History of Ateneo Sociology and Anthropology

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology (DSA) is a unit of the School of Social Sciences, Loyola Schools, Ateneo de Manila University. It was founded in 1960 by a Jesuit anthropologist, Fr. Frank X. Lynch, Si. The other early members of the faculty were Fr. John F. Doherty, Si. Mary Racelis, and Fr. John 1 Carroll, S.J. These pioneers set the standards for professional sociological and anthropological work which continue to underpin the professional life of the present faculty: superior scholarship, effective teaching, expert community service, collegial respect, and a critical and collaborative participation in public affairs.

Our students learn to use sociological and anthropological perspectives to accomplish three feats: first, to comprehend their everyday life within larger communities; second, to obtain grounding in research methodology; and third, to make sense of pressing issues that beset contemporary social worlds. With this kind of training, students acquire a critical sense of social worlds, an ability they can use to examine phenomena with specific discipline, assess contending ideologies of social change, offer alternative narratives on tradition, modernity and social change, and make workable recommendations for plans and policies that enhance people's welfare.

The Department is a Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Center of Excellence for Sociology and Anthropology.