author
Emory S. (Emory Stephen) Bogardus
1882–1973
A pioneering American sociologist, he helped establish sociology at the University of Southern California and became especially known for developing the idea of the social distance scale. His work explored immigration, public opinion, race relations, and the ways people relate across social groups.
1 Audiobook
A history of social thought
by Emory S. (Emory Stephen) Bogardus
About the author
Born in Illinois in 1882, Emory Stephen Bogardus became one of the early builders of American sociology. He studied at Northwestern University and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago before joining the University of Southern California, where he founded one of the country's early sociology departments in 1915.
Bogardus wrote widely on social psychology, immigration, race relations, public opinion, and community life. He is most often remembered for the Bogardus Social Distance Scale, a tool used to measure how willing people are to accept members of other groups in different kinds of social relationships.
Along with teaching and research, he also played an important role in the profession itself. He served as president of the American Sociological Society and helped shape sociology as a field during its formative years, leaving behind a body of work that remained influential long after his death in 1973.