Jonathan Salamati is a 2016 UBC graduate with a Major in Psychology and a Minor in Sociology. Currently attending UBC’s Allard School of Law, Salamati attributes Sociology to his skills in critical reading and active participation, which he states are essential to studying law.
Graduation year: 2016
Major/Minor: Minor is Sociology, Major in Psychology
What are you doing now, or what do you plan on doing next?
Jonathan Salamati: I have recently completed my first year at UBC’s Allard School of Law.
How has sociology helped you get there?
JM: Sociology has helped me to read and effectively synthesize large amounts of texts quickly, a task that forms a great deal of the course work in law school. Since law often involves searching through case histories to find emerging rules; sociology has been a great aid here, as this process is similar to finding emerging social norms or emerging theoretical structures in sociological literature. Particularly as a result of reading older sociological texts, sociology has helped me understand complicated and often densely written materials; this has been an extremely useful skill when reading case law. Often, judges will consider social science evidence when rendering their judgements; having a background in social science is an asset, as it allows you to critically consider this evidence. Sociology classes often involve active participation, and as a result I have become comfortable sharing my opinion in class; this has been great practice for law classes, which often encourage active student participation.
