Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies and how people interact within these contexts. Sociologists engage with the issues of our time: race, poverty, inequality, globalization, immigration, environmental change, gender, power, and many others. Through both the qualitative and quantitative collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, Sociology examines the hidden social forces that affect the course of our lives and our communities.