New & Noteworthy

• In Science We Trust? by Jordyn Wald covers global research by Viktoria Cologna and colleagues. Surveying over 70,000 people across 68 countries, the study found that trust in scientists remains high worldwide. Most respondents see scientists as competent, public-minded, and believe they should help solve major issues like health, clean energy, and poverty. However, some distrust persists—especially among conservatives and those who view scientists as elitist—raising concerns about the outsized influence of vocal skeptics.

• The Sticks and Stones of Christian Nationalist Rhetoric by Forrest Lovette highlights research by Nilay Saiya and Stuti Manchanda on how political speech can incite violence. Analyzing statements from all 100 U.S. senators, the study found that states where senators endorsed Christian nationalist views were up to 1.5 times more likely to experience violence against religious minorities. The authors argue this rhetoric legitimizes hostility by framing other faiths as threats—underscoring the real-world dangers of political language rooted in religious supremacy.

From the Archives

• Rubber bullets and other less-than-lethal projectiles have been used on Los Angeles residents in recent confrontations. This archive piece during the 2020-2021 protests covers some research on the harm that these projectiles used by police and the military can cause. And it highlights one study that found that 3% of people hit by rubber bullets actually die from these injuries, so “97% non-lethal”.

• RFK is reported to have planned the termination of all members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee, with skepticism that grew during the COVID-19 pandemic being cited as a catalyst. In 2020, Contexts published this piece, the coming vaccine battle, which although now in hindsight, served as insight into today’s climate.

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Contexts

• Novel/Sociology: An Interview with Jonathan Wynn by Amin Ghaziani spotlights UMass sociologist Jonathan Wynn’s genre-bending debut novel The Set Up. Known for his academic work on cities and culture, Wynn describes the “terrific fun” of writing fiction as a way to smuggle in sociological insights. Blending mystery, marketing, and microsociology, the story follows a rogue Vegas firm that hires actors to influence behavior—raising ethical questions in a Goffman-meets-Ocean’s Eleven plot.

Council on Contemporary Families

• The Importance of Sexual and Romantic Exploration for LGBQ+ College Students by Ellen Lamont and Teresa Roach explores how college can offer a crucial space for identity development among LGBQ+ youth, especially those raised in conservative Christian environments. Based on interviews with 26 students, the study finds that beyond supportive communities, the ability to explore sexuality through relationships was key to affirming identity and building self-understanding. Yet students still faced barriers—including limited queer social spaces and conflicting expectations about campus organizations.
• From Kin to Unit: How Refugee Resettlement Reshapes Family Itself by Neda Maghbouleh draws on a seven-year ethnographic study of 52 Syrian families resettled in Canada. The research reveals how state policy fractured extended kin networks by enforcing a narrow, nuclear definition of “family.” Most families faced protracted separation from vital caregivers, while a few navigated costly sponsorships or strategic marriages to rebuild kinship ties. Maghbouleh and co-author Laila Omar argue that these exclusions are not incidental, but institutional—reshaping daily life and identity.

First Publics

• Subverting a Subject: Marketing as Sociology by Sam Chian explores how teaching marketing through a sociological lens turns business education into critical inquiry. Instead of training future marketers, Chian encourages students to question how marketing reinforces inequality, commodifies identity, and shapes desire. By treating marketing as a social institution, he helps students see it not as a neutral tool, but as a force worth interrogating—and potentially transforming.
• Flattening Theory: Kyle Green on the Give Theory a Chance Podcast highlights how sociologist Kyle Green is reshaping theory education through podcasting. In Give Theory a Chance, Green invites guests to share how big ideas—from Du Bois to Deleuze—shaped their thinking and research. His goal? To demystify theory and make it accessible, especially for students daunted by jargon or academic gatekeeping. By “flattening” the canon and emphasizing lived experience, Green transforms theory from something to fear into something to feel, encouraging listeners to engage with ideas that illuminate the world around them.

