Hello everyone! This week we’ve got social science research on taxes, black women and health disparities, and the relationship between meat and masculinity. You can also find sociological takes on the complexity of toxic masculinity and the increasing rate of bisexual identification.

There’s Research on That!:

“No Taxation Without Sociological Imagination,” by Mark Lee. For tax day, we rounded up research on who pays how much to Uncle Sam.

“Black Women and Health Disparities,” by Amy August and De Andre’ T. Beadle. Black women face serious health disparities in the United States, so we rounded up research on medicine and wellness at the intersections of race and gender.

Discoveries:

“Masculinity, Medium Rare,” by Allison Nobles. New research in Socius finds that men who experience a threat to their masculinity are more likely to express attachment to meat.

Clippings:

“The Social Complexity of Toxic Masculinity,” by Allison Nobles. In a recent article in The Atlantic Michael Salter talks with Raewyn Connell about why toxic masculinity isn’t itself to blame for gender violence and inequality.

“How the Politics of Racial Resentment Hurts Everyone,” by Lucas Lynch. Vox talks with Jonathan Metzl about while working-class white Americans favor policies that defund programs that could benefit their own health and opportunities.

From Our Partners:

Sociological Images:

“The Bisexual Boom,” by D’Lane Compton and Tristan Bridges.

“The Wildness of Crowds,” by Evan Stewart.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Combating Gender Bias in Modern Workplaces,” by Alison Wynn and Shelley Correll.

And from the Community Pages:

• Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies reminds us antisemitism was never gone.

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Hello sociology-fans! This week we’ve got sociological research on peace and conflict in Northern Ireland, morality and monetary exchanges, and why legal doctrines are not enough to stop genocide.

There’s Research on That!:

“Peace and Conflict in Northern Ireland,” by Mark Lee. Sociologists explain why peace is so fragile in Northern Ireland by uncovering the structural, religious, and political roots of the conflict.

Discoveries:

“Naming, Blaming, and Claiming Legal Protection from Genocide,” by Brooke Chambers. New research in Genocide Studies and Prevention finds that the existence of legal protections does little to stop genocide without states and international organizations upholding their commitments.

“What Gifts Can Buy,” by Isabel Arriagada. New research in American Sociological Review finds that the line between acceptable and unacceptable monetary exchanges is blurry.

Clippings:

“Discrimination During Legal Border Crossings,” by Javiera Lamoza Osorio. The Chicago Tribune features research by  Alexander Updegrove, Joshua Shadwick, Eryn O’Neal, and Alex Piquero about discrimination during legal border crossings.

“Race & Basketball,” by Amy August. USC Anneberg Media talks with Ben Carrington about racial representation in sports.

From Our Partners:

Sociological Images:

“Sam Smith & The Sociology of Body Shaming,” by Jonathan Harrison.

Contexts:

“Rwanda, Genocide, and Gender-Based Violence,” by Nicole Fox.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Liberation Based Healing Practices: An Interview with Rhea V. Almeida,” by Joshua Coleman.

And from the Community Pages:

• Cyborgology ponders on k-pop, social media, and networks of (mis)information.
• Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies reflects on the Rwandan Genocide, 25 years later.

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Welcome back! This week we’ve got sociological takes on mug shots, how emotions spread online, and the Marie Kondo phenomenon. Be sure to also check out our new posts featuring social science research on autism across cultures and what jokes tell us about our social context.

There’s Research on That!:

“‘That’s Not Funny!’ Social Context and Humor,” by Allison Nobles. For April Fools Day, we rounded up social science research on how humor varies by context and how it can create solidarity or social divisions.

“Autism Across Cultures,” by Isabel Arriagada and Amy August. To mark World Autism Awareness Day, we gathered social science research on how culture matters for different communities’ views of autism.

Discoveries:

“When College Sports Cost More Than They Save,” by Jean Marie Maier. New research in Sociology of Sport Journal finds that universities assume athletics are a solid investment, but it doesn’t always work that way.

