We think of the Society Pages as a place for social scientists to connect with public issues and audiences. Sociology’s professional organization, the American Sociological Association, has a new initiative to connect sociologists to other organizations in an exciting way.

The Sociology Action Network (or SAN ) will match ASA members who are interested in volunteering their sociological expertise with not-for-profit organizations in need of technical assistance. If you or your organization are intrigued by this possibility, the project is up and running so the time is now!

SAN volunteers help organizations in many ways, including conducting needs assessments and program evaluations, reviewing technical reports, writing grants, and providing training.  In the process of helping a local organization achieve their goals, you will be helping to expand the public’s understanding of sociology and its value to society. 

Sign up here to become a SAN volunteer today. And/or learn more about the initiative by coming to the SAN workshop at the upcoming 2019 Annual Meetings in New York. (Full disclosure: Doug is on the advisory board and will be on the panel in August, and Chris was a member of the ASA council that approved the project). The more, the merrier — and the more meaningful use of your sociological knowledge and skills.

Welcome back! This week we’ve got social science research on technological inequalities, the transformative power of parties, and cohabitation trends for the financially insecure.

There’s Research on That!:

Technological Inequalities in Society,” by Allison J. Steinke. The internet may seem like a neutral tool, but social science research shows that technology has a dark side.

Discoveries:

The Social Side of the Solo Cup,” by Isabel Arriagada. New research in Social Psychology Quarterly finds that social occasions have the power to be transformative in positive and negative ways.

From Our Partners:

Sociological Images:

Crowding Out Crime,” by Evan Stewart.

Soccer Stars & Soc Majors,” by Evan Stewart.

Council on Contemporary Families:

From Countercultural Trend to Strategy for the Financially Insecure: Premarital Cohabitation and Premarital Cohabitors, 1956-2015,” by Arielle Kuperberg.

And from the Community Pages:

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Hello! This week we’re highlighting social science research on violence and revolution, sociological perspectives on side hustles, and reflections on the WNBA and Black America.

There’s Research on That!:

Violence and Revolution,” by Brooke Chambers. In honor of U.S. Independence Day celebrations, we rounded up social science research on how violence can remake identities, redraw state boundaries, and bring power to marginalized groups.

Clippings:

The Downsides of Side Hustles,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. CNBC talks with Arne Kalleberg and Alexandrea Ravenelle about the downsides of side hustles.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

Inmates, Social Networks, and Health,” by Han Kleman.

Christian Nationalism, Race, and Policing,” by Contexts Magazine.

Council on Contemporary Families:

Is Cohabitation the New Conventional?” by Amanda Miller and Sharon Sassler.

And from the Community Pages:

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Hello and happy Friday! This week we’ve got new research on gender inequality in the top 1% of U.S. earners, an examination of injustice in Honduras, and reflections on the exploitation of immigrant farm labor.

Discoveries:

The Top One Percent’s Crystal Ceiling,” by Allison J. Steinke. New research in American Sociological Review finds a clear gender imbalance within the top one percent of U.S. earners.

Clippings:

Struggling with Silence in Honduras,” by Lucas Lynch. A recent article in The Progressive by sociologist Meghan Krausch documents how corporate and elite interests can prevail over ordinary Honduran plights for security and justice.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

Stemming the Exploitation of Immigrant Farm Labor,” by Andrew Smolski.

Health and Romantic Union Dissolution,” by Xu Yan.

Color-blindness Wrapped in a White Bow,” by Simone N. Durham.

Binding Neighborhoods through Co-offending Networks,” by Han N. Kleman.

Risk and Resilience on Reservations,” by Layne Amerikaner.

When a School Isn’t Just a School,” by Nadirah Farah Foley.

Council on Contemporary Families:

Amy Blackstone on Childfree Adults,” by Barbara Risman.


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Welcome back! This week we’ve got social science research on missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada, LGBT advocacy across the globe, and how women use headphones to avoid harassment.

There’s Research on That!:

Injustice and Indigenous Women in Canada,” by Allison Nobles. In light of a historic inquiry into missing and murdered women in Canada that determined the nation committed genocide against Indigenous women, we rounded up research on these missing and murdered women.

Discoveries:

LGBT Advocacy Goes Global,” by Isabel Arriagada. Recent research in Social Forces finds that LGBT-specific international organizations play a key role in whether nations adopt LGBT-friendly policies, more so than international organizations broadly focused on human rights.

Clippings:

Headphones Help Avoid Harassment,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. The Atlantic talks with Laura Logan about how women use headphones to avoid harassment.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

Dreams Deferred,” by Kelsey Drotning.

The Gendered Impacts of Social Support,” by Xu Yan.

Saluting Sexuality,” by Hannah Kleman.

Access Isn’t Enough,” by Jennifer Sullivan.

Gender in Academic Self-Citations,” by Danielle Koonce.

The Whiter the University,” by Chandra Reyna.

Council on Contemporary Families:

25 Years after the “Gayby Boom” and We Still Can’t Talk about Reproductive Loss,” by Christa Craven.

And from the Community Pages:

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Hello and happy Friday! This week we’ve got the social science of cricket, new research on green consumption and social status, and reflections on race in the NFL.

