New and Noteworthy

Ellie Nickel wrote up recent research from Patrick Sheehan on the surprising appeal of perpetually unemployed career coaches who rely on emotional connections with job-seeking clients in the absence of formal credentials.

Worth a (Listen) Sociologically Speaking

Sociologist Lisa Hajjar discussed her new book investigating the long legal fight against torture and its legacy with radio station KFPA.

Citings and Sightings

The New York Times spoke with sociologists Christina Gibson-Davis and Jeffrey Alexander about how shifts in attitudes towards pregnancy and marriage may have contributed to a rise in mid-pregnancy weddings.

More from our Partner and Community Pages

Contexts‘ blog shared a teaching exercise, and Q&A with co-author DeAnna Y. Smith, to help bring their Winter 2023 feature “Child Removal Fears and Black Mothers’ Medical Decision-Making” to the classroom.

The Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies’ blog shared a Q&A with Joachim Salvesberg on the International Criminal Courts’ release of arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova related to the forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia.

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New and Noteworthy

Check out our write up of new research from Danya Lagos showing that there has not been one “trans tipping point.” Although more people now identify as transgender, the relationship between other social identities and transness has changed over birth cohorts.

Worth a Read (Sociologically Speaking)

For Contexts Sophie X. Liu shared stef m. shuster and Laurel Westbrook‘s call for exploring joy in sociology with their research showing that authenticity, pride, mental health benefits, and community are elements of trans joy.

Citings and Sightings

The Los Angeles Times drew on the work of Kate Cairns and collaborators, Priya Fielding-Singh, and Caitlyn Collins, and Kathleen Gerson to help us understand why parents, especially mothers, are judged so harshly for how and what they feed their kids.

From the Archives

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Even if today is not the one day of the year you claim Irish ancestry check out our roundup of research on how Irish people (and other European ethnic groups) became white in the United States.

More from Our Partner and Community Pages

For Council on Contemporary Families’ blog Jaclyn S. Wong wrote about how her research shows that workplace and childcare, egalitarian cultural models, and coordinated action from partners are all necessary to achieve equal dual-earner partnerships.

Virginia Rutter for Girl w/ Pen shared thoughts on James Butler’s essay “This Concerns Everyone” on the challenges of care which is necessary and costly, both economically and personally, but rarely centered in political debates.

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New and Noteworthy

In Japan the same help-seeking behavior that boosts mental wellbeing in the U.S. leads to decreased life satisfaction & less positive mood according to research from Verity Y. Q. Lua & colleagues written up for the site by Caroline Garland.

Worth a Read (Sociologically Speaking)

For the Conversation, sociologist Kelsy Burke and Tyler Lefevor examine how religion and political affiliation shape beliefs about transgender rights, focusing in on legislative developments in Utah.

Citings and Sightings

Listen to WBUR Boston speak with sociologist Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot on the challenges of transitioning into a “third act” of life without a cultural narrative to support the risk taking and reinvention necessary.

From the Archives

On Tuesday the Supreme Court hear arguments on student loan forgiveness, read this piece from Amber Joy Powell on racial and gender disparities in the burden of student debt.

More from Our Partner and Community Pages

For Council on Contemporary Families’ blog, Armin A. Dorri and Stephen T. Russell wrote about their new research showing that lesbian, gay, and bisexual people who have more internalized homophobic stigma desire children more but feel they are less likely to achieve parenthood.

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New and Noteworthy

Leonardo LaBarre wrote up new research from Ilya Slavinski and Becky Pettit showing that court fines and fees are not a replacement for incarceration and target the same historically disadvantaged communities.

Citings and Sightings

CBS news spoke with sociologist Mary Brinton and Masahiro Yamada who critiqued Japan’s new match-making initiative, designed to address low birth rates by encouraging marriage, for not addressing the gender inequality and economic insecurity young people face.

From the Archives

With historic winter storms blowing across the United States this week, post-earthquake recovery efforts ongoing in Turkey and Syria, check out this piece from partner Contexts on what social science tells us about natural disasters.

More from Our Partner and Community Pages

For Council on Contemporary Families’ blog, Dr. Breanna Boppre wrote about the stressors loved ones of incarcerated people overcome to visit their family members, from transportation time and costs to constant surveillance.

Niya St. Amant wrote for Engaging Sports on the risk and injury associated with high-stakes competition show RuPaul’s Drag Race.

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New and Noteworthy

New research from Kristin Kelley shows that, despite more women choosing to keep their maiden names, wives who do not take their husband’s last names are considered less loyal and loving and farther from the ideal wife.

Citings and Sightings

February is Black History Month but it is not the only time of year we should center conversations around race and racism, according to sociologist Dan Hirschman speaking with USA Today, especially given the organized backlash against racial progress.

