Teaching Sociology In Other Fields: Reflections on Crossdisciplinary Education

Sociology is important in all spheres of life, and relevant to learners in all disciplines. In previous ISA World Congresses, TG09 Sociological Teaching has enjoyed contributions from educators teaching sociology in a range of other fields, both in and beyond the social sciences. From established sociologists working outside university sociology departments, to academics of other disciplines teaching sociology in their own subject area, past World Congresses have highlighted the unique, powerful pedagogic insights of crossdisciplinary sociology teachers. This has also drawn attention, however, to challenges faced by educators teaching in institutional spaces misaligned with, or unsupportive of, the values, principles and practices of sociological teaching.

This session explicitly invites dissemination of teaching practices from those “other” sociological teachers: the sometimes hidden educators who’s sociological teaching is valuable but potentially invisible from its position outside of typical academic sociology environments. With an emphasis on crossdisciplinarity (the transplantation of sociology and/or sociologists into other disciplinary spaces), this session presents examples of teaching and assessment practices, curriculum development, student support, and collegial interaction when sociology is taught outside of the sociological classroom. We particularly welcome reflections on curricular integration, concerning how the educator “fits” sociology into the curriculum of another discipline, and lived experiences of institutional tensions around delivering on ambitions of holistic education. Teachers, from all disciplines, will leave the session with a strengthened feeling of collegial solidarity in the supportive community of TG09 Sociological Teaching, and with global commitments to support crossdisciplinary sociological teachers beyond the conference.