There’s Research on That!:

Wickets and Sixes: A Social Science of Cricket,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. As teams compete for the Cricket World Cup, social science explores cricket at the intersections of globalization, postcolonialism, boundaries, and identity.

Religion, Sexuality, and Social Change,” by Evan Stewart. For Pride month, we revisit social science research on the relationship between religion and sexuality.

Discoveries:

Go Green, Gain Esteem,” by Amy August. New research in Socius finds that green consumption is a status symbol for both conservatives and liberals alike, but reducing consumption is not.

From Our Partners:

Sociological Images:

Keep off the Grassroots?” by Evan Stewart.

Contexts:

Can Sociology Help Democracy Assistance Programs?” by Theodore P. Gerber.

Black Artists and Elite Taste Culture,” by Patricia A. Banks.

‘Til Death,” by Eric Stone.

Urban Upkeep,” by Layne Amerikaner.

Yes, Sociology is Racist, Too,” by Jessica Shotwell.

Afrofuturism and Black Panther,” by Myron T. Strong and K. Sean Chaplin.

Frack, Yes,” by Emily Campbell.

Council on Contemporary Families:

Revisit: “Daddy’s Home!” Increasing Men’s Use of Paternity Leave,” by Ankita Patnaik.

And from the Community Pages:

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Hello! This week we’ve got social science research on queer criminal activity, gender lines at the Olympics, and choosing a child-free life.

There’s Research on That!:

‘Queering’ Criminality and Victimization,” by Caity Curry. We review recent research on queer criminal activity to move beyond one-sided depictions of LGBT people as solely victims of hate crimes.

Clippings:

Affirming Gender Lines in the Olympics,” by Allison Nobles. The New York Times talks with Madeleine Pape about the recent ruling that female track athletes with naturally elevated levels of testosterone must reduce these hormones before they can participate in certain races at major competitions.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

The Economics of Migration,” by  Jonathan Portes.

Council on Contemporary Families:

More People Than Ever Aren’t Having Babies. And They’re Doing Just Fine,” by Amy Blackstone.

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Thanks for joining us this week! We’ve got a special feature on fertility trends, new research on elementary school expulsions, and young people’s extramarital affairs.

Special Feature:

US Fertility Keeps Dropping – But That’s Not a Reason to Panic,” by Caroline Sten Hartnett. In this special feature, we take a look at fertility trends in the United States.

Discoveries:

Elementary Expulsions,” by Mark Lee. New research in Social Forces finds that youth of color are much more likely to be suspended or expelled from school by age nine.

Clippings:

Millennials, Marriage, and Monogamy,” by Allison Nobles. The Atlantic talks with Wendy Manning and Andrew Cherlin about young couples and extramarital affairs.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

Flat Rebels,” by Julie Whitaker.

Letter from the Editors, Spring 2019,” by Rashawn Ray and Fabio Rojas.

Sociological Images:

Supreme Sociology: How Hype Happens,” by Evan Stewart.

Council on Contemporary Families:

Revisit: Trevor Hoppe on Punishing Disease,” by Arielle Kuperberg.

And from the Community Pages:

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Welcome back! This week at TSP we’ve got social science research on climate change and racial inequality, and how aggressive policing harms African American boys’ educational performance. We’ve also got a new teaching post on ice breaker activities that transition easily into course material.

Teaching TSP:

Ice Breakers and Community Building in the Classroom,” by Andrea Krieg. In this post, Krieg gives three examples of ice breakers that can be used to build community in the classroom and seamlessly move into course content.

There’s Research on That!:

The Color of Climate Change,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. We rounded up social science research on how climate change poses greater challenges for poorer, non-white communities in the United States and globally.

Discoveries:

How Aggressive Policing Hurts School Performance,” by Caity Curry. New research in the American Sociological Review finds that aggressive policing policies hurt African American boys’ school performance.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

Big Data and the American Dream, An Interview with David Grusky,” by Reeve Vanneman.

Sociological Images:

What Kind of ____ are You?” by Evan Stewart.

Council on Contemporary Families:

Sharenting Can be Controversial, But Are We Sure Parents Don’t Care about Their Children’s Social Media Presence?” by Davide Cino and Ellen Wartella.

Social Studies MN:

The Minnesota Population Center,” by Neeraj Rajasekar.

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Hello friends! This week we’ve got a new teaching activity on names of places, social science research on parental incarceration, and sociological takes on why screen-time guidelines may not reflect the realities of all families.

Teaching TSP:

Using Rock Climbing to Teach about Sexism, Racism, and Colonialism,” by Meghan Krausch. In this interactive activity, students read a recent post by Engaging Sports and research place names in their communities.

There’s Research on That!:

The Impact of Parental Incarceration on Children and Families,” by Isabel Arriagada and Caity Curry. By 2012, nearly 2.6 million children had a parent in prison or jail. We rounded up social science research on the effects of parental incarceration on children and families.

Clippings:

Screen Time in Summer Time,” by Amy August. The Atlantic talks with Jessica Calarco about how screen time guidelines make assumptions that may not be true for all families

And from the Community Pages:

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