Sociology of Education
Sociology of education examines the structure, practices, content, and outcomes of schooling primarily in light of their relationships to broader social contexts. It seeks by analyzing the connections across different levels of social organization (e.g. national, community, family, school, classroom) to understand the ways in which schools reproduce, challenge, and possibly transform prevailing social, economic, and political relationships. It addresses questions of social structure and culture, but also investigates how individuals alone and together negotiate their social contexts. Sociology of education encompasses a variety of theoretical perspectives and research methodologies. Doctoral students electing a Concentration in Sociology of Education will follow a plan of study intended to give them a good grasp of relevant theory, controversies, major empirical findings and past and present interpretations of social processes in education. Students will learn how to pose fruitful research questions and will be expected to develop proficiency in research methodologies relevant to the cluster of questions they choose to emphasize. They will be expected, as well, to develop the competence to be sophisticated consumers of the full range of methodologies used in the sociology of education.
Contact:
Professor
Stacey J. Lee
1000 Bascom Mall
Department of Educational Policy Studies
University of Wisconsin-Madison
(608) 262-6846
slee@education.wisc.edu
or
Assistant Professor Sara Goldrick-Rab
1000 Bascom Mall
Department of Educational Policy Studies
University of Wisconsin-Madison
(608) 265-2141
srab@education.wisc.edu
Degree Concentrations
Doctoral Concentration in
Anthropology of Education
Doctoral Concentration
in Comparative and International Education
Doctoral Concentration in History
of Education
Doctoral Concentration in Philosophy
of Education
Doctoral Concentration in Public
Policy and Education
Doctoral Concentration in Sociology
of Education
LINKS:
Institute for
Research on Poverty
La Follette
School of Public Affairs
Department of
Sociology
