Sociology is a field that studies basic human and social processes in the context of the complex realities of a rapidly changing world. CWRU’s Department of Sociology offers undergraduate concentrations in Crime, Law and Justice, Gender, Work and Family, Health, Medicine, and Aging, and Social Inequality. The Department encourages interaction between students and faculty by offering many opportunities for individualized study and participation in research projects and other field-based learning experiences. The Department has a long history of offering a friendly, student-centered culture, for both undergraduate and graduate students.
In addition to pursuing doctoral study in sociology, many of our recent graduates pursued graduate studies in the fields of medicine, law and social work. The breadth of knowledge and perspective provided by majoring in sociology is viewed favorably by researchers and employers in many fields including management and industry, health care, human resources, social work and education.
EVENTS
Please join us for the Department of Sociology’s Senior Capstone presentations on Wednesday, December 13 from 12:00 to 2:00 PM in Mather Memorial, room 201.
Visit Events for a complete listing of past and future events.
Highlights
NEWS
Dale Dannefer Elected President of SLLS
Dr. Dale Dannefer was elected incoming President of the Society for Longitudinal and Life Course Studies (SLLS). He will serve as President Elect next year, from 2024 to 2025, and then a two-year term as President until 2027. He currently serves as Section Editor for their journal, Longitudinal and...
Cassi Pittman Claytor Earns A. Wade Smith Award
Dr. Cassi Pittman Claytor has been awarded the A. Wade Smith Award for Teaching, Mentorship, and Service from the Association of Black Sociologists. The A. Wade Smith Award for Teaching, Mentorship, and Service was established in 1998. Named in honor of A. Wade Smith, Ph.D., the award recognizes an ABS member for outstanding teaching, mentoring,...
2023 AKD Initiates and Undergraduate Award Recipients Recognized
On April 21, 2023, fourteen students were initiated into the Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD) International Sociology Honor Society and 10 students were recipients of Undergraduate Awards. This year’s AKD initiates were Catherine Buhrow, Lacey Caporale, Olivia Condon, Polina Ermoshkina, Ashley Hawkins, Colleen Kavanagh, Dalene Mendoza, Amber Ndukwe, Maranda Priah, Anvitha...
2023 NCSA Presentations
Eight students presented at the North Central Sociological Association (NCSA) Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan on March 23-26. Students presenting their individual work include graduate students Casey Albitz, Lacey Caporale, Kaylee Boney, Zach Milko, Micah Bailey-Arafah, Anvitha Ravipati, Polina Ermoshkina, and Colleen Kavanagh. In addition to these presentations, Dr....
Professor Tim Black Chosen for North Central Sociological Association’s Scholarly Achievement Award
Professor Tim Black and co-author Sky Keyes' book, It's a Setup: Fathering from the Social and Economic Margins, was recently chosen for the North Central Sociological Association's Scholarly Achievement Award. Examining the political and economic conditions faced by low-income fathers, Black and Keyes discuss the contradictory phenomenon that "as...
Professor Danielle Czarnecki Joins Department as Visiting Assistant Professor
In August, Danielle Czarnecki will be joining the department for the 2022-2023 school year as a Visiting Assistant Professor. This fall, she will be teaching SOCI 311 (Health, Illness, and Social Behavior) and SOCI 306/406 (Social Inquiry). Professor Czarnecki received her PhD in Sociology from University of Michigan and was...
Professor Dale Dannefer Steps Down as Department Chair after 16 Years of Service
After 16 years of service, Professor Dale Dannefer, Selah Chamberlain Professor of Sociology, stepped down as Department Chair. Under his leadership, the department has grown and flourished, including the development of a new specialization in Social Inequality. His service and leadership have been instrumental to the success of its programs,...
Professor Gary Deimling Retires after 29 Years at CWRU
Professor Gary Deimling, valued teacher and mentor to generations of CWRU sociology majors and graduate students and valued colleague to faculty across the university, announced his decision to retire at the end of the spring term (effective June 30, 2022). Professor Deimling has been widely appreciated as a welcoming...