"The fascination of Sociology lies in the fact that its perspective makes us see in a new light the very world in which we have lived all our lives."
- Peter L. Berger, Invitation to Sociology

What is Sociology?
The Department of Sociology at the University of Manitoba, Canada, introduces the concept of sociology as follows:

"When the discipline of sociology was first introduced in the 19th century it promised to reveal solutions to a wide variety of social problems through scientific investigation, and thereby provide guidelines for the creation of an ideal social order. This concern with the problematic aspects of social life, including poverty, crime, ethnic and racial conflict, war, deviance, and suicide, still remains a focus of much sociological theory and research, but the discipline now defines itself more broadly as the study of social behaviour in all its forms.

Contemporary sociology examines the patterns of interaction among individuals and the various forms of group activity that emerge from such interaction, ranging from the seemingly chaotic behaviour of rioting mobs to the highly regimented activities of military units. A basic premise in this examination is that these various forms of social behaviour, and indeed society itself, cannot be fully understood simply by studying the individuals involved. Very few individuals, for example, want war, yet we regularly have wars. Whether individuals cooperate, compete, or fight with one another is in large measure determined by forces external to themselves, by social forces and conditions that facilitate, constrain, and shape their behaviour.

Sociological investigation seeks to expose these social influences and conditions in order that we might better understand why it is that people behave the way they do in various situations, and to explore the behavioural effects that changes in existing social arrangements might have. In practical terms this may involve analyzing government policies, canvassing public opinion, assessing the quality of life, forecasting social trends, recommending alternative policies, and helping the disadvantaged. To assist them in these endeavours sociologists employ various data gathering techniques including social surveys, analysis of census data, examination of historical documents, and direct or indirect observation of others' behaviour.

Through the use of such investigative techniques, sociologists frequently discover that what we think is so, is really not so at all. Many people, for example, believe that large bureaucratic organizations are less efficient than small, more personal organizations. Many others believe that people who live in large cities have greater difficulty making close friends and establishing warm relationships than people who live in small towns or rural areas. Yet research by sociologists has revealed that neither of these widely-held beliefs is true. Many similar examples could be cited."

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