Engaging Sports

• Thirsting for More: What TikTok Can Tell Us About Women’s Basketball by Julia Macey and Jennifer McGovern explores how TikTok is reshaping media narratives around women’s basketball. Analyzing 50 fan-made edits, the authors found that while racial and gendered media patterns persist—white players received more views, and Black players were more often shown in action—TikTok also offers a space to celebrate queer desire and athleticism outside the male gaze.

New & Noteworthy

Election Fallout and Increased Infant Health Disparities by Leo LaBarre covers research by Paola Langer, Caitlin Patler and Erin Hamilton. They found adverse birth outcomes rose among Black, Hispanic, and Asian mothers after the 2016 election, highlighting how political stress and racism can harm infant health indirectly.

Our latest Clippings by Mallory Harrington includes:

• Peter Hepburn: In an Associated Press article, Hepburn—Assistant Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University-Newark and Associate Director at the Eviction Lab—highlighted the toll of eviction on schoolchildren, noting that 40% of those at risk of eviction are kids, who often face school transfers and chronic absenteeism.

• Michel Anteby: Writing in The Conversation, Anteby defended bureaucrats as essential to public service, drawing on Max Weber’s classic theories to argue that they act as expert safeguards against “dilettantism, favoritism and selfishness” (Boston University).

• Ellis Monk: In a Washington Post article on diversity and AI, Monk warned that political pressure and speed-to-market demands may undermine inclusive design in tech, despite global companies like Google working to accommodate varied skin tones in AI outputs (Harvard University).

• David Yamane: In The Conversation, Yamane outlined five key insights about American gun culture, from its normalization to its diverse ownership and shifting symbolic meanings—ideas explored in his upcoming book Gun Curious (Wake Forest University).

• Tristan Bridges: In a New York Times feature on Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, Bridges explained how Piker benefits from “jock insurance,” a concept describing how men with high masculine capital can subvert gender norms without facing social penalties (UC Santa Barbara).

From the Archives

Florida recently conducted “Operation Tidal Wave,” a six-day immigration sweep that resulted in the arrest and deportation of more than 1,100 undocumented immigrants. These large-scale enforcement actions risk tearing families apart and destabilizing entire communities. In this 2022 piece, Delgado highlights how adult children in mixed-status families often assume emotional and logistical responsibilities to support and protect their undocumented parents.

A Supreme Court case is set to decide if religious schools can be considered public charter schools or not – a decision that could radically transform public education in the United States. Historically, the separation of church and state has meant that public schools cannot give overtly religious instruction, but supporters of this case argue that barring religious schools from applying to a charter school program infringes upon religious liberty. This Sociological Images piece by Evan Stewart from 2018 discusses debates and controversies surrounding religious freedom and discrimination.

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Council on Contemporary Families

• The Silent Labor of Love: How Women Become Relational Managers in Marriage by Alicia Walker shares the pattern of how many women in heterosexual marriages take on the invisible role of “relational managers,” shouldering the emotional labor of caring for their partners—a burden rooted in gender norms that often leads to burnout, imbalance, and resentment.
• Lessons from the Pandemic for U.S. Work and Family Policy, reported from the Scholars Strategy Network, by Golda Kaplan, Michelle Cera, Barbara J. Risman, and Kathleen Gerson covers how the pandemic revealed that while flexible work arrangements can help couples share domestic labor more equally, true gender equity at home also requires shifting social norms and supportive family policies.

give theory a chance

• Jon Wynn on writing fiction discusses his debut novel The Set Up, blending fiction with sociological insight and drawing inspiration from Du Bois, Goffman, and beyond.

New & Noteworthy

This week’s Clippings by Mallory Harrington includes:

• Herbert Gans: The influential urban sociologist and public intellectual passed away at 97; remembered for The Urban Villagers, The Levittowners, The War Against the Poor, and Deciding What’s News, as well as for his anti-war activism, press-freedom advocacy, and push for publicly accessible sociology—coverage appeared in New York Times, the Washington Post, and ABC News.
• Laurie Essig: In a Ms. Magazine interview and the “Feminism, Fascism, and the Future” podcast, Essig linked authoritarianism in the U.S. and Russia to anxious masculinities, warning that “gender ideology” rhetoric masks fears of failed masculinity and urging the creation of mutual-aid “parallel societies.”
• Stephanie L. Canizales: In Sin Padres, Ni Papeles, Canizales exposes how unaccompanied undocumented youth in California are exploited in low-wage jobs and politicized as scapegoats, lamenting that when they aren’t useful for agendas “the population is completely forgotten” (UC Berkeley News).
• Craig Considine and Landon Schnabel: Argue Pope Francis widened the Church’s global reach while enacting careful reforms—outreach to the Global South and blessings for same-sex couples—demonstrating how ancient institutions can “bend without breaking” (Rice & Cornell news outlets).

Our latest Discovery by Eleanor Nickel covers research by David Jonathan Knight on African American and Afro-Latino men who spend their formative years cycling through U.S. prisons, and how growing up behind bars fuses identity to confinement, turning adulthood milestones into carceral experiences that constrain life chances long after release.

From the Archives

It has been twenty years since the first video “Me at the Zoo” was uploaded to YouTube. Since then, the site has become the second most visited site in the world behind Google. It is also on track to become the largest media company by revenue in 2025, beating out Disney. YouTube is also first for the amount of TV viewership time. Check out this archive 2017 piece on the evolution of YouTube in relation to “Legacy Media”.

The Trump administration floated a set of proposals this week aimed at boosting the U.S. birthrate—ideas that include things like a $5,000 “baby bonus” for new mothers after delivery and a “National Medal of Motherhood” for women with six or more children. The proposals highlight a familiar political tension: encouraging childbirth without meaningfully supporting families. This piece from our archives looks at the challenges contemporary mothers face—underscoring how policy often overlooks the realities of parenting.

Backstage with TSP

The Spring 2025 academic semester is coming to a close. The TSP board is now shifting to “summer hours” and will be posting less frequently to accommodate schedules, but, no need to fear. We will continue to bring you the latest and greatest social science to a device near you! Make sure to follow us on X, Bluesky, and Facebook to stay updated.

More from our Partners & Community Pages

Council on Contemporary Families

• Landon Schnabel covers their research on how many young adults walk away from their parents’ churches—especially when rigid doctrines clash with inclusive values like LGBTQ+ equality—yet keep or reinvent a personal, DIY spirituality.

First Publics

• JoAnna Boudreaux shares why she centers small-group discussions, creative projects, and personal feedback to foster belonging—demonstrating that human connection can elevate learning as much as content coverage. Read her piece, “Can We Still Come to Class If We Want To?”.

New & Noteworthy

This week’s Clippings by Mallory Harrington includes:

• Musa al-Gharbi (Stony Brook University): Argued that the Trump administration’s crackdown on higher education backfired—universities that complied, like Columbia, were punished, prompting others like Harvard to resist instead.

• Madonna Harrington Meyer (Syracuse University): Described how grandparents are increasingly parenting their grandchildren, often sacrificing retirement or taking on debt, despite attempts to set boundaries like “fun days” or fixed schedules.

• Aarushi Bhandari and Parul Bhandari (Davidson College & University of Cambridge): Discussed the Hermès Birkin bag as a symbol of elite status, and how Walmart’s “Wirkin” sparked conversations around wealth, accessibility, and anti-elitist sentiment.

• Rebecca Sandefur (Arizona State University): Highlighted that most civil court users lack legal representation; the system is built for legal professionals, making it inaccessible to the general public despite its importance.

• Michelle Janning (Whitman College): Explained that dishwashing arguments reflect deeper meanings—our home rituals symbolize control, identity, and resistance to automation in increasingly tech-driven domestic spaces.

Our latest Discovery by Anastasia Dulle covers research by Ken Kamoche and Kuok Kei Law on bamboo scaffolders in Hong Kong, and how they navigate dangerous work and social stigma by embracing a macho identity that emphasizes toughness, risk-taking, and informal expertise in a declining and highly scrutinized industry.

From the Archives

Coinciding with holidays like Passover and Easter, spring cleaning used to have a religious significance. Today, spring cleaning is more about practicality. In this article, Sarah Catherine Billups discusses the gendered division of housework and the sociological significance of dust.

