The Institute of Philosophy and Sociology was formed in 1956. Research in sociology at the institute is focused on the following areas:
- social structure – social inequality analysis, social mobility, theoretical and empirical research on the dynamics of interest during the systemic transformation and formation of civil society
- institutions – the role of elites in the process of creating a new political system and political structure
- gender studies – general theory and methodology
- theory of culture – the cultural dimension of the systemic change and the anthropological features of this change, life styles, theoretical concepts related to the post-communist systemic transformation
- research on living conditions in Poland, social problems and social policy
There are four main areas of research in philosophy
- history of philosophy
- theory of knowledge
- logic, methodology, and action theory
- philosophy and sociology of religion
There are two schools affiliated to the Institute, the Graduate School for Social Research, and the Central European University’s Sociology Department.