About the Journal

SOCIOLOGY ON THE ROCK, Newsletter of the Department of Sociology of Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, was established by Stephen Harold Riggins in 2007 when he was Head of the Department. Professor Riggins also edited the first 25 issues of the newsletter. 

 

Sociology on the Rock is a forum for the publication of stories about current events in the department including articles by MUN graduate students. The emphasis placed on the local history of sociology makes it an unusual newsletter.  

Sociology was first taught at Memorial University in 1956 when Donald Willmott (PhD Cornell) was appointed. Willmott grew up in China where his parents were missionaries for the United Church of Canada and he became an authority on the Chinese community of Indonesia. For several years at Memorial, sociology and anthropology formed one department, a feature which is sometimes still reflected in stories appearing in the newsletter.