Sociology

Sociology is perhaps best seen classically as the study of the development, structure, and function of human societies, and sociologists have long been interested in urbanization and the ways in which urban living influences people’s health and well-being. These interests intersect with other core sociological concerns, such as socioeconomic inequality, racial and ethnic relations, migration, social cohesion, and social control to inform unique sociological perspectives on urban health. Urban environments, bringing together heterogeneous populations in dynamic, rapidly evolving settings, are natural laboratories for understanding human societies, thus suggesting a critical role for sociological perspectives in the study of urban health. This chapter introduces a sociological lens to the study of urban health, offering how sociology can advance our understanding of the health of urban populations.