American Sociological Association (ASA)
American Sociological Association, the national social organization of sociologists in the USA, occupies the most significant number in this field. It is the focal point for networking, disseminating research, and supporting career development among sociologists. ASA also produces many academic journals, such as the American Sociological Review, which is highly reputable. It holds an annual conference that welcomes some of the most outstanding scholars from universities all over the planet (Romero, 2020). The organizational body furthers the described field by representing and advancing the discipline’s interests and promoting public awareness and understanding of sociological research.
American Association of Clinical and Applied Sociology (AACS)
The AACS is an association founded on applying sociological theories, methods, and findings to solve practical problems in corporations, NGOs, public agencies, and community organizations (Romero, 2020). AACS encourages employment and further development of sociologists working beyond the university and focusing on translating academic knowledge into practical solutions for the real world.
Subfields in Sociology
Social science is the umbrella term under which subfields are disciplines analyzed from particular facets of human society and behavior. Criminology, with its subfields, is critical of why crimes are and how they impact society while simultaneously being vital in explaining how the criminal justice system can deter crime and serve the public. Family and Gender Studies concern the evolution of family systems, personal relations within the community, and how different genders are differentiated in social contexts (Moudatsou et al., 2020). At the same time, medical sociology puts a variety of social determinants that impact health, disease, and the functioning of the healthcare system on the table. Ecological sociology is the science of the intricately intertwined relations between environmental elements and human communities, which address problems like global climate change, inequality in environmental governance, and sustainable development. Hence, Political Sociology deals with highly complicated topics between the state and society by exploring power relations, the emergence of social movements, or complex governmental procedures (Moudatsou et al., 2020). They appeal to psychologists engaged in these branches and are unifying tools that shed light on people’s behavior, social structures, and connections among these factors.
Sociology-Related Career: Social Services
Distribution based on Socio-Demographic Characteristics
Such an economic system provides an opportunity for the representatives of the upper-income group due to their possession of specific socio-demographic characteristics.
Based on the latest release by Statistical Abstract of the United States, social services workers exclude many socio-demographic facets of a diverse population. Only the fact that women nowadays are overrepresented in engaging this sphere does not mean that men are not welcome here, too. Notably, most of the people in the social services sector, about 72%, are women. Men, on the other hand, account for 28% (Statistical Abstract of the United States, n.d)
Difference in Median Weekly Earnings
Gender-earnings-gap-is-shown-through-the-data-that-is-released-on-median-weekly-earnings. Although what we see in social services full-time workers in wages and salaries is only a single aspect of labor in society, gender inequities in the median weekly remuneration becomes evident. Typically, otherwise employed females would bring in around 81 cents per dollar made by men, an unequal wage continuing despite all the struggles to resolve sex discrimination in the workplace. Suppose these gaps are addressed, and the policy shift is continued towards eradicating the systemic obstacles that maintain gender-related income differences. In that case, the income gap in this area will eventually be bridged.
Job Responsibilities and Career Outlook
Experts in social services are the ones who help people and communities that are at a disadvantage. They perform different duties, which may involve psychological counseling, social support services advocacy, and case management for programs that collectize poverty, homelessness, addiction, or mental health problems. The social services field remains a gateway for job hunters, with an increasing demand for more trained individuals for social workers in sectors like child welfare, mental health services, and population aging.
Reflection
As an advocate for low-income individuals inside the social workforce, my principal duties center around alleviating unbearable conditions and assisting people affected by various life obstacles. This includes advice and assistance in the areas of counseling, advocacy, case management, and social support for persons with financial instability, homelessness, and similar issues, including addiction and mental health problems. Social workers are critical bridges between clients and societal resources that allow them to overcome challenges, eventually increasing well-being.
The social worker profession continues to be one of the most promising career pathways in which the demand for social workers is ever-unhinged by areas like child welfare, mental health services, and support for aging populations. Such a path is commensurate with my idea; since the problems of poverty, mental health, and inequality on behalf of society remain unresolved, many experts in this area are needed.
I am closely related to this career because it will enable me to enormously change the lives of poor people and communities while at the same time reducing the distances between the disadvantaged and me. I desire to fuel myself with a zeal for social justice and activism so that one day, I can contribute positively to societal transformations and advocate for marginalized populations. Attending a couple of volunteer events and community organizations has exposed me to the process of building the capacity and having a deep understanding of their crucial role in improving the quality of life that I can apply to this career, which will be satisfying.
References
Moudatsou, M., Stavropoulou, A., Philalithis, A., & Koukouli, S. (2020, January). The role of empathy in health and social care professionals. In Healthcare (Vol. 8, No. 1, p. 26). MDPI.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/8/1/26
Romero, M. (2020). Sociology engaged in social justice. American Sociological Review, 85(1), 1–30.https://scholar.google.com/scholar?output=instlink&q=info:_JVB5d2CU_AJ:scholar.google.com/&hl=en&as_sdt=0,44&as_ylo=2020&scillfp=3049365412050150224&oi=lle
Statistical Abstract of the United States (n.d) https://about.proquest.com/en/products-services/statabstract/
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