It is difficult in our time to clearly distinguish how anthropologists and sociologists differ when it comes to the study of people, since their work overlaps extensively. That is why this major, combining both fields, makes such good sense. Anthropologists often live in remote parts of the world to explore human diversity as it is expressed in the daily lives of distant communities. Not only can students at Mills study reports and view films from these expeditions, they can also, from their base at Mills, conduct field work among many of these once-distant peoples, since the Bay Area is now home to immigrants, who in many ways, perpetuate distinctive practices. Service to and support of these communities are interrelated with research when possible.
Many students elect to do a semester of study abroad.
The emphasis of sociology is on urban-industrial society. In sociology courses students can learn how to conduct research by developing questionnaires or through firsthand participant observation. Sociologists on the Mills faculty introduce students to an understanding of issues relating to social life, human behavior, and society. Courses explore social problems such as racism, poverty, and criminality. Students may also study utopian literature and communities.