International Sociology Honor Society

Mission Statement:

Alpha Kappa Delta is an international sociology honor society that began at the University of Southern California under the suggestion of Emory S. Borgardus in 1920. In 1922, the second chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta was founded at the University of Wisconsin. Presently, Alpha Kappa Delta has thousands of members in over 400 chapters throughout the world and is proud to be a member in ACHS, the national council of honor societies.

Alpha Kappa Delta derives its name from the first letters of three Greek words, being: anthropon (mankind) , katamanthaneion (to investigate thoroughly or to conduct research), and diakonesein (for the purpose of service). We are proud to promote the values of Alpha Kappa Delta in the pursuit of improving and servicing mankind through the study of scientific study of society. Membership in Alpha Kappa Delta is lifetime and includes a one year subscription to the scientific journal Sociological Inquiry to help aid in our drive towards scientific service to humankind.

Taken from the Alpha Kappa Delta handbook, "We believe that social, like physical and biological occurrences, are natural phenomena; that in all the universal flux and change, there is sufficient degree of relatively stable and repetitive uniformity to make useful provision and prediction possible within carefully delimited frames of reference. In short, we believe that human choice, intelligence, and effort are susceptible to some as yet undetermined degree of rational organization and control. We believe that humankind, personally and societally, can achieve rational, integrated, creative and democratic social relationships." (AKD handbook 1995-1996)