Major depressive disorder is a major disabling condition throughout the world. Diagnosis, treatments, and understanding of the disease in the medical community rely on a relatively modern diagnostic and focus largely on behaviors of the individual. Because the nature of depression involves the relationship of the individual to society and behaviors in relation to society, a sociological perspective of the disorder is extremely important to studying, understanding, and developing interventions and treatments. This chapter describes how sociology has a specific perspective on the origins of depression. Historical precedents are introduced for describing depression and applying data to understanding incidence and severity of the disorder. Social theories provide a basis for studying depression as a lack of individual feelings of belonging and well-being in the community. Core principles of sociology such as life events, social structures, and functions affect the frequency and severity of the presence of depression in populations. Longstanding tools of sociology, assessment scales, are key tools to diagnosing depression and predate the formal diagnosis of depression. Studying, understanding, and treating depression in a social context as well as a clinical setting will aid in realizing the spectral nature of depression and positively affect the well-being of those experiencing depression.