New & Noteworthy
Our latest Clippings by Mallory Harrington covers sociology making headlines, including Tressie McMillan Cottom‘s critique of the moral politics surrounding “Dry January”; Brooke Harrington’s analysis of the antidemocratic ambitions of tech “broligarchs” on The Daily Show; Joan Donovan’s insights into the evolving role of political disinformation in Trump’s campaigns and the broader internet landscape; Volodymyr Paniotto’s examination of Ukraine’s shifting social dynamics and demographic crisis amid the ongoing war; Hannah Wohl and Lindsey Cameron’s exploration of the illusory autonomy of gig economy workers in industries like ride-sharing and adult content; and Zeynep Tufekci’s incisive critique of Mark Zuckerberg’s approach to hate speech moderation and the monetization of divisive content on Meta platforms.
From the Archives
President Trump has pulled back directives that bar Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol from arresting people who are suspected of being undocumented in previously “sensitive” areas that include schools, churches, courthouses, hospitals, and others. Check out our recent Discovery by Leonardo LaBarre, Undocumented Driving, Threats of Deportation, & Childhood Trauma, which covers research about the ripple effect of these immigration policies on children.
On Sunday, February 2, the Grammys will be awarded to US musicians. Read another recent piece, The Making of a #1 Song by S Ericson, from last year if you want to know more about how music charts are calculated in the US.
Backstage with TSP
The TSP board met for our first time for Spring Semester. This semester we are going full steam ahead on some new TROTs, summarizing social science research on a variety of topics.
More from our Partners & Community Pages
- rural rainbows by Sophie X. Liu covers a study in the Canadian Review of Sociology, showing that mental health outcomes among LGB Canadians vary across urban and rural contexts, and is influenced by gender and partnership status. While partnered gay men in rural areas report the highest levels of mental well-being, bisexual individuals—especially women—consistently face significant mental health disadvantages, highlighting the need for supportive rural environments.
- youth migrants and long-delayed family reunification by Daniel Jenks and Ernesto Castañeda summarize their new book, Reunited. It challenges the media’s portrayal of unaccompanied minors from Central America, revealing their journeys as family-driven efforts to reunite amid long separations and rising violence, highlighting the visible struggles at the border and the often-invisible challenges of reintegration.
Council on Contemporary Families
- Finding a Home During the Affordable Housing Crisis by Steven Schmidt covers his research in the American Sociological Review, highlighting how low-income renters in Los Angeles rely on social ties to navigate the challenges of unaffordable housing, using support from friends and family to secure leases, cover deposits, and find temporary housing. However, racial disparities in the financial resources available through these networks widen housing inequalities, with white renters often accessing better options and outcomes compared to Latina/o renters.
- The Olympification of Kinesiology: Highlighting Troubling Trends and Emphasizing Hope by Parissa Safai, Alixandra Krahn, and Yuka Nakamura critiques the narrowing focus of kinesiology programs, likening their emphasis on optimizing performance and producing “work-ready” graduates to the Olympic motto of “faster, higher, stronger.” The authors argue for a broader approach that integrates sociological awareness, collective action, and community engagement, ensuring kinesiology fosters thought leaders equipped to address social inequalities and promote solidarity.