Peter Dutton, the leader of Australia’s conservative Liberal Party, has said that he believes in climate change. He was accused of minimizing the issue during a recent political debate. In 2015, Erik Kojola wrote about social science research into climate denial.

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Council on Contemporary Families

• 3Q with Brigid Schulte and Haley Swenson authors of A Glimpse of Stability: The Impact of Pandemic Aid on Families in Poverty with Alicia M. Walker discuss how pandemic-era aid showed that direct, sustained government support can dramatically improve stability and well-being for low-income families, challenging long-held narratives about poverty and personal responsibility.

First Publics

• Apathy to Engagement: Sociology’s Problem-Solving Potential by Johnnie Lotesta, on how teaching public sociology can empower students to counter political apathy by helping them explore social problems, imagine alternatives, and develop real-world solutions grounded in their own experiences.

New & Noteworthy

Our latest Discovery, summarizing recent academic article publications, by Emma Goldstein highlights a recent study by Annika Pinch and colleagues which found that while BeReal initially encouraged authenticity through time-limited, unedited photo sharing, users gradually began to game the system by delaying posts and retaking images to appear more curated.

This week’s Clippings from Mallory Harrington includes:

• Tom Juravich examines how the residential construction industry has undergone a “race-to-the-bottom” since the Great Recession, with contractors increasingly offloading work to subcontractors and misclassifying employees to cut costs in a recent The New York Times piece.
• Christian Smith argues that traditional religion in America hasn’t just declined—it’s become culturally obsolete. In his new book Why Religion Went Obsolete, Smith explores how shifts in social life have rendered organized faith less relevant, even as some individuals continue to find it personally meaningful, featured in Religion News Service, and picked up by The Salt Lake Tribune.
• Paul Starr and Nancy Foner analyze Trump’s historically high support among Hispanic voters, arguing that some Hispanics identify with the white mainstream and are drawn to conservative cultural values, in a recent The New York Times opinion piece.
• Justin Farrell in GQ explored how the ultra-wealthy are remaking the American West by purchasing rural land and building exclusive ski clubs, all while adopting the aesthetics of working-class life.
• Arlie Russell Hochschild in Nonviolence Radio maps an “anti-shaming ritual” at the heart of Trump’s appeal, where public transgressions are followed by backlash, victimization, and emotional identification from his supporters.

From the Archives

• As the Trump Administration continues intentions to slash education funding, this 2013 piece from the Scholars Strategy Network archives underscores how financial investment in schools directly shapes outcomes—especially for the most marginalized students.

• Prices of a variety of grocery items are expected to increase if President Trump’s proposed 10% tariffs are implemented. In 2019, Allison Nobles surveyed the state of the research and found that poor Americans tend to spend a greater portion of their income on essentials like housing and food.

• RFK reported that the government has launched a research effort to identify the cause of “the autism epidemic,” with the goal of eliminating the “exposures” he believes are behind the condition in a short timeline. This piece from 2019 covers research on the social factors that contribute to increased recognition and diagnosis of autism, as well as the ways autism is differently understood across cultures.

More from our Partners & Community Pages

Center for Holocaust & Genocide Studies

• Fort Snelling and the Long History of Deportations from Minnesota by Joe Eggers provides context around the detention of a U of M student by ICE and the ongoing legacy of deportation at Fort Snelling, a site historically tied to the forced removal of Dakota people of Minnesota.

Council on Contemporary Families

• Leave Laws Support Equity by Jeff Hayes and H. Elizabeth Peters write on how aid family and medical leave policies reduce inequality and support working caregivers, but access remains uneven, especially for low-wage workers, people of color, and those needing eldercare.

New & Noteworthy

April 1st, 2025 marks the official launch date of TSP’s official journal, The American Journal of Unfinished Sociology. We have several submissions that we will be sharing in the next few weeks, so stay tuned.

