Sociology, as a distinct academic discipline, indeed emerged in the context of profound societal transformations that characterized the advent of modernity. The intellectual roots of sociology can be traced to the Enlightenment and the subsequent industrialization, urbanization, and political revolutions (like the French Revolution) that reshaped European societies. Early sociological thinkers such as Auguste Comte, Émile Durkheim, Karl Marx, and Max Weber were primarily concerned with understanding the nature, causes, and consequences of these modern societal changes. They focused on phenomena like the division of labor, bureaucracy, capitalism, secularization, and the shift from traditional to rational forms of social organization.

However, stating that sociology is pre-eminently the study of modern societies, while largely true historically and in terms of its foundational theories, is not an absolute or exclusive definition. Contemporary sociology has expanded its scope considerably. It engages in comparative studies that include traditional and pre-modern societies to understand social evolution and variation. It also delves into the study of social change in developing nations, which often exhibit a blend of traditional and modern characteristics. Furthermore, sub-disciplines like historical sociology explicitly examine past societies and their structures. While the core concerns of sociology often revolve around the complexities and challenges of modern life, its analytical tools and theoretical frameworks are applied to a much broader range of social contexts, making it a comprehensive study of human society in all its forms, albeit with a strong historical emphasis on the modern era.