Sociology & Society, SPE-TOD
The study of human societies is an important tool for the improvement of living conditions. It analyzes the innumerable factors that are the makeup of human behavior and that can cause social injustice, stratification, and societal disorder in the form of crime, deviance, and revolution. It helps to find the best possible solutions to issues such as economic inequality, race relations, and gender discrimination. The discipline of sociology has grown by leaps and bounds in the last century with the contribution of scholars from different schools of thought.
Sociology & Society Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Spencer, Sir Baldwin
Sir Baldwin Spencer was an English biologist and anthropologist, and the first trained and experienced scientist......
Spengler, Oswald
Oswald Spengler was a German philosopher whose reputation rests entirely on his influential study Der Untergang......
Spingarn Medal
Spingarn Medal, gold medal awarded annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)......
spiral of silence
spiral of silence, in the study of human communication and public opinion, the theory that people’s willingness......
sportswashing
sportswashing, the use of an athletic event by an individual or a government, a corporation, or another group to......
St. Lucia’s Day
St. Lucia’s Day, feast day in honor of St. Lucia (St. Lucy), one of the earliest Christian martyrs, celebrated......
St. Nicholas Day
St. Nicholas Day, feast day (December 6) of St. Nicholas, the 4th-century bishop of Myra. St. Nicholas is the patron......
St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day, holiday honoring St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. It is held annually on March 17, which......
St. Stephen’s Day
St. Stephen’s Day, the name for either of two holidays that are observed in honor of two Christian saints, both......
St. Swithin’s Day
St. Swithin’s Day, (July 15), a day on which, according to folklore, the weather for a subsequent period is dictated.......
stakeholder
stakeholder, any individual, social group, or actor who possesses an interest, a legal obligation, a moral right,......
Stamboliyski, Aleksandŭr
Aleksandŭr Stamboliyski was the leader of the Agrarian Party in Bulgaria, supporter of the Allied cause during......
Stanford Prison Experiment
The Stanford Prison Experiment was a social psychology study in which college students became prisoners or guards......
Stanford, Leland
Leland Stanford was an American senator from California and one of the builders of the first U.S. transcontinental......
Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup, trophy awarded to the winner of the world’s professional ice hockey championship, an annual play-off......
Stanner, W.E.H.
W.E.H. Stanner was an Australian anthropologist who helped found the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies......
Starr, Ellen Gates
Ellen Gates Starr was an American social reformer, a cofounder (with Jane Addams) of the Hull House social settlement......
Stauning, Thorvald
Thorvald Stauning was a Danish Social Democratic statesman who as prime minister (1924–26, 1929–42) widened the......
Staël, Germaine de
Germaine de Staël was a French-Swiss woman of letters, political propagandist, and conversationalist, who epitomized......
Stein, Jill
Jill Stein is a former practicing physician and an environmental activist who has run as the candidate of the Green......
Sternberg, Sir Sigmund
Sir Sigmund Sternberg was a Hungarian-born British philanthropist and entrepreneur who was known for his efforts......
Stevenson, Matilda Coxe
Matilda Coxe Stevenson was an American ethnologist who became one of the major contributors to her field, particularly......
Steward, Julian
Julian Steward was an American anthropologist best known as one of the leading neoevolutionists of the mid-20th......
Steyer, Tom
Tom Steyer is an American business executive and philanthropist who founded (1986) Farallon Capital Management......
Stolen Generations
Stolen Generations, the generations of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples who, as children,......
Stone Age
Stone Age, prehistoric cultural stage, or level of human development, characterized by the creation and use of......
- Introduction
- Paleolithic, Neolithic, Tools
- Neanderthals, Tools, Artifacts
- Hunter-Gatherers, Tools, Artifacts
- Neolithic, Tools, Agriculture
- Tools, Technology, Prehistory
- Tools, Art, Migration
- East Asia, SE Asia, Tools
- Mesolithic, Neolithic, Farming
- Middle East, Villages, Prehistory
- Town, City, Middle East
- Paleolithic, Neolithic, Tools
- African Tools, Artifacts, Culture
- Southern Africa, Tools, Hunter-Gatherers
- Prehistoric Americas, Tools, Artifacts
- Agriculture, Tools, Hunter-Gatherers
- Paleoindian, Clovis, Folsom
- Hopewell Culture, Mounds, Artifacts
- Oceania, Tools, Artifacts
Stop AAPI Hate
Stop AAPI Hate, nonprofit organization that works to protect the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and......
strain theory
strain theory, in sociology, proposal that pressure derived from social factors, such as lack of income or lack......
