Sociology and anthropology
Whether engaging in a sociological or anthropological path, our respective curricula
in The University of Toledo Department of Sociology and Anthropology champion the
exploration of multiple perspectives, numerous forms of evidence, and a concrete set
of methodological practices that foster a distinct comprehension of human societies
and cultures.
We offer undergraduate and graduate-level degrees in both sociology and anthropology. A Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Africana Studies is available as an interdisciplinary degree.
Sociology and Anthropology - How are they different and similar?
Sociology is the study of societies and all that happens within them. We are particularly interested in the institutions people create and the relationships they forge with each other. In our rapidly changing world, those institutions and relationships can maintain stability and continuity in communities – but also injustice and inequality. In other words, we study people; and we try to understand how all of us are changing with our times. We hope that a better understanding of how humans interact with each other will lead to more just and tolerant societies.
Anthropology is the study of what it means to be human in the past and present. Among the most diversified fields in the social sciences it is part history, part natural science, part literature, and part humanities. Thriving on this heterogeneity, anthropological training provides a multifaceted way to engage and understand our ever-interconnecting world[s]. Through intensive study of both past and present human cultures, students develop skill sets that both aid in the preservation of our cultural past and maintenance of the lived cultural present, and offer guidance as we move ahead toward a mutual future
Recognizing Where we Live and Work
The University of Toledo acknowledges that the region of Ohio in which the University sits on the ancestral homelands of the Odawa, Seneca and Erie as well as places of trade of Indigenous peoples, including the Anishinaabe (Ojibwa, Pottawatomi), Eel River, Lenape, Kaskaskia, Kickapoo, Miami, Munsee, Peoria, Piankashaw, Shawnee, Wea and Wyandot. As a steward of public lands, it is our responsibility to understand the history of the land, the peoples who came before us, and their continuing ties to this place. We thank them for their strength and resilience in protecting this land, and aspire to uphold our responsibilities according to their example.
- The Faculty and Staff of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology