175 Sociology Research Topics For an Outstanding Paper

Sociology is the study of human social life, social groups, and social institutions. The subfields of sociology include anthropology, economics, and political science. Sociology is a diverse field of study concerned with how societies function and how people interact within their society. Many sociological research topics will allow you to explore the different aspects of sociology.

A research paper is one of the essential assignments in any college course. Writing a research paper requires a lot of time, effort, and dedication from students. To get an A+ grade for your sociology paper, you must choose an interesting topic that can be effectively researched.

The following list of sociology research topics will help you find good research topics and essay topics ideas that are interesting, relevant, and important.

Sociology Research Paper Topics on Family

1. The relationship between a father and son
2. The role of religion in the lives of modern families
3. How do families cope with natural disasters?
4. Why do some families choose to live together while others split up?
5. How does the role of the family change over time?
6. Why do some families choose to live together while others split up?
7. What are the effects of divorce on children and parents?
8. How do families cope with natural disasters?
9. What is the relationship between a father and son?

Sociology Research Topics on Human Rights

1. The Impact of Social Media on Human Rights
2. The Rise in Sexual Harassment and How The Government has tackled it
3. The Effect that Mass Migration Has on Human Rights in Developed Countries
4. What is the Role of NGOs in Protecting Human Rights?
5. The Impact of Mass Migration on Human Rights in Developed Countries

Sociology Research Topics on Social Media

1. How has social media affected the way we interact with each other?
2. What is the best way to use social media to create meaningful relationships and friendships?
3. How has social media changed our lives in terms of politics, economic and cultural forces?
4. What are some of the negative effects of the increase in social networking technologies, such as smartphones?
5. How do you think social media use has changed over time?
6. How do you think social media will change in the future?
7. What are some positive effects of increased social networking technologies, like smartphones?

Sociology Research Topics on Interpersonal Communication

1. Interpersonal Communication in Social Networks
2. The Role of Interpersonal Communication in Organizational Settings
3. Gender Differences in Interpersonal Communication Skills
4. Culture and Interracial Communication Barriers
5. Nonverbal Communication and Personal Relationships
6. Interpersonal Communication in Different Age Groups
7. The Role of Technology in Interpersonal Communication
8. Communication and Social Media
9. Gender Differences in Interpersonal Communication Skills
10. Nonverbal Communication and Personal Relationships
11. The Effect of Stress on Intimate Relationships
12. Exposure to Violence as a Risk Factor for Poor Interpersonal Communications Skills

Sociology Research Topics on Stereotypes

1. The effects of racial stereotypes on society
2. Gender stereotypes and how they affect the lives of women
3. How stereotypes affect public perception of minorities, such as black people or Asians
4. The impact of media portrayal of minorities on stereotypes and prejudice in real life
5. How stereotypes affect our perception of crime committed by members of a particular race or gender
6. How stereotypes influence our decisions regarding education, employment, etc
7. Impact of stereotyping on various social issues such as marriage, and family planning, among others
8. The impact of stereotyping on self-esteem and how it affects the lives of people in general
9. How stereotypes affect our perception of education and its effectiveness
10. How stereotypes affect our perception of crime committed by members of a particular race or gender

Sociology Research Topics on Gender

1. The Gender Gap in Employment Inequality
2. Gender Studies and Social Science Research
3. Gender as a Source of Stability and Change in the Family
4. The Role of Women in the Economy and Society
5. Gender and Migration Gender and Education Gender, Sexuality and Religion
6. The Role of Women in Development
7. Gender and Development
8. Gender, Health, and Men’s Roles in Prevention
9. Gender and Law
10. Sexual Violence Against Women

Sociology Research Topics on Youth Culture

1. The opinions of teens towards the use of social media and its impact on their lives
2. Peer pressure in the teenage age group
3. How does the increased use of technology affect young people?
4. The role played by parents in shaping their children’s values and behaviors.
5. The role of peers in the development of teenagers
6. The influence of social media on the lives of teenagers

Research Topics in Educational Sociology

1. The relationship between education and class status
2. The spread of education across generations
3. How feminization has changed the teaching profession over time
4. The effects of education on social mobility
5. How gender interacts with class and race to affect educational opportunities
6. The relationship between education and social mobility

Sociology Research Topics on Social Movements

1. The impact of social media on protests
2. Why do people join cults?
3. How does race affect access to jobs?
4. What are the effects of gentrification on communities?
5. What are the causes of homelessness?
6. How does gender affect access to jobs?
7. Why do people join gangs?
8. How can we reduce poverty in developing countries?

Sociology Research Topics on Social Issues and Cultural Biases

1. The effect of racism on African-American children’s self-esteem
2. How gender bias affects the hiring process for female workers
3. Why do people from different cultures have different views about family relations
4. How social class affects people’s views on crime and punishment
5. Why are some groups more likely to be victims of discrimination than others
6. The impact of racism on the education system
7. How gender inequality affects the workplace
8. The consequences of poverty on children’s health

Medical Sociology Research Topics

1. The relationship between employment status and health.
2. The consequences of aging on society.
3. The reasons why some people do not take up social policies, such as insurance
4. The effects of social networks on health and well-being.
5. The relationship between socioeconomic status and health.
6. The relationship between social support and health.
7. The effects of stress on physical and mental health.
8. The impact of culture on health care practices and outcomes.
9. The relationship between socioeconomic status and mental health.