Gender-Affirming Care and Gender Stereotypes, our latest Discovery my Mallory Harrington, ​covers research by Tara Gonsalves‘s research reveals that insurance coverage for gender-affirming healthcare has expanded over the past two decades, but insurers often rely on gender stereotypes to determine which procedures are deemed medically necessary.

This week’s Clippings by Mallory Harrington includes:

• Rebecca Hanson, David Smilde, and Verónica Zubillaga argue that deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador echo the authoritarian practices they fled, warning that criminalizing these individuals based on exaggerated fears of gang mobility undermines both justice and U.S. credibility.
• Oneya Fennell Okuwobi critiques corporate diversity programs that prioritize optics over equity, showing how they often burden employees of color with performative expectations while corporations reap the reputational rewards.
• Lucius Couloute shares how parole, once meant to support reentry, now functions as a carceral extension—trapping individuals in cycles of surveillance and punishment that undermine rehabilitation.
• Manuela Perrotta and Lucius Couloute explores how I.V.F. technologies are reshaping emotional relationships to embryos, as patients develop profound attachments to time-lapse videos of developing cells—perceiving them not as potential life, but as life already unfolding.
• Christine L. William’s concept of the “glass escalator,” describing how men in female-dominated professions are often fast-tracked to leadership, gained national recognition this week when it appeared as a clue on Jeopardy.

From the Archives

Severe storms and tornadoes have recently devastated parts of the South and Midwest, resulting in at least seven fatalities and widespread destruction. But what makes something a natural disaster? In this 2018 piece, such events become disasters not just because of nature, but because of how society shapes people’s risk and ability to respond. Things like poor infrastructure, uneven government response, and economic inequality all play a role in who gets hurt the most. This reminds us that behind every weather event, there’s a social story about who is most vulnerable and why.

With nationalist rhetoric escalating and reshaping policies in unprecedented ways, it’s crucial to understand why nationalism can also escalate tensions. This piece from the Sociological Images breaks down some of the dangers of nationalism.

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Contexts

• after college for all: the expectations of struggling college graduates by Elena Ayala-Hurtado on how many young college graduates, despite believing in the promise of higher education, find themselves stuck in a state of “expectational liminality”—caught between high post-college expectations and the realities of economic insecurity.

Council on Contemporary Families

• The War Never Ends: Mothers Continue an Uphill Battle Against Postpartum Depression by Sawyer Wampler unpacks the rising prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) over the past decade, highlighting significant increases across all racial and ethnic groups, with Asian/Pacific Islander and non-Hispanic Black individuals experiencing the most pronounced upticks.

First Publics

• Fearing the Future: Reconsidering the Role of AI by Alyssa Lyons reflects on the challenges and ethical considerations of integrating generative AI into her digital sociology curriculum and the need to prepare students for a future where AI literacy is crucial.

New & Noteworthy

Jordyn Wald’s latest StoryMap leverages S. Ericson’s piece on conspiracy theories, summarizing research on how belief in hidden powers offers comfort amid uncertainty. The piece traces the rise of conspiratorial thinking across social classes, examines how distrust in institutions fuels belief, and highlights the internet’s role in transforming “stigmatized knowledge” into shared community truths.

This week’s Clippings by Mallory Harrington includes:

• Jessica Calarco on how progressives struggle to build coalitions because they must first agree on both the existence and cause of social problems before choosing solutions.
• Philip N. Cohen warns that cuts to Department of Education data threaten a shared understanding of inequality and the labor market in the U.S.
• David S. Cohen and Carole Joffe highlight how abortion access has persisted post-Dobbs thanks to grassroots networks and “rage spending.”
• Michael Elliot explores how Comic-Con serves as a sacred space offering community, guidance, and hope for devoted fans.

From the Archives

On March 15th, hundreds of thousands of people rallied in Belgrade, Serbia to demand transparency and accountability for the deaths of 15 people killed in a train station collapse last November. The rally, which was estimated to be Serbia’s largest protest in history, follows months of student-led protests against the government for the perceived corruption surrounding the accident. This 2024 “There’s Research on That” draws attention to research on student protests and activism.

