The Institute of Sociology at Johannes Kepler University Linz comprises four departments with different subject areas:

• Department of Economic and Organizational Sociology (WOS)
• Department of Empirical Social Research (AES)
• Department of Sociology with a focus on Innovation and Digitalization (SID)
• Department for the Theory of Society and Social Analyses (GES) 

As one of the founding institutes (1966) of the „College of Social Sciences, Economics and Business“ (today JKU), the Institute of Sociology has decisively shaped the reputation of the university in Linz and the development of sociology and social research at the national and international level. 

Technological, social and cultural change are important sociological topics, which the Institute of Sociology approached from an interdisciplinary perspective since its beginning.

Members of the institute analyse societal developments according to professional and scientific standards, critically reflect in teaching and research on developments at regional, national, European and global level, and contribute to democratic solutions of individual and societal challenges.