Sociology

The University of Chicago Department of Sociology is among the great sociology departments of the world. Founded in 1892 as the first sociology department in the United States, Chicago has a proud tradition of creative and foundational work.

Accolades

Three SSD PhD students receive 2024 NSF GRFP Awards

Congratulations to current doctoral students Devin Green, Department of Political Science, and Aaron Stagoff-Belfort, Department of Sociology – and incoming PhD student Jackson Lubke, Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics, for receiving an award through the 2025 National Science Foundation Graduate Program (NSF GRFP). Learn more about the awards.

Yuchen Yang, PhD’24, receives 2025 Saller Prize

Divisional award recognizes the best dissertation across social science disciplines.

Learn more about the prize and Yang.

Postdoc april l. graham-jackson awarded ACLS and Newberry Long Term Fellowships

april l. graham-jackson, Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Sociology and the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation, has been awarded fellowships from both the American Council for Learned Societies (ACLS) and the Newberry.

Professor Jenny Trinitapoli awarded 2025 Laing Prize

The University of Chicago Press awarded the 2025 Gordon J. Laing Prize to Professor Jenny Trinitapoli for her book An Epidemic of Uncertainty: Navigating HIV and Young Adulthood in Malawi.

Learn more about the Laing Prize and Prof. Trinitapoli's book.

Associate Prof. René Flores co-authors new research in Sociology Science

Work examines new OMB’s Race and Ethnicity Standards effects on how Americans self-identify.

Learn more about Flores's study here.

Experts weigh in on staggering responses to arrest of suspect in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO

Prof. Robert Vargas discusses attitudes towards healthcare insurers among Americans.

Learn more on NBC Chicago.