From the Archives

For more Black History Month reading, check out this piece from alums Caty Curry and Amber Joy Powell highlighting black women’s long-standing contributions to the discipline.

More from Our Partner and Community Pages

New co-editor Seth Abrutyn sat down to discuss how Dr. Anna Mueller and his Contexts piece “Durkheim’s Suicide in the Zombie Apocalypse,” helps make foundational sociological concepts accessible and interesting to students, offering discussion prompts for other instructors hoping to do the same.

Transgender parents may let children explore their gender before ascribing labels, according to new research from Rachel G. Riskind, Samantha L. Tornello, and Mary Campbell shared on Council on Contemporary Families’ blog.

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New and Noteworthy

Just in time for Valentine’s Day we shared some good news for young love. New research from Sara I. Villalta and colleagues found that supportive, low-conflict romantic relationships help teenagers feel happier.

Worth a Read (Sociologically Speaking)

Jenny Enos wrote for Everyday Sociology about how the sociological imagination and the term “emotional labor” can help us explore and understand the experiences and challenges of women choosing to have children later in life.

Citings and Sightings

National Public Radio’s Marketplace spoke with sociologist Carolyn Chen on how her ethnographic research in Silicon Valley, which explores the almost religious devotion of tech workers, can help us understand the identity crises laid-off employees might face.

Backstage with TSP

We’re working on a *secret new project* that has us thinking about how to balance big picture thinking with zooming in on the complexities of life uncovered in social scientific analysis. Whether we’re imagining our audience as the interested public, students, or a skeptical parent who isn’t quite sure why we picked sociology, we need to balance key takeaways with the data and stories that help explain these findings and showcase the relationships or processes we think our readers should care about. Striking this balance is one of the main challenges of how we think about doing public sociology. It helps to view this as a vision rather than a destination, one we work towards everyday as a student board, especially when the excitement for a new undertaking starts fading in light of the reality of the hard work ahead.

More from Our Partner & Community Pages

Deadric T. Williams and Virginia Rutter were re-posted on Council on Contemporary Families’ blog writing about new publications that explore the stubborn problem of viewing family structure as an explanation for black-white racial inequality.

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New and Noteworthy

Board member Jacob Otis wrote up new research from Tony Cheng that shows that community listening sessions are not an impartial venue for residents to raise complaints about the New York Police Department (NYPD). Instead, the NYPD focuses on easily resolvable complaints rather than than “rabble-rousing” topics such as police brutality, favor regular pro-police attendees, and choose venues, such as churches and schools, with existing relationships with the police.

Worth a Read (Sociologically Speaking)

Sara Bruhn wrote for Council on Contemporary Families’ blog about her new research showing that welcoming school districts are an important site of belonging and inclusion for Latino mothers in sanctuary cities.

Citings and Sightings

Axios spoke with Laura E. Gómez and  Nancy López about what a proposed change to the census questions on race and ethnicity could mean for Latinos. Current estimates suggest Latinos were significantly undercounted in the 2020 census.

From the Archives

Yesterday Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. Read more about the importance of Groundhog day, and other strange rituals.

More from our Partner and Community Pages

As Contexts gets settled in at their new headquarters at the University of British Columbia, they spoke with Dr. Elizabeth Hirsh about why the policy briefs are one of her favorite sections of the magazine.

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Image description clockwise from upper left 1. Older couple holds hands around a tree. 2. Mars Rover 3. An asian chef holds her hands over a plate, seasoning the food 4. Coach Deion Sanders on the Jackson State sideline at the 2021 SWAC Championship 

New and Noteworthy

Because critics assess them based on “authenticity” and consumers expect them to be cheap, gourmet ethnic restaurants struggle to stay afloat and gain recognition. Check out this new discovery from Gillian Gualtieri written up by board member Abigail Palmer.

Citings and Sightings

Insider spoke with sociologist Janet Vertesi on how her ethnographic work with NASA helps shows that, unlike the general public, scientists do not anthropomorphize the robots they work with but they do feel deeply connected to the technology.

Backstage with TSP

Given Twitter’s uncertain future, and the energy of our board members, particularly our enthusiastic undergrads, we are considering what alternative social media platforms TSP might use to showcase our public sociology work. We aren’t yet sure what this will look like but we are having fun thinking about how we could make TSP go viral and feeling grateful for the advice and participation of a younger, and more trend-sensitive, generation. Do you showcase your academic work on other platforms? Do you wish TSP was on a social media site that you love? Drop us a line at tsp@contexts.org.

From the Archives

This week, we lost co-founder of Sesame Street, Dr. Lloyd Morrisett. Dr. Morrisett leaves behind a powerful legacy of public children’s programming that works to reflect the sometimes tough realities of kids lives, such as parental incarceration.

