About Sociology and Anthropology
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Department of Sociology and Anthropology
What We Do
Though we are a Department that houses two key disciplines in the social sciences, our faculty are committed to the same over-arching mission: to pursue rigorous and creative research agendas in a collegial, diverse, and collaborative environment, to expose students to the critical study of social patterns and processes, to provide strong training in theorizing, measuring, and addressing social issues and problems, and to engage local and global communities in an effort to better our state, region, nation, and world. Anthropology is the comparative study of human culture. Sociology is the systematic study of human social life.
Who We Are
The Department of Sociology and Anthropology is actively in engaged in scholarship. Our faculty publish in a wide range of research areas. The department houses two research centers, the Center for Population Studies and the Center for Archaeological Research, that serve as a focus for faculty and graduate student research. The department's Grisham-McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement advances transformative service throughout the University and fights poverty through education in Mississippi. Department faculty also contribute to both the Critical Race Studies Group and the Slavery Research Group active on campus.
The University of Mississippi is classified by Carnegie as an R1 university, a designation reserved for the top 2.5% of universities in the nation. As part of a research-intensive university, our faculty are at the top of their field. Studying with R1 faculty matters for students because it means they will have professors who bring exciting new discoveries into the classroom and give students a chance to work alongside them as they break barriers.
Faculty Spotlights
- Dr. Marcos Mendoza, Associate Professor of Anthropology, received the 2024 Howell Family Outstanding Teacher of the Year award in recognition of his classroom instruction, intellectual stimulation of students, and care for students’ welfare.
- Dr. Jodi Skipper, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Southern Studies, received the 2024 Sandford and Susan Thomas Senior Professor Research Award in the Social Sciences in recognition of exemplary performance in sustaining communities, through research, scholarship, and or creative achievement.
- Dr. Kate Centellas, Associate Chair and Croft Associate Professor of Anthropology and International Studies, became the third Fulbright recipient from the department in five years by earning a Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad Award. She used the award to support UM students to travel to Bolivia to study public health anthropology
- Dr. Jeffrey Jackson, Chair and Professor of Sociology and Dr. Charles Ross, Professor of History and African American Studies, received an Award of Merit from the Mississippi Historical Society in 2024 on behalf of the 58 faculty, staff, and students who contribute to the UM Slavery Research Group.
Welcome from the Chair
Whether you are a current (or potential) major or minor, graduate student, faculty member, or someone who is simply curious about the social world (past or present), we are happy to make available the skills and tools that the social sciences have to offer—skills that are needed now more than ever.
We offer fantastic courses taught by dedicated and award-winning faculty. Introductory courses in Sociology, Anthropology, and Geography provide “maps” of the exciting elements of our disciplines. Upper-division and graduate courses provide deeper insights into faculty members’ areas of expertise and help you to develop a dynamic understanding of the social world
Jeffrey T Jackson
Chair of Sociology and Anthropology and Professor of Sociology
Centers and Institute
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Center for Archaeological Research (CAR)
The Center for Archaeological Research investigates and raises awareness of the archaeological resources of Mississippi and the South through field, laboratory, and collections-based research; trains graduate and undergraduate students in the methods of archaeology; educates the public; and serves as a repository of archaeological collections.
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Center for Population Studies
The Center for Population Studies educates, conducts research, and engages in public outreach concerning population issues. The CPS is the lead agency for the State Data Center (SDC) of Mississippi and the Federal-State Cooperative for Population Estimates (FSCPE), both in collaboration with the US Census Bureau.
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Grisham-McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement
With the mission to advance transformative service throughout the University and fight poverty through education in Mississippi, the Grisham-McLean faculty, staff, and students partner with community and statewide organizations to conduct research and take action.
On Campus Partners
African American Studies Program
The Program develops and coordinates and interdisciplinary curriculum that focuses mainly on the African American experience in the United States, especially in Mississippi and the South.
Center for the Study of Southern Culture
The Center for the Study of Southern Culture seeks to investigate, document, interpret, and teach about the American South through academic inquiry and publications, documentary studies of film, photography, and oral history, and public outreach programs.
Croft Institute for International Studies
The Croft Institute is the center of academic excellence for students who want to transcend the horizons of their local community, their region, and the nation as a whole.
Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender Studies
We offer students, faculty, staff, and visitors a gathering place, as well as an atmosphere of mutual encouragement and support for women of all ages and backgrounds.
Off Campus Partners
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Behind the Big House Project
Preserve Marshall County & Holly Springs “Behind the Big House” is an educational program initiated by Preserve Marshall County & Holly Springs, Inc., held in conjunction with the Annual Pilgrimage that explores the area’s rare extant inventory of structures related to slavery. The tour has garnered rave reviews for its innovative, inclusive approach to heritage tourism.
Preserve Marshall County
Contributions of Department Courses Across Campus
The contributions of anthropology, geography, and sociology courses extend far and wide across campus, an indication of the importance of these social science fields for many different areas of study. Here are th programs - besides the anthropology and sociology minors and majors and the geography minor - that include our courses.
College of Liberal Arts Majors and Minors | Non-CLA Majors and Minors |
African American Studies | Communication Sciences & Disorders |
Allied Health Studies | Criminal Justice |
Art History | Dietetics & Nutrition |
Cinema Studies | Early Childhood Education |
Creative Writing | Elementary Education |
Disaster Sciences | Exercise Science |
East Asian Studies | Law Studies |
Environmental Studies | Hospitality Management |
Film Production | Management (International Business Mgmt) |
Gender Studies | Public Health |
International Studies | Social Work |
Latin American and Caribbean Studies | Sport and Recreation Administration |
Linguistics | |
Museum Studies | |
Society & Health | |
Southern Studies |
Our Community
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A Place That Ever Calls
Located 70 miles from Memphis and surrounded by the natural beauty of Northern Mississippi, Oxford boasts thriving music, art, and literary scenes along with great restaurants. UM's athletics provide many opportunities to watch and participate in sports—and one of the world's best tailgating parties.
With everything Oxford has to offer, it's no wonder USA Today named Oxford as one of the Top Six College Towns in the Nation.
Come see why.