Clippings:

“Your Smile is Contagious, Especially Online,” by Allison J. Steinke. NPR talks with Nicholas Christakis and Jeff Hancock about how emotions transfer online.

“Ending the Mark of a Mugshot,” by Caity Curry. Slate talks with Sara Esther Lageson about how the movement to end the widespread practice of online mugshots highlights broader debates about transparency, free speech, and due process.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Deep Stuff: A Sociologist Sorts Through the Marie Kondo Phenomenon,” by Michelle Janning.

Social Studies MN:

“The Minnesota Youth Story Squad,” by Neeraj Rajasekar.

And from the Community Pages:

• Cyborgology reflects on families in the age of genetic testing and how data economies matter.
• Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies provides a guide to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival.
• Engaging Sports argues it’s time to invest in women’s soccer.

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Welcome back! This week we’ve got research on how constructions of merit help reproduce inequality, how brain injuries involve changing identities, and the relationship between health and missing utility payments.

There’s Research on That!:

“Constructing Merit in College Admissions,” by Jean Marie Maier. In light of the college admissions scandal, we rounded up research on how constructions of merit help reproduce inequality.

“Reconstructing Identity after a Brain Injury,” by Allison Nobles. To mark Brain Injury Awareness Month, we delve into social science research on how recovery from a brain injury involves changes to identity, social relationships, and everyday routines.

Discoveries:

“When Poor Health Means Past Due,” by Allison Nobles. New research in Sociological Perspectives finds that changes in health predicts missed utility and housing payments more than changes in income.

Clippings:

“Artificial Intelligence, Empathy and Moderating Online Communities,” by Allison J. Steinke. The Verge interviews Katherine Cross about artificial intelligence technology as a way to moderate online communities.

“False Meritocracy in the Elite Workplace,” by Jean Marie Maier. The Atlantic talks with Daniel Laurison about how the culture and personnel of professional firms benefit upper-class workers.

From Our Partners:

Sociological Images:

“Forging New Paths,” by Evan Stewart.

Contexts:

“Ethnographers in Cars with Guns,” by Steven Lubet.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Children and Happiness: Are Parents in the U.S. Becoming Happier over Time?” by Jennifer Glass.

And from the Community Pages:

• Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies reflects on the Never Again Education Act and historical naming in Minnesota.
• Dispatches from a Dean ponders cashless retail.

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Hello and happy spring! This week we’ve got tips on teaching immigration, social science research on how the Irish became white, and “hot off the press” research about how personality predicts who you know.

Teaching TSP:

“Why Don’t Immigrants “Just Line Up”? Teaching Immigration in a Hostile Climate,” by Meghan Krausch. In this post, Krausch details how to have a productive discussion about immigration by starting with how the U.S. immigration system actually works.

There’s Research on That!:

“The Luck of the Irish,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. For St. Patrick’s Day, we rounded up research on how the Irish became white in the United States.

Discoveries:

“Does Your Personality Predict Who You Know?” by Amy August. New research in Social Psychology Quarterly finds that your personality traits can predict who is in your social network.

Clippings:

“Measuring American Indian Identities,” by Lucas Lynch. NPR talks with Carolyn Liebler and Desi Rodriguez-Lonebear about how determinations of American Indian identities have changed over time.

From Our Partners:

Sociological Images:

“Forging New Paths,” by Evan Stewart.

“Gender, Confidence, and Who Gets to Be an Expert,” by Jean Marie Maier.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Are Family Courts Therapeutically Just?,” by Cindy Brooks Dollar.

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Welcome back! This week on TSP we’ve got social science research on intimate partner violence, male victims of sexual assault, and how lynchings matter for current punitive attitudes. We’ve also got sociological takes on unplanned pregnancies and civil justice.

