{"id":593,"date":"2026-04-30T13:49:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T13:49:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/?page_id=593"},"modified":"2026-10-14T17:02:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T17:02:10","slug":"160-our-lab-the-world","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/","title":{"rendered":"Our lab? The world."},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"introduction block-container\" >\n    <div class=\"introduction__content\">\n    \t        \t<p class=\"introduction__copy\">Sociology helps you look beneath the surface: at the forces shaping migration, opportunity, identity, and political participation. At Macalester, you\u2019ll learn to spot patterns others miss and think creatively about building a more just world.\u00a0<\/p>\n    \t    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<section   class=\"callout-resource block-container callout-resource--inner\">\n    <div class=\"callout-resource__inner\">\n        <div class=\"callout-resource__lockup-column\">\n            <div class=\"callout-resource__lockup\">\n                <div class=\"base-lockup\">\n\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t        <h2 class=\"base-lockup__heading\">Big Questions and Evidence-Based Answers<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t        <p class=\"base-lockup__copy\">Sociology uses diverse forms of evidence to understand the larger stories of the world. You\u2019ll learn to use quantitative, qualitative, and comparative research methods to explore questions such as: Why do some neighborhoods thrive while others struggle? How does social class shape opportunity? Who has power\u2014and how does it work?<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"callout-resource__content-column\">\n            <ul class=\"callout-resource__links-container\">\n                                    <li class=\"callout-resource__link\">\n                        <a class=\"base-cta-featured\" href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/facultystaff\/\" target=\"_self\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t    Meet Our Faculty and Staff\n\t\t\t\t\t\t    <svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"base-symbol base-cta-featured__arrow\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    <use xlink:href=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/macalester-2020\/dist\/svgs\/symbol-arrow.svg#icon\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                                    <li class=\"callout-resource__link\">\n                        <a class=\"base-cta-featured\" href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/majorsminors\/\" target=\"_self\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t    Sociology Major and Minor Requirements\n\t\t\t\t\t\t    <svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"base-symbol base-cta-featured__arrow\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    <use xlink:href=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/macalester-2020\/dist\/svgs\/symbol-arrow.svg#icon\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                                    <li class=\"callout-resource__link\">\n                        <a class=\"base-cta-featured\" href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/courses\/\" target=\"_self\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t    Explore Sociology Courses\n\t\t\t\t\t\t    <svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"base-symbol base-cta-featured__arrow\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    <use xlink:href=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/macalester-2020\/dist\/svgs\/symbol-arrow.svg#icon\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"context-image block-container context-image--left\" >\n    <div class=\"context-image__inner\">\n        <div class=\"context-image__image-column\">\n            <div class=\"context-image__image-wrapper\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"context-image__texture\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/macalester-2020\/dist\/images\/texture-context-image.png\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A group of Macalester students sit together on a Metro Transit bus, chatting and smiling.\" class=\"context-image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/545\/2026\/05\/metro.jpg\">\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"context-image__text-column\">\n            <div class=\"base-lockup\">\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t        <h2 class=\"base-lockup__heading\">Research that Matters<\/h2>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t        <p class=\"base-lockup__copy\">Research here goes beyond the classroom. Students have surveyed peers about political participation, analyzed transit systems for the Metropolitan Council, and partnered with organizations across the Twin Cities.\u00a0You might design your own project with a faculty mentor\u2014even spending a summer conducting paid research through the Mahnaz Kousha Student Research Fund.<\/p>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"context-image block-container context-image--right\" >\n    <div class=\"context-image__inner\">\n        <div class=\"context-image__image-column\">\n            <div class=\"context-image__image-wrapper\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"context-image__texture\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/macalester-2020\/dist\/images\/texture-context-image.png\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A line of students carry flags of the world across campus.\" class=\"context-image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/545\/2026\/05\/5.14.22_graduation_04-scaled.jpg\">\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"context-image__text-column\">\n            <div class=\"base-lockup\">\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t        <h2 class=\"base-lockup__heading\">Study Away, and Take Sociology with You<\/h2>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t        <p class=\"base-lockup__copy\">Study away fits into the sociology major. Some students turn their experience into capstone research. Others go to explore and return with new perspectives, new goals, or even a job lead.<\/p>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"context-image block-container context-image--left\" >\n    <div class=\"context-image__inner\">\n        <div class=\"context-image__image-column\">\n            <div class=\"context-image__image-wrapper\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"context-image__texture\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/macalester-2020\/dist\/images\/texture-context-image.png\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Professor Erika Busse-Cardenas and sociology students gather around a kitchen table with homemade empanadas.\" class=\"context-image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/545\/2026\/05\/MacDaily_cropped.png\">\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"context-image__text-column\">\n            <div class=\"base-lockup\">\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t        <h2 class=\"base-lockup__heading\">A Welcoming Community<\/h2>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t        <p class=\"base-lockup__copy\">Community starts at a large wooden table in the department. On Pickle Fridays, students and faculty gather for snacks and conversation. Most days, you\u2019ll find classmates studying, catching up, or talking sociology.\u00a0\r\n<br><br>\r\nWe show up for each other\u2014at senior research presentations, at our annual holiday party, and in the everyday moments between classes. You\u2019ll do independent, challenging work here, but you\u2019ll never do it alone.