140 Sociology Essay Topics

Students majoring in or taking sociology courses will have to write more than a few essays on the subject to pass their classes and earn a degree. Sociology is a fascinating subject about the study of human social behavior, including its origins, development, and structure. It covers a wide range of topics such as family relations, religion, education, crime, and race relations.

But while it’s easy to define what sociology is, writing an essay on the subject can be quite challenging for some students. If you’re one of them, then don’t worry! This guide will teach you everything you need to know about writing an excellent sociology essay and provide you with 140 sociology essay topics to get those creative juices flowing.

Types of Sociology Essays

Essays and papers written about sociology can vary in their purpose. In some cases, you may need to inform or explain something to your reader, while in others, you may need to argue a particular point. The type of essay you’re being asked to write will usually be made clear in the assignment prompt, but if it’s not, be sure to ask your instructor what is expected of you. Here are some of the most common types of sociology essays you may encounter:

Descriptive Essays for Sociology

A descriptive essay asks the writer to describe something, whether it be a person, place, thing, or experience. In this type of essay, it’s essential to be clear and concise in your description and use sensory details (i.e., sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste) to help your reader experience what you’re describing.

Descriptive sociology essays typically focus on providing an overview of a particular subject or phenomenon, such as the rise of social media or the effects of poverty. In these essays, you’ll need to focus on providing details and facts rather than offering your own opinion.

Argumentative Essays for Sociology

An argumentative essay is one in which the writer takes a position on a particular issue and tries to convince the reader to agree with their point of view. To do this, you’ll need to use evidence and strong reasoning to support your claims.

For argumentative sociology essays, you’ll need to develop a debatable thesis statement and support it with evidence from research, personal experience, or both. Suitable topics for an argumentative sociology essay could include the impact of technology on society or whether single-parent households are detrimental to children’s development.

Narrative Essays for Sociology

A narrative essay tells a story, usually from the writer’s perspective. In sociology, narrative essays can be used to discuss personal experiences, such as coming of age or overcoming adversity.

When writing a narrative sociology essay, you’ll want to focus on using vivid language to describe the events you’re recounting and how they made you feel. It’s also important to make sure the story flows logically and that there is a clear purpose or moral to the tale.

Comparative Essays for Sociology

A comparative essay asks the writer to compare and contrast two or more things, usually people, places, ideas, or experiences. For sociology, this could involve comparing different cultures, social groups, or even historical periods.

In a comparative sociology essay, it’s important to identify the similarities and differences between the subjects you’re discussing and analyze why these comparisons exist. What factors have led to the similarities? Are the differences due to chance, or are they the result of deliberate choices?

The Dos and Don’ts of Sociology Essay Writing

When writing any type of sociology paper, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind in order to produce the best work possible.

Do your research.

When writing a sociology essay, you must have credible sources to back up your claims. Be sure to consult scholarly journals, books, and reputable websites to get the information you need.

Don’t plagiarize.

Plagiarism is a serious academic offense resulting in failing grades or even expulsion from school. If you use someone else’s words or ideas, be sure to give them credit with an in-text citation.

Do proofread and edit your work.

Typos and grammatical errors can make your essay hard to read and understand. Therefore, be sure to proofread your work carefully before submitting it.

Don’t procrastinate.

Sociology essays usually have a lot of work involved in the writing process, so it’s crucial that you start working on it as soon as possible. By planning ahead and giving yourself plenty of time to write, you can avoid the last-minute rush and turn in a well-written paper.

Do start with an outline.

An outline can help you organize your thoughts and logically structure your essay. By having a clear plan of action, you’ll be able to write a coherent and well-organized paper.

Don’t forget to cite your sources.

As mentioned before, sociology essays require research and therefore need to be properly cited. Be sure to include in-text citations and a list of references for all the sources you used.

140 Sociology Essay Topics

The following topics were chosen by sociology experts for their ability to provoke thought about important topics in the field of sociology. Feel free to use them as-is or expand on the topic to make it more suitable for your needs.

Sociology Essay Topics About Human Behavior

  1. How does social media affect human behavior?
  2. How do our relationships change as we age?
  3. Is there a link between mental illness and crime?
  4. How does poverty affect human behavior?
  5. What motivates people to engage in criminal activity?
  6. How does peer pressure influence human behavior?
  7. How does religion affect human behavior?
  8. What factors contribute to a person’s self-identity?
  9. How does our culture shape our behavior?
  10. How do social norms influence human behavior?

Sociology Essay Topics About Social Institutions

  1. How does the family influence child development?
  2. What is the role of education in society?
  3. How does the government influence our behavior?
  4. What is the purpose of religion in society?
  5. How do social institutions shape our identities?
  6. Will current social institutions hold relevance in future society?
  7. What would happen if one social institution disappeared?
  8. How do social institutions work together?
  9. What challenges do social institutions face in our changing world?
  10. Are social institutions necessary for society to function correctly?

Sociology Essay Topics About Social Inequality

  1. How does racism affect social inequality?
  2. How does sexism affect social inequality?
  3. How does social class affect social inequality?
  4. How does ageism affect social inequality?
  5. What are the causes of social inequality?
  6. What are the effects of social inequality?
  7. Can social inequality be eliminated?
  8. What is the relationship between social inequality and crime?
  9. How does social inequality affect health and wellbeing?
  10. What policies can help reduce social inequality?

