Jack Johnson is a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) / Bachelor of Arts (Honours) student in the School of Sociology.

"I chose to study sociology at the ANU at the very last minute. I had originally enrolled to study science, but just before O-Week, I decided to pursue what my mum had tried to describe as “the study of society”. I do not know what force inspired me to make this change, but whatever it was, I am forever indebted to it. ANU sociology has changed my life. 

Sociology is a unique discipline. It is not a discipline that builds on what you already know about the world, but is instead one that forces you to re-engage with a world you thought you knew. It is not simply the dissemination of facts, but rather a set of tools that allow you to question and pursue your assumptions and environment. ANU Sociology helps you understand your world, and encourages you to commit to this world to make it better. 

For this reason, sociology can be confronting. I know that in my early courses at ANU I was constantly bombarded with ideas and concepts that seemed outlandish, bizarre, even ridiculous. But the School of Sociology helped me through the shock it had induced. My teachers took the time to work through my prejudices and helped me learn to look at things from a new perspective. And even when I disagreed, they nevertheless showed a kindness and dedication unparalleled at the university. I am reminded of the time I lost my textbook in first term sociology and my lecturer gave me his own copy to use for the rest of the term. Even if I was not yet convinced of the course content, I knew that this was a school which was worth being a part of. 

Since those early days, I have become enamoured with sociology. ANU Sociology has inspired and nurtured an academic passion, provided me with the freedom and skills to pursue activities that I would never have before. It has created close friendships with students and lecturers alike, and it has made me more committed to justice and the pursuit of a more just world. 

Sociology didn’t bring me to Canberra, but it has certainly made me want to stay"