The federal cuts to DEI-related issues have also impacted an unexpected target. The Trump administration canceled funding for a nationwide initiative to plant more trees, making neighborhoods cooler and more resilient to climate change. The anti-DEI agenda is also impacting environmental justice programs like this initiative created by the Arbor Day Foundation. One of the goals of the project was to recover the estimated 200,000 trees lost in Hurricane Katrina and provide the crucial canopy that once covered the 9th ward in New Orleans. Learn more about climate justice here.

In 2012, Gwen Sharp walked us through ESPN’s online resources for the men’s and women’s March Madness tournaments — noting how the women’s tournament was less accessible and had fewer resources compared to the men’s. 2023 and 2024 saw a huge rise in viewership for the Women’s March Madness tournament with last year’s Final Four being the most watched Women’s Final Four on record. As the 2025 Women’s NCAA Tournament tips off today, it is important to reflect on whether media coverage, accessibility, and resources have kept pace with the sport’s rising popularity.

More from our Partners & Community Pages

give theory a chance

• Daniel Silver on Talcott Parson’s theories, his rise and fall in sociology, and the value of reengaging with his ambitious ideas.

Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies

• A Conversation with Dr. Mneesha Gellman, which discusses how U.S. history textbooks misrepresent marginalized groups, perpetuating white supremacy, and argues that schools can resist this by centering Indigenous knowledge, promoting accurate and inclusive curricula, and recognizing education’s dual role as both a site of trauma and potential transformation.

Engaging Sports

• What Does it Mean if More Men are Now Fans of Women’s Sport? by Rachel Allison and Radosław Kossakowski explores the growing number of male fans in women’s sports, examining how shifting masculinities, cultural legitimacy, and fan dynamics reflect broader changes—and tensions—in gender, sport, and social power.

New & Noteworthy

• Jordyn Wald’s latest Discovery covers a recent study by Marcus Brooks on colorblind nationalism, examining how online conservatives reshape racial discourse by rejecting “woke” narratives, emphasizing traditional American values, and reframing Black Americans as allies against liberalism.

• In our latest TSP Podcast Episode our board members discuss Kelsey McKinney’s book You Didn’t Hear This From Me and the sociological functions of gossip, inspired by a recent Normal Gossip episode.

From the Archives

• This 2016 piece from the Scholars Strategy Network covers the Supreme Court’s 4-4 deadlock on United States v. Texas on deferring deportations, which left Obama’s deferred action programs blocked, affecting up to five million immigrants. This decision maintained the then legal uncertainty for mixed-status families, limiting their economic opportunities, mobility, and access to education and healthcare.

• As of the time I writing this, Trump is set to release documents relating to the murder of JFK, potentially debunking decades of creative conspiracy theories—if you’re interested in some sociology on conspiracy theories check out this recent piece by S Ericson, What “They” Don’t Want You to Know About Conspiracy Theories.

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Council on Contemporary Families:

• For the children? American views of marriage and divorce in the context of having children by Gayle Kaufman and D’Lane Compton write up their research on how the majority of Americans no longer see marriage as essential for raising children, reflecting shifting attitudes toward marriage, divorce, and family structure.

Center or Holocaust and Genocide Studies:

• Making invisible work visible: interview with Dr. Sarah Cramsey by Tibisay Navarro-Mana coers Dr. Sarah Cramsey’s research on the historical invisibility of early childhood caretaking, particularly during the Holocaust and in Central and Eastern Europe, using unique sources like art, testimonies, and material culture to uncover how care shaped history.

New & Noteworthy

• This week’s Clippings includes: Tressie McMillan Cottom discussed masculinity and gender politics on The Opinions podcast, analyzing how Trump’s rhetoric delegitimizes women and minorities. Yolande Strengers appeared on Switched On Australia to critique the energy industry’s flawed assumptions about consumer behavior. Ana Paula Sousa spoke to The Credits about how I’m Still Here exposes Brazil’s ongoing struggles with historical violence. Bonnie Zare analyzed The Substance for the Irish Star, explaining how the film critiques societal pressures on women’s bodies. Matthew Desmond joined The Daily Show to highlight systemic economic inequalities that perpetuate poverty. Jacqueline Ho’s research, featured on EurekaAlert!, examined how Singaporean parents perceive educational inequality. Finally, Kelsey McKinney discussed the social functions of gossip on Normal Gossip, noting how it shapes our understanding of society and ourselves.