More from our Partner and Community Pages

Contexts spoke with Dr. Ethan Raker about why he is excited about Contexts‘ arrival at the University of British Columbia (spoilers: Great opportunities for grad students! Showcasing UBC’s unique soc perspective! The great Trends section!)

For Engaging Sports Dawn Norwood reflects on what the history of athletics at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the reality of the financial and racial inequalities shaping college athletics can tell us about renewed attention to HBCUs.

For Council on Contemporary Families’ blog Brittany Stahnke Joy shared her research on what aspects lead to long-term success in marriage.

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Image attribution, clockwise from upper left. 1.“Untitled” by Sofia_Shultz_Photography is licensed under “Pixabay License“ 2. “January 2004 – Mars Rovers Landed” by NASA is in the public domain 3.  “Chef Pam is working on her dish in “The Table” restaurant“ by Thexprojectbkk is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 4. photo via 2C2K Photography licensed under CC BY 2.0

Image descriptions, clockwise starting at upper left. 1. A black woman and boy wash their hands at a kitchen sink. 2. The back of a young black person in a red jacket, they are facing a large building in the distance. 3. Image of a small statue of a harried white man, holding a baby and a vacuum. 4. Banner image titled “Q&A with Dr. Ethan Raker” featuring images of magazine pages. Image attribution at the bottom of this post.

Best of 2022

We can’t stop thinking about this piece from new board member Leonardo LaBarre, voted one of our “Best of 2022.” Check out his write-up of research from Dylan Jackson & colleagues showing that kids who are expelled or suspended from school experience earlier and more frequent police encounters.

Citings and Sightings

For Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, Hajar Yazdiha spoke with Axios about how emphasis on King’s I Have a Dream speech entrenches colorblind views that deny systemic inequality, and shapes public memory of the civil rights movement.

Backstage with TSP

Today our spring semester kicks off! We’re excited to reunite and welcome a few new board members. I, for one, am feeling energized and ready to tackle some new projects we have in the works and dive back into our regular schedule of meetings, editing, and posting. Every new semester brings fresh faces and challenges, we look forward to what’s ahead.

From the Archives

This week, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced she will step down. Ardern was the country’s first leader to give birth while in office. Checkout this roundup of research on the challenges working mothers face giving some context to why Ardern might not feel she has “enough in the tank” for another term.

From Our Partner & Community Pages

As Contexts touches down at the University of British Columbia, they spoke with Dr. Ethan Raker about what he loves about the magazine and it’s public-facing mission.

Daniel L. Carlson and Richard J. Petts wrote for Council on Contemporary Families’ on their new research demonstrating the pandemic’s mixed-effects on gender inequality.

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Image attribution. 1. “Untitled” by Cade Martin, Dawn Arlotta, USCDCP is licensed under CC0. 2. “Untitled” licensed under CC0. 3. “Untitled” by Rollstein is licensed under “Pixabay License.“ 4. “Untitled” by Contexts is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0.

(Clockwise from top left) A man sits in front of a document, cup of coffee, and laptop, his head resting in his hands; Father helping daughter with schoolwork; Art Shell, then head coach of the LA Raiders, reaching for a handshake; A Kaiser Permanente ad trumpets the organization’s involvement in 2017’s Washington, D.C. Capital TransPride celebration. Image attributions at the end of the this post.

New and Noteworthy

While the majority of National Football League players are Black, most head coaches are white. On the site, Marissa Kiss, Earl Smith, and Angela J. Hattery question why there as so few Black permanent head coaches when these same men are trusted to lead in the interim.

Worth a Read (Sociologically Speaking)

From our “Best of 2022” awards, Daniel Cueto-Villalobos summarizes social science research on emotion and precarity that puts interest in the “Great Resignation” into social contexts.

Citings and Sightings

Following Damar Hamlin’s collapse in last week’s Monday-night football game, socio-cultural anthropologist Tracie Canada wrote for Scientific American on the violence Black men experience in football, drawing on the work of sociologists Billy Hawkins and Harry Edwards.

From the Archives

Today it’s Friday the 13th! In honor, check out this piece from partner Sociological Images on how horror films show us our collective nightmares.

From our Partners and Community Pages

Richard J. Petts writes for Council on Contemporary Families’ blog on his research examining the gap between dads’ interest in being involved fathers and their actual contribution to domestic labor, arguing that we have to expect fully engaged dads to achieve gender equality.

Deni Mazrekaj writes for Contexts on the discrimination trans people face in the workplace and how we can work to combat this inequality.

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Image attribution (clockwise from top-left) “Computer Man Stressed Work” by Caio Triana is licensed under CC0; “Untitled” by ddimitrova is licensed under “Pixabay License“; “Art Shell in 2006” by Keith Allison is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0; “2017.05.20 Capital TransPride Washington, DC USA 5177” by Ted Eytan is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.