Iceland is not only an exciting place to live, study and explore. It is also an ideal research lab for sociologists. With its small population, and extensive data resources, Icelandic society offers almost unique opportunities for social research.
At the forefront of social change
Despite its size, or perhaps because of it, Iceland is often at the forefront of social change. In recent decades, the country elected the world's first female president (1980) and first gay Prime Minister (2009), but was also the first victim of the global financial crisis in 2008.
Iceland can be seen as a social experiment, where new ideas clash with traditional political and personal norms – a participant in the global community that remains tied to local equality and welfare.
Study a whole society
With a population of just over 300,000, Iceland offers unrivalled data resources, creating a unique platform for research and the chance to study a whole society.
Our teaching staff have expertise in a diverse range of subjects, many of particular relevance to Iceland: globalisation; gender and sexuality; inequality and social policies; crime, delinquency and criminal justice; mass protest; and sport and leisure. Recent areas of research also include health and welfare; methodology; and criminology.
The Sociology faculty
Our internationally renowned faculty publishes regularly in leading sociology journals, such as the American Journal of Sociology, the European Sociological Review, Sociology, the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, and Criminology. Two of our faculty members are the current editors of Acta Sociologica.
The faculty has participated in leading international collaborations and surveys, including the European Social Survey, the European Value Survey, EVS, and the International Social Survey Programme. Participation in those surveys provides opportunities for students to analyse the data and co-author with faculty.
The faculty is successful in obtaining grants, some of which offer opportunities for student support.
Join our international masters programme
Our Sociology MA is taught in English, enabling you to be part of an international community of students, living and studying in a small but remarkable society.