• Our new piece, Social Isolation and “Loneliness” of Young Adults by Jacob Otis, examines how economic insecurity, mental health struggles, and shifting social norms contribute to young adults spending more time at home while still participating in public life. The piece explores the role of stigma, technology, and declining civic engagement in shaping social withdrawal, questioning whether this trend reflects a crisis or an evolving cultural preference.

From the Archives

• 2025 has seen a number of airplane incidents and tragedies. In this Cyborgology piece, PJ Patella-Rey extends Anthony Giddens’ work to discuss how we are living in an era within which we cannot all be experts on the technologies that we rely on every day, from our phones to airplanes. This requires extreme “trust that the institutions that deliver these devices to us have designed, tested, and maintained the devices properly.” Yet, seeing the amount of plane crashes and other incidents we’ve seen related to air travel, this trust is certainly being tested in the public sphere.

• In Germany, 5 members of a far-right group have been arrested for allegedly plotting to kidnap the health minister. They are associated with the “Citizens of the Reich,” conspiracy theorists who believe that the German government is illegitimate. Last year, S Ericson summarized research on conspiracy theories, check it out here, “What “They” Don’t Want You to Know About Conspiracy Theories“.

• March 8th was International Women’s Day. This post from the Council on Contemporary Families highlights research on family wellbeing around the world.

More from our Partners & Community Pages

Council on Contemporary Families

• Shame-Sex Attraction: Survivors’ Stories of Conversion Therapy by Lucas Wilson, examines how conversion practices persist underground despite legal bans, using religious rhetoric and shame to justify harmful efforts to change queer identities.

New & Noteworthy

This week’s Clippings includes: Jonathan Rauch wrote in The Atlantic on how Trump’s administration embraces “patrimonialism,” a loyalty-based governing style that breeds corruption. Karyn Vilbig explained in The Conversation how improved views of Black Americans from 2012 to 2020 drove increased support for social welfare programs. The ASA and AFT sued over a federal directive banning race considerations in education, with ASA President Adia Harvey Wingfield warning it harms research and public understanding. Meanwhile, Gallup reports 9.3% of U.S. adults now identify as LGBTQ+, with Jessie Ford telling The New York Times that younger generations see sexuality as a spectrum.

Our new Discovery, Gendered Division of Labor Among the Elite by Daniel Cueto-Villalobos, covers new research by Dr. Jill Yavorsky finding that traditional gender roles remain dominant among the super-rich, shaping broader cultural norms.

From the Archives

Fans have taken to the internet to mourn the deaths of actors Michelle Trachtenberg and Gene Hackman this week. This 2016 piece by Amber Joy Powell explores how the public mourns the death of celebrities, including with online tributes.

A child in Texas died of measles a couple days ago, the first U.S. death from the disease in 10 years. This follows an outbreak of measles in rural communities in West Texas, where rates of opting out of vaccines are high. This piece from 2015, written during a measles outbreak in southern California by Caty Taborda, covers research on the politicization and distrust surrounding vaccines and vaccine refusals.

The imprisoned leader of a Kurdish militant group has urged its members to lay down their arms, potentially putting an end to the organization’s decades-long war with the Turkish government in which 40,000 people have died. Back in 2017, the Kurdish Region of Iraq held an independence referendum. At that time, Dr. John Kendall wrote for the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies about the history of Kurdish nationalism.

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Contexts

• The Winter 2025 issue is available for viewing, covering some soc takes on Trump’s second term, corporations and conservation, VA privatization, and much more!

Council on Contemporary Families

• A must read opinion reprint from Newsweek by Kirsten Stade, arguing Trump’s expanded Global Gag Rule is the extreme end of a widespread pronatalist ideology that pressures women into childbearing for political and economic gain.