Welcome!

Sociology, in the words of C. Wright Mills, is the search for "public issues" that underlie "private troubles". Anthropology is the study of how culture influences every aspect of human life and society.  Though Sociology and Anthropology are two distinct fields of research, they are brought together under one major at St. Olaf College.   

While Sociology and Anthropology focus on different aspects, both examine the human condition, as both examine the way society influences people's lives.  Combining Sociology and Anthropology in one major allows students a unique opportunity to explore the world around us and draw insight from both disciplines.  Through courses that combine sociological and anthropological thinking, students will examine topics such as social movements, health and healing, religion, family, and social justice.

From the Chair, Chris Chiappari

Welcome to the homepage for the Department of Sociology and Anthropology!  This is a good place to browse if you want to meet our faculty, see what we teach, learn about our major, and find further information about the fields of anthropology and  sociology.  (read more)

Thank you for your visit to our homepage.  Happy browsing!  Please contact me or our Administrative Assistant, Sue Newland, if you have questions we can answer.   

-Chris