The document provides an overview of social sciences, defining key disciplines such as history, geography, economics, political science, psychology, sociology, and anthropology. Each discipline is described with its focus areas, including human behavior, societal structures, and physical features of the earth. Additionally, it mentions emerging fields within social sciences like ethnic studies, criminology, and women’s studies.

1. Intro to the Social Sciences

2. Social Science
Definition: area of study dealing with human society
* there are 7 main disciplines

3. History
Definition: The study of past events in human
societies
* Involves identifying, classifying, arranging, patterning,
and connecting past events to present

4. Geography
Definition: the study of all the physical
features of the Earth's surface, including
its climate and the distribution of plant,
animal, and human life
• Topics: maps, trade patterns,
population distribution, industrial
/agricultural decisions

5. Economics
Definition: the study of the
production, distribution, and
consumption of goods and
services
* Topics: production,
distribution, consumption,
monetary policy, costs, benefit,
supply, & demand

6. Political Science
Definition: the study of
political organizations
and institutions,
especially
governments
* Topics: politics, law,
philosophy, theory,
international
relations, and public
administration

7. Psychology
Definition: the scientific
study of the human
mind and mental states,
and of human and
animal behavior
* Topics: the brain,
personality,
development, memory,
perception, maturation,
& intelligence

8. Sociology
Definition: the study of the origin,
development, and structure of
human societies and the behavior
of individual people and groups in
society
* Topics: Culture, Social
Structure, Groups,
Organizations, Social
Class, Education,
Sports, Population, and
Urbanization

9. Anthropology
Definition: the study of humankind in
all its aspects, especially human
culture or human development.
* Topics: evolutionary process, change
over time, physical and cultural

10. The “New” Social Sciences
• Ethnic Studies
• Criminology
• Labor/Industrial Relations
• Urban Studies
• International Studies
• Religious Studies
• Women’s Studies