There’s Research on That!:

“The Pervasive Problem of Intimate Partner Violence,” by Mark Lee.  With the release of Jordan Peele’s recent documentary about Lorena Bobbitt, who retaliated against her husband John after years of alleged abuse, we rounded up social science research on intimate partner violence.

“When Boys are Victims of Sexual Assault,” by Amber Joy Powell. HBO’s airing of Leaving Neverland got us thinking about an often-neglected group of sexual assault survivors — adolescent boys. We gathered sociological research examining how masculinity and heterosexuality shape boys’ experiences of sexual victimization.

Discoveries:

“The Legacy of Lynchings,” by Caity Curry. New research in Criminology finds that in places where lynchings were historically more common, white residents report increased punitive sentiments toward Black people.

Clippings:

“Why Access to Civil Justice Matters,” by Caity Curry. The New York Times talks with Rebecca Sandfeur about why access to civil justice matters.

“When Unplanned Doesn’t Mean Unwanted Pregnancy,” by Javiera Lamoza Osorio. The New York Times discusses the important difference between “unplanned” and “unwanted” pregnancies with Heather Rackin.

From Our Partners:

Sociological Images:

“What Makes “Green Book” an Unusual Oscar Winner,” by Andrew M. Lindner.

Contexts:

“Cedric Herring’s Lasting Legacy: A Tribute,” by Hayward Derrick Horton and Loren Henderson.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“The Real Mommy War Is Against the State,” by Caitlyn Collins.

And from the Community Pages:

• Cyborgology reflects on the history of corporate greenwashing and data privacy.
• Dispatches from a Dean highlights a recent Vox map showing how the racial makeup of neighborhoods changes throughout the day.

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Hello sociology-fans! This week we’ve got new research on how gender matters for beer ratings, why senior citizens are spending more to help their grandchildren, and how The Great British Baking Show can help you give effective feedback.

Teaching TSP:

“The Great British Baking Show and Improving Student Feedback,” by Andrea Krieg. Krieg reflects on how judges from The Great British Baking Show can help teachers and mentors provide effective feedback.

There’s Research on That!:

“Bias and Transgender Personnel in the U.S. Military,” by Lucas Lynch. We rounded up social science research on military attitudes towards transgender personnel and misconceptions about the effects of transgender personnel on military readiness.

Discoveries:

“The Beer Glass Ceiling,” by Mark Lee. New research in Social Forces finds that female entrepreneurs must pass a high bar if they want to enter traditionally masculine fields, while men who make traditionally feminine products are given the benefit of the doubt.

Clippings:

“Seniors Tap Savings to Help Grandchildren,” by Amy August. In an interview for The Atlantic, sociologist Kathleen Gerson explains that sometimes grandparents provide help to the younger generations, even if doing so comes at a cost to themselves.

“U.S. Intervention and the Crisis in Venezuela,” by Lucas Lynch. In a recent article in The Nation, sociologists Tim Gill and Rebecca Hanson reflect on the importance of the chavistas in Venezuela’s presidential crisis.

From Our Partners:

Sociological Images:

“High-Class Hoaxes,” by Evan Stewart.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Not All Stepgrandparents are the Same: Long-term Versus Later-Life,” by Lawrence Ganong and Marilyn Coleman.

And from the Community Pages:

• Cyborgology reflects on work and the value of data maintenance and narratives about the future.
• Dispatches from a Dean highlights a CityLab article on race, class, and bike-friendly cities.

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Welcome back! This week we’ve got sociological takes on the meaning of prison tattoos, how gender matters for regretted hookups, and masculinity in a recent Gillette ad. To wrap up Black History Month, we reflect on three Black women who contributed to sociology in its early days.

Teaching TSP:

“Are Women People? Teaching Simone de Beauvoir with Sociological Images,” by Meghan Krausch. This class activity uses a Sociological Images post to discuss Beauvoir’s concept of woman as “other.”

