Sometimes, time gets away from you! As does debt, as shown in this week’s contribution from Dr. Jason Houle, showing the increase and changes in debt over three generations. Other things that can get away from you: March Madness (I mean, it’s called Madness), the reproduction of sexism and racism, and parental worry.

Features:

“Out of the Nest and Into the Red,” by Jason N. Houle. Three generations of debt reveal changing ideals and life courses. Oh, and debt.

Editors Desk:

“Kristof Panel Podcast: Find It Here!” by Doug Hartmann. A panels of Scholars Strategy Network members recently got their smart on at the Humphrey Center at the University of Minnesota. Kristof Challenge: accepted.

“March Madness and Me, On TV,” by Doug Hartmann. How does March Madness affect productivity, office cohesion, and isolation? We know a guy who can tell you.

Office Hours:

“Knowledge Production and Public Engagement,” by Kyle Green and Sarah Lageson. The aforementioned “Kristof panel,” in all its glory.

“David Schalliol on Sociologically Informed Photography,” by Kyle Green. Put this together with the photos and essay Schalliol recently penned for this site, and you’ve got all the sociological senses covered! We think. Not sure how smell-o-vision would help.

In Case You Missed It:

“Debt and Darkness in Detroit,” by David Schalliol. A community comes together to provide basic services and increase safety. Everyone continues to make Detroit jokes.

Reading List:

“College ‘Credit’,” by Erin Hoekstra. New Soc of Ed research confirms the translation of parental wealth into children’s awesome credit reports, but spots a new problem: the reproduction of racial inequalities through student loan debt.

Scholars Strategy Network:

“The Prison Boom and the Increased Risk of Homelessness for Black Children in the United States,” by Christopher Wildeman. What’s that? Parents who shuttle in and out of prison, saddled with legal debt and records that prevent them from getting jobs, have kids who suffer precarity? Racial disparities in policing increase the proportions of black parents who get put away? Damn. It seems like someone shoulda seen this coming. Dr. Wildeman did.

“How, and Why, to Build a Better Measure of School Quality,” by Jack Schneider. Helping parents truly find (and build) the best schools for their children means getting past standardized test scores.

There’s Research on That!

“E-Cigarettes and ‘Acceptable’ Substance Abuse,” by Jacqui Frost. The rise and fall of acceptable behaviors—and acceptable people.

“Is Bitcoin a Bust?” by Evan Stewart. How currency gains currency.

“Comcast and Time Warner Joining Forces?” by Rahsaan Mahadeo. A sanctioned cable monopoly may well increase the digital divide.

Citings & Sightings:

“The Mental Labor of Working Mothers,” by Kat Albrecht. Eat, sleep, work, parent, stress. Ahh, the working mother’s to-do list. Guess which items get short shrift in the second shift.

Teaching TSP:

“Summer Lovin’ and the Sexual Double Standard,” by Erin Hoekstra. Everything old is new again: time to talk about hookup culture, and we’ve got the resources to help.

A Few from the Community Pages:

• Sociological Images on perhaps the most interesting, but overlooked, character in the Woolworth’s lunch counter sit-ins of the ’60s, whether giving Barbie a career does anything to change her overall lessons, the importance of survey questions’ wording, and how kids absorb and reproduce the world around them.
• Girl w/ Pen! talks to female journalists about sexist newsrooms over time.
• Cyborgology’s David Banks makes Amtrak an offer they can’t refuse.

Last Week’s Roundup