Sociology encourages the critical analysis of people's participation in social processes and focuses attention on the dynamics of power, inequality, social divisions, and personal and cultural identity. There is an emphasis on the way in which these dynamics and social structures change over time.

The subject matter of sociology traverses a broad range of topics including class, gender, and ethnicity; health, education and welfare; the media; politics; environmental issues; religion; social movements work; sport and leisure; and social policy.