Straus family
Straus family, Jewish American immigrant family whose members prospered as owners of Macy’s department store in......
Straus, Nathan
Nathan Straus was an owner of Macy’s department store in New York City and a pioneer in public health and child......
stree-dhan
stree-dhan, in Indian society, material assets given to a woman by her parents at the time of her marriage. It......
Strong, William Duncan
William Duncan Strong was an American anthropologist who studied North and South American Indian cultures and emphasized......
structural functionalism
structural functionalism, in sociology and other social sciences, a school of thought according to which each of......
Structuralism
Structuralism, in cultural anthropology, the school of thought developed by the French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss,......
structuration theory
structuration theory, concept in sociology that offers perspectives on human behaviour based on a synthesis of......
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), American political organization that played a central role in......
Students for a Democratic Society
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), American student organization that flourished in the mid-to-late 1960s......
Sumner, William Graham
William Graham Sumner was a U.S. sociologist and economist, prolific publicist of Social Darwinism. Like the British......
sundown town
sundown town, in U.S. history, a town that excluded nonwhite people—most frequently African Americans—from remaining......
Super Bowl Sunday: An Unofficial Holiday
On Sunday, February 7, 2016, the Carolina Panthers will meet the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl to determine......
surrogate motherhood
surrogate motherhood, practice in which a woman (the surrogate mother) bears a child for a couple unable to produce......
sustainability
sustainability, the long-term viability of a community, set of social institutions, or societal practice. In general,......
Sutherland, Edwin
Edwin Sutherland was an American criminologist, best known for his development of the differential association......
Swanton, John Reed
John Reed Swanton was an American anthropologist and a foremost student of North American Indian ethnology. His......
Swedish Academy
Swedish Academy, Swedish organization devoted to the preservation and elevation of the Swedish language and its......
Swiss Federation of Protestant Churches
Swiss Federation of Protestant Churches, confederation founded in 1920 to represent the interests of the churches......
Sykes, Gresham M.
Gresham M. Sykes was an American criminologist known for his contributions to the study of delinquency and prisons.......
Symbionese Liberation Army
Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), a small group of multiracial militant revolutionaries based in California during......
Synagogue Council of America
Synagogue Council of America, a Jewish organization founded in 1926 to provide most congregationally affiliated......
Sørensen, Rasmus Møller
Rasmus Møller Sørensen was a teacher and politician who was a leading agitator for agrarian reform and for the......
Taboo
Taboo, the prohibition of an action based on the belief that such behaviour is either too sacred and consecrated......
Tajfel, Henri
Henri Tajfel was a Polish-born British social psychologist, best known for his concept of social identity, a central......
Tano
Tano, Korean holiday celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month to commemorate the start of summer and......
Tappan, Arthur
Arthur Tappan was an American philanthropist who used much of his energy and his fortune in the struggle to end......
Tarde, Gabriel
Gabriel Tarde was a French sociologist and criminologist who was one of the most versatile social scientists of......
Tata family
Tata family, family of Indian industrialists and philanthropists who founded ironworks and steelworks, cotton mills,......
Tata, Jamsetji
Jamsetji Tata was an Indian entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the Tata Group, one of India’s largest......
Tax, Sol
Sol Tax was an American cultural anthropologist who founded the journal Current Anthropology. He was also known......
tea ceremony
tea ceremony, time-honoured institution in Japan, rooted in the principles of Zen Buddhism and founded upon the......
Teach for America
Teach for America (TFA), nonprofit educational organization formed in 1990 to address underachievement in American......
TED
TED, series of conferences that promote new ideas and work in a wide variety of human endeavour. TED was founded......
Templeton Prize
Templeton Prize, award presented annually to a living person who has “made an exceptional contribution to affirming......
Testino, Mario
Mario Testino is a Peruvian fashion photographer known for his evocative portraits and vivid advertisements. Testino,......
thanatology
thanatology, the description or study of death and dying and the psychological mechanisms of dealing with them.......
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day, annual national holiday in the United States and Canada celebrating the harvest and other blessings......
Thanksgiving Day in the United States
In the United States the holiday of Thanksgiving has been an official national holiday since Pres. Abraham Lincoln,......
The 50th Anniversary of the Soweto Uprising
June 16, 2026, marks the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising (also called the Soweto Rebellion) in South Africa.......
The Bizarre Origins of the Words Nerd and Geek
Nerd and geek have similar etymologies, with neither originally having much positive association. According to......
The Darwin-Lincoln Double Bicentennial
Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin, two of the 19th century’s most enduring thinkers and figures, share more than......
