Why is sociology useful? Illustrate your answer with a discussion of one contemporary social issue.. Sociology

Sociology is useful because it is a study of behaviours, trends and patterns and although there are elements of science and psychology behind, it is never absolute. It also encompasses every aspect of our lives and there are social forces at work all the time. It is an ever­changing field of study. An example of a contemporary issue that sociology has proven useful to is racism. During the 2005 Cronulla riots, people assumed that the violence was caused solely based on racial grounds however there were many underlying factors like the “Aussie Beach Culture” which explain why and how fondly Australians felt towards the surf lifesavers and how much regard they had for the beaches. Further, the text messages that circulated and the radio broadcasts when interpreted with a sociological perspective shows the impact it had on recipients and listeners and how it affected that particular day.