Sociology/ Anthropology Department

Sociology and Anthropology Learning Goals

Our Department aims to help students at Hendrix achieve the following learning goals:  

  1. Foster in students a “sociological (and anthropological) imagination,” the ability to think creatively and meaningfully link individual biographical events to larger social patterns in society; to see the connection between “personal troubles” and “public issues” (Mills 1959).
  2. Encourage general “sociological and anthropological literacy,” the ability to perceive and systematically analyze social structures (stable, persistent patterns of interaction) in society, from small-scale micro-level symbolic interactions to large-scale global social arrangements.
  3. Impart an intellectually rigorous theoretical core that constitutes the substance of the field of sociology and anthropology by teaching students how to use the wide variety of classical and contemporary sociological/anthropological theories to interpret social reality.
  4. Foster methodological sophistication through an acquaintance with the research methods of sociology/anthropology and their appropriate uses, and independent research skills, including qualitative and quantitative approaches.
  5. Teach students about the ethical implications of their knowledge.
  6. Cultivate a sensitivity to issues of social stratification and social justice.
  7. Encourage students to synthesize their knowledge as they progress through sequential learning experiences and a capstone course.
  8. Foster the responsible use of acquired sociological/anthropological knowledge through an active sense of citizenship/community participation locally, nationally, and globally.
  9. Improve students’ communication skills through writing and presentations that communicate their knowledge and skills.
  10. Nurture students’ intellectual curiosity and interdisciplinary interests consistent with a “liberating” liberal arts education.
  11. Link students to the world beyond Hendrix College through information about such things as internships, career choices, fellowships, graduate schools, service opportunities, cross-cultural experiences, and other opportunities.
  12. Reach “unto the whole person” by engaging students and faculty in a lifelong sociologically/anthropologically informed search for meaning that is intellectually, ethically, and aesthetically rewarding.