<\/p>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"callout-quote block-container\" >\n    <div class=\"callout-quote__inner\">\n        <div class=\"callout-quote__container\">\n            <div class=\"callout-quote__image-column\">\n                <div class=\"callout-quote__image-wrapper callout-quote__image-wrapper--landscape\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\"\n                        src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/545\/2026\/04\/Cris-Ramon-scaled.jpg\"\n                        alt=\"Cristobal Ram\u00f3n \u201906\"\n                        class=\"callout-quote__image\"\n                    >\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"callout-quote__image-wrapper callout-quote__image-wrapper--portrait\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\"\n                        src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/545\/2026\/04\/Cris-Ramon-scaled.jpg\"\n                        alt=\"Cristobal Ram\u00f3n \u201906\"\n                        class=\"callout-quote__image\"\n                    >\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"callout-quote__text-column\">\n                <blockquote class=\"callout-quote__quote\">You need a lot of persistence [in this sector], but one of the things I learned at Mac is I was meant to do this work, and this is the way I can make the world better.<\/blockquote>\n                <cite class=\"callout-quote__name\">Cristobal Ram\u00f3n \u201906<\/cite>\n                                \t<cite class=\"callout-quote__title\">Senior advisor on immigration for UnidosUS, sociology major<\/cite>\n                                \t                <div class=\"callout-quote__cta\">\n\t                    <a class=\"base-cta-secondary\" href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/news\/2024\/08\/beyond-the-border\/\" target=\"_self\">Read Cris&#8217;s story<\/a>\n\t                <\/div>\n                                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"callout-quote__ornament\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/macalester-2020\/dist\/svgs\/texture-quote.svg\">\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"statistic-group block-container\" >\n\t<div class=\"statistic-group__container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__header-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__header-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"base-lockup__heading\">Sociology in the cities<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__stats\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__stat\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__stat-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Icon of a capitol building\" class=\"statistic-group__stat-icon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/545\/2026\/06\/Sociology-capitol.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"statistic-group__stat-copy\">Explore policy issues at the state legislature 5 miles from campus<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__stat\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__stat-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"statistic-group__stat-heading\">70+<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"statistic-group__stat-copy\">Regional and national awards for research developed in our sociology courses<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__stat\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__stat-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Icon of two hands shaking\" class=\"statistic-group__stat-icon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/545\/2026\/06\/Sociology-handshake.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"statistic-group__stat-copy\">Courses often partner with local organizations, such as the International Institute of Minnesota and COPAL<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A major that keeps doors open<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Our graduates become lawyers, doctors, teachers, policy analysts, nonprofit leaders, and researchers. Some pursue PhDs. Others protect civil rights, shape public policy, or work directly with communities to solve urgent problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Job markets change (as do individual careers). A sociology degree prepares you to be ready for the future. It gives you tools to analyze systems, understand people, and adapt for developments and disruptions.<\/p>\n\n\n<section class=\"callout-featured-media block-container\"\n >\n    <div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"callout-featured-media__accent callout-featured-media__accent--cyan\"><\/div>\n    <div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"callout-featured-media__accent callout-featured-media__accent--red\"><\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"callout-featured-media__lockup-row\">\n        <div class=\"callout-featured-media__lockup-column\">\n                    <div class=\"callout-featured-media__lockup\">\n                                                    <h2 class=\"callout-featured-media__lockup-heading\">Are You a Future Sociology Major at Macalester?<\/h2>\n                                                    <p class=\"callout-featured-media__lockup-copy\">If you\u2019re considering Mac, let us know. We\u2019ll keep you up to date on application deadlines and visit opportunities.<\/p>\n                                                    <ul class=\"callout-featured-media__lockup-cta\">\n                                                    <li class=\"callout-featured-media__cta-item\">\n                                <a class=\"base-cta-primary\" href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/admissions\/request-information\/\" target=\"_self\">Introduce Yourself<\/a>\n                            <\/li>\n                                                                    <\/ul>\n                            <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n            <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Exterior of Carnegie Hall\" class=\"base-background-media base-background-media--image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/545\/2026\/05\/20201104KSP221362_compressed-scaled-960x0-c-default.jpg\" srcset=\"        https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/545\/2026\/05\/20201104KSP221362_compressed-scaled-720x0-c-default.jpg     480w,         https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/545\/2026\/05\/20201104KSP221362_compressed-scaled-960x0-c-default.jpg     720w,         https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/545\/2026\/05\/20201104KSP221362_compressed-scaled-1280x0-c-default.jpg    960w,         https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/545\/2026\/05\/20201104KSP221362_compressed-scaled-1440x0-c-default.jpg    1280w,         https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/545\/2026\/05\/20201104KSP221362_compressed-scaled-1920x0-c-default.jpg    1440w            \">\n    \n    \n        <span class=\"base-background-media__overlay\"><\/span>\n    \n        <div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"callout-featured-media__accent callout-featured-media__accent--yellow-long\"><\/div>\n    <div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"callout-featured-media__accent callout-featured-media__accent--yellow-short\"><\/div>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A major that keeps doors open Our graduates become lawyers, doctors, teachers, policy analysts, nonprofit leaders, and researchers. Some pursue PhDs. Others protect civil rights, shape public policy, or work directly with communities to solve urgent problems. Job markets change (as do individual careers). A sociology degree prepares you to be ready for the future. [&hellip;]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":881,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template_2020_level_2.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-593","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/593","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/881"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=593"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/593\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":759,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/593\/revisions\/759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/sociology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}