Sociology & Anthropology

The disciplines of sociology and anthropology share common philosophical roots and concerns for the social and cultural conditions of human life, yet the two fields have developed independently over the last century. Sociology has traditionally concentrated on Western industrial society; anthropology has focused primarily on non-Western and often small-scale, non-literate societies. Sociology has emphasized quantitative methods; anthropology has depended on qualitative methods, especially observation.

Today, the line between sociology and anthropology is not distinct. We have come to recognize that the academic approaches of both fields enhance each other—helping us comprehend a complex world of many interrelated and interdependent societies. Combining the anthropologist’s approach of studying human behavior with the sociologist’s quantitative methods, we have developed a program at Lewis & Clark that offers students a solid understanding of the important aspects and methods of both fields. The curriculum provides an integrated major in sociology and anthropology. It also provides a diversity of approaches to the disciplines through the varied interests of the faculty.

Five core courses ensure that students are exposed to and understand the range of quantitative and qualitative methods used in this branch of social science. The department draws heavily on cross-cultural examples and requires each major to take at least one course of intensive study of another region of the world. Students then elect additional courses, including an independent research project in the senior year. Students with particular interests in either anthropology or sociology may weigh their electives toward their field of choice.

Believing that sociological and anthropological perspectives on the world are a vital part of an education in the liberal arts and sciences, the department opens most courses to students majoring in other areas. Those concentrating in the arts, humanities, or natural sciences find sociology and anthropology an illuminating complement to their major fields of study. The curriculum offers a logical sequence of courses for students who want to go beyond the introductory level in sociology and anthropology.

Course sizes range from seven students (at the upper level) to nearly 40 students (at the introductory level).

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology regularly receives recognition for the caliber of work accomplished by its students and faculty. The department places a strong emphasis on developing writing and research skills. Many courses require a substantial amount of writing, not just as a product, but as a process to discover what students think. Certain courses, such as Qualitative Research Methods, engage students in intensive research projects. In this particular course, each student picks a segment of the Portland community to study. Students have explored the use of persuasion by travel agents and “headhunters,” various aspects of the local indigent population, and a community of women ex-convicts, as well as many other groups in the community.

Each senior conducts an independent research project using the knowledge, skills, and methods learned in previous courses. Students who demonstrate exceptional scholarship throughout the program and who produce a thesis of outstanding quality earn honors at graduation.

The local community is an active learning laboratory for Lewis & Clark students. To help students recognize the relevance of ideas that might seem abstract in the classroom, professors engage their students in field projects. For example, students taking a class called Crime and Punishment visit local penal institutions to observe the nature and effects of punishment and rehabilitation methods used in our society.

Students enrolled in the program may also select an internship placement from a variety of community organizations and social agencies including hospitals, schools, social welfare agencies, counseling centers, and local government. They work 10 to 14 hours a week and participate in a seminar to explore their experiences with a professor and students working in other agencies. This experience allows students to apply their academic studies to the world around them.

While the program is not designed to find employment for students, many do find opportunities to continue with the internship or find employment with similar agencies after graduation. For instance, one student combined his interest in minorities and health care into internships with an Indian health clinic and with a medical anthropologist. When he graduated from Lewis & Clark, he went to Thailand to help administer health care to refugees. Recently he began medical school at the University of Minnesota.

A major in sociology/anthropology provides good preparation for students going into law, business, and a variety of human service occupations. The major also prepares students for graduate school in sociology, anthropology, public policy, urban planning, health administration, and several other areas.

Examples of student internships

• Studied techniques to recruit and motivate volunteers at the Sierra Club.
• Worked as a staff member at Our New Beginnings, a halfway house for women in the criminal justice system.
• Cataloged materials in Japan collection at the Museum of Natural History, New York.

Examples of student research

• "Ethnographic Study of a Home for Mentally Ill Young Men."
• "Archaeological Study in Israel."
• "Study of the West Hotel for Homeless Women."
• "Domestic Colonization."

Examples of positions obtained by sociology/anthropology graduates

• Executive director, Larkin Street Youth Center, a social service agency in San Francisco. Featured on "NBC Whitepaper."
• Director of VISTA Adult Literacy Program, Portland
• Graduate students in master’s/Ph.D. programs in anthropology or sociology at Stanford University, University of California at Santa Cruz, University of Washington, Boston University, Johns Hopkins University, Indiana University.