Sociology Essay Topics About Social Change

  1. What are the causes of social change?
  2. What are the effects of social change?
  3. Is social change always positive?
  4. How does social change happen?
  5. What is the relationship between social change and technology?
  6. What is the relationship between social change and the economy?
  7. What policies can help promote social change?
  8. How does social change impact our everyday lives?
  9. Will society always experience social change?
  10. Is there a limit to social change?

Sociology Essay Topics About Culture

  1. What is the relationship between culture and society?
  2. How does culture shape our identities?
  3. What is the role of culture in socialization?
  4. How does culture impact our behavior?
  5. What are the functions of culture in society?
  6. How do subcultures form?
  7. What are the effects of multiculturalism?
  8. How does globalization impact culture?
  9. Are there universal aspects of culture?
  10. What is the relationship between culture and power?

Sociology Essay Topics About Population and Demographics

  1. How does population size impact society?
  2. How does population density impact society?
  3. How do demographics affect social inequality?
  4. What is the relationship between population growth and economic development?
  5. What are the causes of population growth?
  6. What are the effects of population growth?
  7. Can population growth be controlled?
  8. What is the relationship between population and the environment?
  9. What policies can help manage population growth?
  10. What challenges does society face with an aging population?

Sociology Essay Topics About Social Stratification

  1. How does social stratification impact society?
  2. How does social stratification affect social mobility?
  3. What is the relationship between social stratification and social inequality?
  4. How does social stratification impact economic development?
  5. What are the causes of social stratification?
  6. What are the effects of social stratification?
  7. Can social stratification be eliminated?
  8. What policies can help reduce social stratification?
  9. How does social stratification impact our everyday lives?
  10. Is social stratification necessary for society to function properly?

Sociology Essay Topics About Gender

  1. How does gender affect socialization?
  2. How does gender impact our behavior?
  3. What are the functions of gender in society?
  4. How do genders form?
  5. What are the effects of gender inequality?
  6. How does globalization impact gender roles?
  7. Are there universal aspects of gender?
  8. What is the relationship between gender and power?
  9. How does gender affect our health and wellbeing?
  10. What policies can help promote gender equality?

Sociology Essay Topics About Family

  1. How has the family changed over time?
  2. What is the role of the family in society?
  3. How does the family impact our behavior?
  4. What are the drawbacks to the idea of an elementary family?
  5. How do families form?
  6. What are the effects of family violence?
  7. How does divorce impact families?
  8. What are the effects of single parenting?
  9. What policies can help families?
  10. How does the family impact our health and wellbeing?

Sociology Essay Topics About Education

  1. How does education impact society?
  2. How does education affect social mobility?
  3. What is the relationship between education and social inequality?
  4. How does education impact economic development?
  5. What are the causes of educational inequality?
  6. What are the effects of education on society?
  7. Can education be used to reduce social stratification?
  8. What policies can help promote educational equity?
  9. How does education impact our everyday lives?
  10. Is education necessary for society to function correctly?

Sociology Essay Topics About Religion

  1. How does religion impact society?
  2. How does religion affect socialization?
  3. What is the relationship between religion and culture?
  4. How does religion affect our behavior?
  5. What are the functions of religion in society?
  6. How do religious beliefs form?
  7. What are the effects of religious intolerance?
  8. How does religion impact our health and wellbeing?
  9. What policies can help promote religious tolerance?
  10. Is religion necessary for society to function properly?

Sociology Essay Topics About Cultural Appropriation

  1. What is cultural appropriation?
  2. What are the effects of cultural appropriation?
  3. Is cultural appropriation always wrong?
  4. How can we avoid cultural appropriation?
  5. What are some examples of cultural appropriation?
  6. What is the difference between cultural exchange and cultural appropriation?
  7. How does globalization impact cultural appropriation?
  8. What policies can help reduce cultural appropriation?
  9. How does cultural appropriation impact our everyday lives?
  10. Is cultural appropriation necessary for society to become more inclusive?

Sociology Topics About Extreme Polarization

  1. What drives moderates to become extremists?
  2. What are the most extreme forms of political polarization?
  3. What are the effects of political extremism?
  4. What policies can help reduce extremism?
  5. How does extremism impact our everyday lives?
  6. Is extremism necessary for society to function properly?
  7. How can we bridge the divide between extremists and moderates?
  8. What is the relationship between extremism and democracy?
  9. What is the difference between radicalization and extremism?
  10. How can we de-radicalize extremists?
  11. What are the best methods for countering extremists?

Sociology Essay Topics About Feminism

  1. What is feminism?
  2. What are the goals of feminism?
  3. What are the different types of feminism?
  4. What is the history of feminism?
  5. How has feminism changed over time?
  6. What are the major criticisms of feminism?
  7. How does patriarchy impact society?
  8. How can we overcome sexism and misogyny?
  9. Is feminism necessary for society to function properly?

Remember that the key to writing a good sociology essay is to choose a topic you are interested in and have a passion for. Then, once you have found a topic that you feel strongly about, make sure to do your research and develop a well-rounded argument that can be supported by evidence.

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