about us

Mission of the Pacific Sociological Association

The mission of the Pacific Sociological Association is to advance scholarly research on all social processes and areas of social life, to promote high quality teaching of sociological knowledge, and to mentor the next generation of sociologists.  Consistent with principles of scientific investigation, the PSA endorses engagement of sociologists in areas of social justice and social responsibility.  The Association accomplishes its mission by convening an annual meeting and publishing its journal, Sociological Perspectives.

Members of the Pacific Sociological Association subscribe to and are bound by the Code of Ethics of the American Sociological Association. The PSA and its members also subscribe to the PSA Manifesto on Academic Freedom.

Brief History of the Association

The Pacific Sociological Association (originally called the Pacific Southwest Sociological Society and then a year later in 1930 the Pacific Sociological Society) was established in October 1929. A small group of sociologists was called together by Emory S. Bogardus of the Department of Sociology at the University of Southern California for the purpose of organizing the Society. The initial officers elected at this meeting were President Emory S. Bogardus (USC), Vice President William Kirk (Pomona College), Secretary/Treasurer L. D. Osborn (University of Redlands), and Program Chair George Day (Occidental College). The charter members agreed that they had been in isolation at their respective institutions long enough. They embraced the idea of a colleague, Earle E. Eubank, who said, "where there is contact of human minds, there association exits; where there is no contact, there is a state of isolation." So the charter members decided to illustrate one of sociology's basic concepts, "social interaction," which they defined as "that dynamic interplay of forces in which contact between persons and groups results in a modification of the behavior of the participants." As stated in the original constitution, the purpose and object of the Society was the promotion of both sociological research and the teaching of sociology in universities, colleges, community colleges, and high schools in the Pacific area. The first Annual Meeting (with a program) was held on January 25, 1930 in Los Angeles at the Alexandria Hotel.

The history of the PSA's first 75-years is available.

Current Membership, Geographical Reach, Archives, and Office

Today the PSA is the professional association of sociologists in the Pacific Region of North America: Hawaii, Montana, Oregon California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Idaho, Washington, British Columbia and Alberta in Canada, and Baja California and Chihuahua in Mexico. Our membership includes professors and students working at colleges and universities located throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada, but especially those who live in the western region of those countries. Many Association members work as consultants, researchers, and administrators. Some members have government jobs and others own businesses. A significant number are graduate students. The Association holds an annual meeting in late March or early April and publishes a newsletter, The Pacific Sociologist, and a journal, Sociological Perspectives.

The archives of the PSA are located at the library of California State University, Sacramento.

The office of the association is located at the Department of Sociology, California State University Sacramento. The Executive Director is Dean S. Dorn.