Astrosociology

The main purpose of the Astrosociology Research Institute (ARI) is to develop astrosociology as an academic field as (1) a subdiscipline of sociology and (2) a multidisciplinary field among the social sciences, behavioral sciences, humanities, and the arts... A concentration on astrosocial phenomena (i.e., social and cultural phenomena) ties theoreticians, researchers, and scholars together, as does a focus on the human dimension of space exploration in general terms.

This effort includes, but is not limited to, the recognition of astrosociology as a legitimate field by the social science community and the space/aerospace community. ARI is dedicated to assisting anyone interested in the development of astrosociology including, but not limited to, faculty, students, social science scholars and researchers, space scientists and engineers, and space advocates. Beyond individuals, ARI will work with organizations of various types that support the development of astrosociology in a variety of different ways.

Astrosociology.com: Site objectives are rather ambitious. This website exists to provide a forum for academic thought, research, and action related to a new sociological subfield known as astrosociology.

The goal is to attract sociologists and others interested in the general area of "space and society" and encourage them to participate in the building of a specific new body of knowledge, and its related sociological literature, centered around astrosocial phenomena.

This also involves the creation and nurturing of astrosociology so that it becomes the focused subject matter of courses taught in sociology (and even astronomy) departments in the United States and around the world. astrosociology.com/

Astrosocial phenomena pertains to all social conditions, social forces, organized activities, objectives and goals, and social behaviors related to

(1) space exploration and/or

(2) any of the space sciences (e.g., astronomy, cosmology, astrophysics). It includes all outcomes of these phenomena in the forms of scientific discoveries and technological applications, new paradigms of thought in astrosocial and non-astrosocial spheres of society, as well as any resulting changes of social norms and values in all parts of a given society.

The concept of social phenomena is thus broken down into two major parts: astrosocial phenomena (as defined above) and non-astrosocial phenomena (which includes all types of social phenomena not considered to be astrosocial in nature).

In essence, then, any particular society consists of an astrosocial sector (or sphere) and a non-astrosocial sector (or sphere); and the two parts interact to contribute to much of that society's social change in all of its various forms and influences.

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