The Haggis! Burns Night in Scotland
Scottish food, drink, and verse are celebrated on January 25, the anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns. Burns......
The Social Contract and Philosophy
What, if anything, justifies the authority of the state? What are the proper limits of state power? Under what......
The Way International
The Way International, Christian evangelical group founded in 1942 as Vesper Chimes, a radio ministry broadcast......
Think tank
Think tank, institute, corporation, or group organized for interdisciplinary research with the objective of providing......
Thistle, The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, the Scottish order of knighthood whose modern period dates......
Thomas, W I
W. I. Thomas was an American sociologist and social psychologist whose fields of study included cultural change......
Thompson, Sir J Eric S
Sir J. Eric S. Thompson was a leading English ethnographer of the Mayan people. Thompson devoted his life to the......
Thornton, Henry
Henry Thornton was an English economist, banker, and philanthropist who made significant contributions to monetary......
three stages, law of
law of three stages, theory of human intellectual development propounded by the French social theorist Auguste......
Thunberg, Greta
Greta Thunberg was just eight years old when she became passionate about about climate change. By the time she......
Thurnwald, Richard
Richard Thurnwald was a German anthropologist and sociologist known for his comparative studies of social institutions.......
Tiffany, Louis Comfort
Louis Comfort Tiffany was an American painter, craftsman, philanthropist, decorator, and designer, internationally......
Tina Brown on Princess Di
Tina Brown, one of the most prominent magazine editors of her time, wrote The Diana Chronicles in 2007. Brown knew......
Toda
Toda, pastoral tribe of the Nīlgiri Hills of southern India. Numbering only about 800 in the early 1960s, they......
Today in History—April 16: A Landmark Win for Hip-Hop
“Sit down. Be humble.” On this day in 2018 Kendrick Lamar did neither: He made history by becoming the first artist......
Today in History—April 18: How Grace Kelly Became a Princess
A little more than a year after winning an Academy Award, an American actress stepped into a different role: that......
Today in History—August 24: A Buried City Keeps Surprising Us
We still have questions about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius that doomed Pompeii—even though the study of its site......
Today in History—December 18: Piltdown Man: The Missing Link That Wasn’t
At a meeting of the Geological Society of London on this day in 1912, respected paleontologist Arthur Smith Woodward......
Today in History—July 8: A Local Newspaper Kicks Off Roswell’s UFO Mania
On July 7, 1947, soldiers at the Roswell Army Air Field (RAAF) in New Mexico recovered the remains of a flying......
Today in History—June 18: The First American Woman in Space
STS-7, which launched on this day in 1983, was one of the first operational space shuttle flights. On paper, it......
Today in History—June 19: The Origin Story of Juneteenth
On this day in 1865, freedom finally arrived in Texas. Union soldiers stood before residents of Galveston and announced......
Today in History—June 25: A Symbol of Pride Is Born
In 1978 preparations for the 7th annual Gay Freedom Day parade in San Francisco were charged with a special sense......
Today in History—March 17: When Russia’s Masterpieces Came to America
On this day in 1941, U.S. Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt gave a dedication speech to some 6,000 guests in the rotunda......
Today in History—May 10: Victoria Woodhull becomes the first woman nominated for U.S. president
Clairvoyant. Medium. Stage actress. Free love activist. Suffragist. Communist. Capitalist. Stock broker. Newspaper......
Today in History—May 17: Day 1: Brown v. Board of Education
In a unanimous ruling on this day in 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down racial segregation in public schools,......
Today in History—May 18: Day 2: Plessy v. Ferguson
On this day in 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that would endure until a day in May 1954. In a 7–1......
Today in History—May 19: Marilyn Monroe Sings “Happy Birthday, Mr. President”
At an event doubling as a Democratic fundraiser and birthday gala for Pres. John F. Kennedy in New York City’s......
Today in History—May 25: Oscar Wilde Goes to Prison
If Oscar Wilde were alive today, he’d probably smirk at any talk of coming out of the closet. Why? Because in his......
Today in History—May 5: The Battlefield Tale of Cinco de Mayo
In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has—unfairly—been reduced to an excuse to drink tequila and eat guac. It’s......
Today in History—October 3: President Lincoln Proclaims a Day of Thanksgiving
On this day in 1863, U.S. Pres. Abraham Lincoln heeded a request from a letter and proclaimed a day of “Thanksgiving......
Today in History—September 16: A Cry for Independence for Mexico
Before dawn on September 16, 1810, a church bell rang in the small town of Dolores, Mexico. The man behind it was......