The Sociology of Development Program

What is Sociology of Development?

The department’s sociology of development area focuses on historical and contemporary processes of social change across the globe, with particular attention to dynamic interactions among the economy, political institutions, social systems, and the environment. Faculty in this area use a variety of methods and data to conduct research on all world regions, as well as comparative cross-national studies.

Specific foci of research among faculty include:

• Poverty, inequality, and redistribution
• Social movements and protest
• Migration
• Gender, ethnicity, and culture 
• Ecology and human-environment interaction
• Racial capitalism
• Development, democracy, and human rights