Advancing Uganda's Social Sciences

Understanding that society - its cultures, its conflicts, its potential is the work of sociologists and anthropologists...and it is our work.

About Us

Eastern Africa Regional Sociology & Anthropolog Symposium

Date: 29-30 September, 2026 | Venue: Makerere University, Kampala

For More Info: info@usaaug.org | +256 779 688 004 | +256 772 525 487

Symposium Details

About USAA

Who We Are

Uganda is a society in motion – recovering, building, and evolving. Understanding that society its cultures, its conflicts, its potential; is the work of sociologists and anthropologists. And it is our work.

Founded in 2006, the Uganda Sociological and Anthropological Association (USAA) brings together professionals in academia, research, and practice across Uganda and the wider world. We are a registered, non-profit professional body dedicated to advancing sociological and anthropological knowledge, protecting the integrity of the profession, and ensuring that social science informs the decisions that shape Ugandan society.

Whether you are a university lecturer, an independent researcher, a development practitioner, or a student beginning your career – USAA is your professional community.

USAA's Impact Pillars

Pillar 1 - Advancing Knowledge

We promote rigorous research, publication, and scholarly exchange. Through journals, conferences, and partnerships with national and international bodies, we ensure Uganda's social sciences are heard on the global stage.

Pillar 2 - Protecting the Profession

We work to regulate and raise the standards of sociological and anthropological practice in Uganda - advocating for professional recognition, developing ethical codes of conduct and ensuring employers access qualified professionals.

Pillar 3 - Empowering Members

From capacity-building workshops to professional certification and career referrals, USAA exists to serve its members - helping you grow, connect and lead.

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Where Your Money Goes

Capacity Building

Funding workshops, training programmes, and conference participation for members across Uganda.

Research & Publication

Supporting the production of Uganda's sociological and anthropological journal and other scholarly outputs.

Student Support

Subsidising membership and access to opportunities for student members who are the future of the discipline.

Institutional Development

Keeping the association's operations, communications, and governance running effectively.

Why Join Us?

Become a USAA Member

Uganda is a country whose development challenges are, at their root, social and cultural challenges. Poverty, health inequities, urban migration, conflict, land disputes, gender inequality – none of these are purely technical problems. They require the kind of deep, humanistic, analytical understanding that sociology and anthropology provide.

When you join USAA, you are not simply paying a subscription. You are:

Claiming your professional identity as a recognized sociologist or anthropologist in Uganda.
Contributing to a movement to place social science at the centre of Uganda's development agenda.
Accessing a network of peers, mentors, and collaborators across academia, government, research, and practice.
Protecting your profession – helping to ensure that the field is regulated, that standards are upheld, and that unqualified practitioners do not diminish the discipline's credibility.
Investing in your own growth – through the training, publications, events, and career support that USAA provides.

Events & Programs

Latest & Upcoming Events

September 2026
Eastern Africa Regional Sociology & Anthropology Symposium 2026

Featured September 29 @ 8:00 am - September 30 @ 5:00 pm

Makerere University

Theme: "Strengthening Sociology and Anthropology in Eastern Africa: Professional Identity, Networks and Social Relevance" Symposium Program Symposium Concept The symposium is organised around three sub-themes. Each sub-theme accommodates […]

Get Tickets Free – UShs50,000.00
July 2027
XXI ISA World Congress of Sociology

July 4, 2027 @ 8:00 am - July 10, 2027 @ 5:00 pm

Global Sociology in Turbulent Times The visual identity of the XXI ISA World Congress of Sociology draws on the forms of the Korean alphabet (Hangul) and the cultural heritage of […]

USAA Blog

Latest News & Articles

No Signal, No Voice: Examining Uganda's 2026 Election Shutdown

Exploring the sociopolitical impact of Uganda's internet blackout during the 2026 election, with insights into governance, civic trust, and future implications.

Digital Disconnect: The Sociopolitical Impacts of Uganda's Internet Blackout

Uganda's recent internet blackout during the election not only raises questions about state control and democratic practices but also highlights the deep sociopolitical undercurrents affecting modern Ugandan society.

Uganda's ‘First Oil' Dream: Analyzing the Shift to 2026 and Its Broader Implications

With Uganda's 'first oil' timeline now set for 2026, this analysis explores the socio-economic and political ramifications of this major national milestone.

What Members Say About USAA

"Before joining USAA, I felt professionally isolated - doing important work but disconnected from a wider community of peers. That changed the moment I became a member. The network alone has opened doors I didn't know existed, from research collaborations to conference invitations. USAA has given my career a community."

"As someone working in the NGO space, USAA has been invaluable. It gave me the professional credibility that employers and partners recognise, and connected me to academics whose research directly informs my field work. It is the bridge between theory and practice that I always needed."

"I joined USAA fresh out of university and it immediately changed how I saw myself professionally. Having a membership certificate, access to workshops, and a network of experienced sociologists gave me confidence at a stage when I had very little. USAA invests in you before your career fully takes off."

"As a student, I wasn't sure a professional association was for me yet. But USAA welcomed me completely. The events, the mentorship connections, and simply being in spaces with working sociologists and anthropologists has shaped how I think about my future. I feel like I already belong to the profession - not just studying it."

"I have worked in social policy for over fifteen years, but joining USAA gave my expertise an official professional home. When I engage government colleagues or international partners, my USAA membership signals that I am part of a recognised, regulated profession. That recognition carries real weight."