There’s Research on That!:

“Unearthing Black Women’s Early Contributions to Sociology,” by Amber Joy Powell and Caity Curry. As Black History Month draws to a close, we reflect on the contributions of three influential Black women.

“The Meaning of Prison Tattoos,” by Isabel Arriagada. We rounded up social science research on the social meaning and function of prison tattoos.

Discoveries:

“How Gender Matters for Regretted Hookups,” by Allison Nobles. New research in The Sociological Quarterly finds that gendered power relations, combined with social norms and beliefs about sex, contribute to who regrets casual sex.

Clippings:

“Masculinity and The Gillette Ad Controversy,” by Javiera Lamoza Osorio. Vox talks with Tristan Bridges about the Gillette Ad controversy and masculinity.

From Our Partners:

Sociological Images:

“‘People of Wealth’ in Politics,” by Evan Stewart.

Contexts:

“Reaching Out, An Interview with Mario Luis Small,” by Fabio Rojas.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Does Cooperative Divorced Coparenting Matter?” by Jessica Troilo, Jonathon Beckmeyer, and Melinda Markham.

Social Studies MN:

“Comments and Imagined Audiences on News Websites vs. Facebook,” by Allison J. Steinke.

And from the Community Pages:

• Cyborgology reflects on the need to talk about disability in our conversations about climate change.

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Hello, everyone! This week TSP staff took a look at everything from Black history and intersectionality to the politics of planting trees.

There’s Research on That!:

“Intersectionality and its Roots” by Allison Nobles. Everyone is talking about “intersectionality,” and we’re looking at the research behind the buzzword.

Discoveries:

“Digital Activism Gap and Organizing” by Allison J. Steinke. New research in Social Problems shows us how the digital divide shapes the success of social movements.

Clippings:

“The First Step Act and the Implementation of Criminal Justice Reform” by Caity Curry. Michelle Phelps explains in The Conversation how politicians’ attempts to change the criminal justice system have often worked through uneasy alliances.

“Redistributing Trees and Social Power” by Mark Lee. CityLab draws on sociology to explain why some neighborhoods resist city “greening” efforts.

From Our Partners:

Sociological Images:

Hidden Black History in Appalachia by Jacqueline Clark

Council on Contemporary Families:

Good news about Gender Equality: Why won’t anyone listen? by Barbara J. Risman, William J. Scarborough, and Ray Sin

And from the Community Pages:

• Engaging Sports follows mental health in professional sports
• Feminist Reflections looks at Dads and Diaper Ads—A Tough Gender Test

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Welcome back! This week we’ve got new takes on love behind bars, W.E.B. Dubois, schools’ role in inequality, and accusations against R. Kelly.

There’s Research on That!:

“Love Behind Bars,” by Isabel Arriagada. For Valentine’s Day, we rounded up research on how relationships work during incarceration.

“What Would W.E.B. Dubois Do?” by Neeraj Rajasekar. For Black History Month, we explore a well-known Black intellectual who was also a sociologist, W.E.B. Dubois!

Discoveries:

“Schools Shrink Home-grown Gaps in Math and Reading,” by Amy August. New research in Sociology of Education finds that schools can shrink early achievement gaps.

Clippings:

“Survivors and Racialized Rape Myths,” by Amber Joy Powell. Saida Grundy’s recent piece in The Atlantic helps us break down how Black support for R. Kelly remains despite the shocking revelations from Black women about their experiences of violence.

“Revisiting Familiar Fears in Border Politics,” by Lucas Lynch. The Washington Post reviews work by Doug Massey on what the U.S.-Mexico border symbolizes.

From Our Partners:

Sociological Images:

“Flipping the Script on Romance,” by Evan Stewart.

“Page, Pratt, and Politics at the Pulpit,” by Evan Stewart.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Household Instability and Complexity among Undocumented Immigrants,” by Youngmin Yi.

And from the Community Pages:

• Dispatches from a Dean highlights an article from Wired on facial recognition technology. 

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