Environmental Sociology Topics

1. The Effects of Pollution on Children’s Health
2. The Impact of Environmental Degradation on Women’s Health
3. Women’s Role in Dealing with Environmental Issues
4. Environmental Sociology and Social Justice Issues
5. Public Perception of Global Warming
6. The role of social inequality in environmental degradation: A case study of the Brazilian Amazon
7. The Role of the Environment in Social History and Culture Climate Change, Environmental Justice and Indigenous Peoples

Food Sociology Research Topics

1. Food in Human Societies: A Brief History of Food
2. The Culture of Food
3. Health and Dieting
4. Food and Popular Culture
5. Food Advertising: How it Affects Children
6. Dietary Practices at Work, School, and University
7. Food and Popular Culture
8. The Culture of Food
9. Health and Dieting
10. Food and Popular Culture
11. Food Advertising: How it Affects Children
12. Dietary Practices at Work, School, and University

Culture and Society Sociology Research Topics

1. The Family Structure in the United States
2. Education and Social Stratification in Society
3. Gender Equality: A Struggle for Women’s Rights
4. Ethnicity and Race in America
5. Social Network Analysis: How Networks Influence Our Lives
6. The Effect of Demographic Changes on Society
7. Human Migration: Why People Move From One Place to Another
8. Theories of Crime and Deviance: What Causes Some People to Break the Law?
9. Religion and Society: What Role Does Religion Play in Modern Society?

Urban Sociology Research Topics

1. Social impact of gentrification
2. Ethnicity and crime in urban neighborhoods
3. Effects of urban planning on neighborhood residents
4. Race, gender, and income gaps in suburban communities
5. The effect of gentrification on crime levels in urban neighborhoods
6. The effects of race and ethnicity on neighborhood crime rates
7. The effect of income gaps on neighborhood crime rates
8. The effects of gentrification on crime levels in urban neighborhoods

Education Sociology Research Topics

1. How do race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status impact educational success?
2. What are the effects of school choice on educational achievement?
3. Are charter schools more effective than traditional public schools regarding student performance?
4. How does gender affect a child’s performance at school?
5. Do early childhood interventions improve academic achievement among students from low-income families later in life?
6. What motivates teachers’ attitudes toward their students?
7. What are the impacts of class size on student achievement?
8. Do teacher salaries lead to better teaching quality or retention rates for teachers who work for lower-paying districts?
9. How does poverty influence educational outcomes among children growing up in low-income households?
10. Can colleges and universities do more to help recent graduates find jobs after they finish their studies?
11. How does socioeconomic status affect student achievement?

Race and Ethnicity Sociology Research Topics

1. The Influence of Race on the Academic Performance of High School Students
2. The Impact of Race on the Health Care System in America
3. Social Stratification and Racism: The Case for Black Lives Matter
4. The Effects of Racism on Mental and Physical Health
5. The Social and Psychological Impact of Racism on Black Children
6. The Effects of Racism on the Black Community in America
7. The effects of cross-racial adoption on the adopting parents

Crime Sociology Research Topics

1. “The impact of media on the perpetration of crime”
2. “The relationship between unemployment and crime”
3. “How family structure affects crime rate.”
4. “How different ethnic groups have different rates of crimes.”
5. “Gun control laws and their impact on individuals’ safety”
6. “The impact of drugs on crime”
7. “How gender and age affect the perpetration of crime.”
8. “The relationship between alcohol use and crime”

Sociology Research Paper Topics for High School Students

1. The effect of social media on our society
2. How gender roles affect individuals and society
3. The pros and cons of using technology in education
4. What makes an individual more likely to commit a crime?
5. How do different cultures perceive each other?
6. What causes people to become homeless? How can they be helped?
7. What are the effects of globalization on American culture?
8. How have pop culture icons affected modern society?
9. How has technology changed communication methods over time (iPhones vs. typewriters)?
10. Why is bullying so prevalent today, and what should be done about it
11. How do different cultures view each other?

Sociology Research Paper Topics for College Students

1. How do films portray race relations in the United States?
2. What is the effect of beauty standards on women’s self-esteem?
3. How do changes in income inequality affect college students’ attitudes toward education?
4. What is the relationship between social class and health?
5. How do environmental factors affect a person’s behavior?
6. What are the effects of global warming on human migration patterns?
7. What is the relationship between religion and war?
8. How does the media influence public opinion on social issues?
9. How does technology affect our lives?
10. What are the effects of modernization on traditional cultures?
11. What role does culture play in influencing political attitudes?
12. Do stereotypes have any validity in today’s society?

Conclusion

We hope this article has given you some ideas for your sociology research paper. Choose a sociological topic and impress your professor with your unique research paper. If none of these topics seem to speak to you, plenty of others are out there.

Just remember that your topic should be something that interests you and makes sense as a topic for a research paper. With enough time and effort, even the most challenging subject can be made easy with our help!

Joseph Oleksandr

With a passion for education and student empowerment, I create blog content that speaks directly to the needs and interests of students. From study hacks and productivity tips to career exploration and personal development