The introductory essay by Ilanna Mandel and Alexandra Howson surveys the foundational fields of applied and clinical sociology. Applied sociologists specialize in “resolving problems in government, industry, and other practice settings,” while clinical sociologists use an “interventionist approach…to become more involved with clients.” In her next essay, Mandel reviews the elements of social work, one of the broadest fields in human services. Social work, which includes a range of hands-on professions such as clinical counselors and child welfare workers, is driven primarily through the development of appropriate interventions. Ultimately, what may distinguish the different fields of sociological research in the following essays is how “intervention” is perceived. The next two essays, on comparative and anthropological sociology, evaluate the “social processes and phenomena of different societies, cultures, and countries.”