Sociologie

Sociologie, the French term for sociology, is the systematic study of society, social relations, and social institutions. It seeks to understand how social forces shape individual behavior and how collective patterns, norms, and organizations influence social life. The field covers topics such as family, education, economy, religion, politics, gender, race, urban life, and processes like socialization, deviance, inequality, and globalization.

Sociology employs a range of methods, including quantitative surveys and statistical analysis, qualitative interviews and ethnography, and comparative-historical research. Many scholars combine approaches to address complex questions. The discipline includes multiple theoretical perspectives, such as functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism, among others. In the French-speaking world, sociologie aligns with a tradition of empiricism and social theory, tracing its roots to figures like Auguste Comte, who popularized positivism, and Émile Durkheim, who developed the study of social facts, institutions, and collective norms. Karl Marx and Max Weber have been influential for analyses of economy, power, and rationalization.

Sociologie informs public policy, education, and social planning, and it continues to adapt to contemporary issues such as digital media, migration, and global inequality. Debates in the discipline often address methodological rigor, ethics, and the degree to which research should aim to influence social change.