 grant from the Society of Family Planning for the project “What are the prices of abortions later in pregnancy.” Weitz also appeared on podcast to discuss the reproductive justice movement in the United States.
- Tracy Weitz received a $49,726 grant from the Society of Family Planning for the project “Extending Gestation Beyond the Mythical Point of Viability.”
- Ernesto Castañeda spoke with,, France24, and about a variety of topics related to US immigration policy and activity on the southern border.
- Tracy Weitz (Sociology) was nominated and appointed to the . Weitz spoke with about current statewide attacks on abortion rights and accessibility.
- Kim Blankenship received a $12,885 grant from the George Washington University for the project “District of Columbia Center for AIDS Research (DC CFAR).”
- Kim Blankenship received supplemental funding in the amount of $39,930 (in addition to previous grant funding of $112,910) from Yale University for the project “The effects of rental assistance on type 2 diabetes self-management and control.”
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow Steven Dashiellܲ
- Prof. Ernesto Castañedaܲ
- Tracy Weitz received a $500,000 award from the Hewlett Foundation for "Ensuring the timely share and use of information about changes in the US abortion landscape.”
- Ernesto Castaneda-Tinoco spoke with about the end of Title 42.
- Kim Blankenship received a grant from the George Washington University for “Latino Scholars in HIV/AIDS Research Education (SHARE).”
- Nicole Angotti received a $176,677 grant ($367,138 over two years) from NIH for “Intergeneration Intervention: Employing Youth to Promote Aging Healthy with HIV in Rural South Africa.”
- Tracy Weitz spoke with about Planned Parenthood’s focus on self-preservation and its impact on the pro-choice movement.
- Ernesto Castañeda and Daniel Jenks apply sociological terms to current protests in
- Cynthia Miller-Idriss discusses the presence of far-right groups at protests over the death of George Floyd in .
- Molly Dondero received a grant of $29,750, from the Russell Sage Foundation, for her project entitled: "Immigrant Integration and Institutional Attachments in an Era of Enforcement."
- Alumna Shannon Post coordinates the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Project Green Reach for youngsters—and offers favorite houseplant tips.
- Cynthia Miller-Idriss how far-right extremists might exploit the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns to recruit youth.
- Michael Bader about families pooling resources during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Mike Murphy won the 2020 College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Award for Outstanding Staff.
- Cynthia Miller-Idriss wrote an op-ed in Politico titled ""
- Cynthia Miller-Idriss became a fellow at the Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right.
- interviewed Cynthia Miller-Idriss for a Q-and-A about the relationship between far-right youth culture and fashion.
- Michelle Newton-Francis won the Provost's Award for Outstanding Faculty Mentorship in Undergraduate Research or Creative Work.
