Sociologists investigate power and gender relations, class and social inequality, the welfare state, social problems, sustainable development, etc. Various methods are used to study this, such as surveys, interviews, and participant observation. Sociology is a critical and reflective science that often provides new insights into phenomena that were previously taken for granted.

The sociology department at Södertörn University is a vibrant and creative environment for education and research. Important research areas include:

• political sociology (social movements, organisations, civil society)
• social stratification (class, gender, race/ethnicity)
• sociological criminology (surveillance, violence)
• sociology of organisation and working life
• urban sociology
• sociology of education
• sociology of migration
• sociology of social welfare and social policy

Doctoral education

Doctoral education covers four years of full-time study and concludes with a doctoral degree. It includes courses worth 75 credits and a thesis worth 165 credits, where the doctoral student conducts an individual research project.

Doctoral education in Sociology at the university is offered in collaboration with the Baltic and East European Graduate School (BEEGS) and as part of the research area of Politics, Economy and the Organisation of Society (PESO). The research area of Politics, Economy and the Organisation of Society is a cooperation between the subjects of Sociology, Political Science and Business Studies, and four courses are jointly studied by doctoral students in these disciplines.