Honor and Professional Associations in Sociology
Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology-AACS
Mission Statement
The mission of the Association is to accomplish the following five purposes:
- 1. Provide a common meeting ground for individuals interested in the application of sociological knowledge.
- 2. Promote the application of sociological knowledge for beneficial social change through scholarly, educational, programmatic, community, and policy activities.
- 3. Enhance the understanding of the interrelationship between sociological knowledge and sociological practice.
- 4. Advance theory, research, methods, and training that promotes the use of sociological knowledge for beneficial social change.
- 5. Promote the use of applied and clinical sociology in local, regional, state, national, and international settings.
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Promoting Scholarship (Alpha Kappa Delta-AKD)
Since its inception, the aim of Alpha Kappa Delta has been to stimulate scholarship. One avenue was through publication.
The first publication of the organization was The Quarterly, established and edited by Emory Bogardus from 1928-1932. It
briefly changed names to the Newsletter for five years, and then returned to The Quarterly in 1936. In 1955, having
published 24 volumes, The Quarterly became the Alpha Kappa Deltan: A Sociological Journal. Published twice a year, it had
grown from a 4-page folder to an attractive publication of 32 pages. Information about chapters and miscellaneous items
found a place in the AKD Newsletter that was started in 1954. In 1960, the Alpha Kappa Deltan was renamed Sociological
Inquiry: The Quarterly Journal of the International Sociology Honor Society. The editors of the peer-review journal,
selected by the Board of Alpha Kappa Delta, have consistently maintained high standards of scholarship. Many prominent
sociologists have published in Sociological Inquiry.
(excerpted from AKD national website)
American Sociological Association-ASA
Mission Statement
The American Sociological Association is a non-profit membership association dedicated to advancing sociology as a scientific
discipline and profession serving the public good.
(excerpted from the ASA national website)
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National Social Science Association-NSSA
The National Social Science Association is the largest interdisciplinary association in the United States. Its members
consist of social scientists in two and four year colleges and represent the following disciplines: history, geography,
education, economics, psychology, anthropology, sociology, ethnic studies, women's studies, interdisciplinary studies,
political science, and other related studies.
The purpose of this association is to provide inservice training through the National Technology and Social Science
Conference each spring, the summer seminar and the fall professional development conference.
(excerpted from the NSSA national website)
Population Association of America-PAA
The Population Association of America is a society of professionals working in the population field. PAA members include
demographers, sociologists, economists and public health professionals. Individuals interested in demographic issues in
research, education, business or public administration, will find membership in the Association a unique opportunity for
professional growth and interaction with colleagues.
(excerpted from the PAA national website)
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The Pacific Sociological Association-PSA
Today the PSA is the professional association of sociologists in the Pacific Region of North America: Hawaii, Montana,
Oregon California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Idaho, Washington, British Columbia and Alberta in
Canada, and Baja California and Chihuahua in Mexico. Our membership includes professors and students working at colleges and
universities located throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada, but especially those who live in the western region of
those countries. Many Association members work as consultants, researchers, and administrators. Some members have government
jobs and others own businesses. A significant number are graduate students. The Association holds an annual meeting in late
March or early April and publishes a newsletter, The Pacific Sociologist, and a journal, Sociological Perspectives.
(excerpted from PSA's national website)
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Rural Sociological Society-RSS (Benefits and Opportunities)
The purpose of the Rural Sociological Society (RSS) is to promote the study of rural life through research, extension and
education; for the purpose of confronting problems, answering questions and increasing opportunities - thereby improving the
quality of life in rural areas. Members of the RSS have a long tradition of active involvement in research and the
dissemination of information on public issues affecting rural society. Membership in the RSS includes persons employed in
universities, industry, all levels of government (federal, state/provincial, local), non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
and private agencies.
(excerpted from the RSS national website)
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Southwestern Social Science Association-SSSA
Founded in 1919, the SSSA is the oldest social science association in the United States. The organization is composed of
professionals and students in the social sciences, including individuals in academia and those in fields of professional
practice.
The purpose of SSSA is to promote, cultivate and correlate the various areas of the social sciences and their applications
through:
- Publication of Social Science Quarterly, a well-regarded and well-ranked interdisciplinary journal; and
- Annual meetings, which regularly draw more than 1,000 social scientists from across the country and the world.
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