Friday Roundup

Welcome back! This week, we round up research on disease and discrimination to help make sense of the coronavirus from a sociological perspective. And, as spring break looms large, we offer a collection of scholarship on celebration and solidarity, and new research on exchange rates.

There’s Research on That:

“Disease Exposes Discrimination” by Allison Nobles. We bring together research on the long, problematic history of blaming marginalized groups for the spread of infectious disease.

“The Social Science of Spring Break” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Partying is packed with sociological ideas, and we round up research unpacking the social processes of rituals, festivals and trips.

Discoveries:

“Vitriol & Volatility: How Trump’s Tweets Affect the Peso” by Jillian LaBranche. New scholarship finds a relationship between the President’s derogatory tweets about Mexico and the U.S. Dollar-Mexican Peso exchange rate.

From Our Partners:

Sociological Images

“Social Inequality, Medical Fears, and Pandemics” by Joseph O. Baker, Ann Gordon, L. Edward Day, and Christopher D. Bader.

“Does Blindness Beat Bias?” by Evan Stewart.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Working Parents are Leaders” by Stew Friedman and Alyssa Westring.

From Our Community Pages:

• Engaging Sports discusses how Irish immigrants in Scotland celebrate their heritage through soccer.

Last Week’s Roundup

Sign Up for Inbox Delivery of the Roundup

TSP Edited Volumes

Welcome back! This week we’ve got new research on who’s having same-sex sex and what resources Black and white teachers get from same-race social ties. We also round up research on how American history textbooks cover violence, national figures, and more.

There’s Research on That:

“ConTEXTualizing Historical Knowledge,” by Jillian LaBranche. American history textbooks vary wildly in educational content. To understand more, we review social science research on how textbooks cover violence, national figures, and more.

Discoveries:

“Black and White Teachers’ Access to School Resources,” by Amber Joy Powell. New research in the American Journal of Sociology finds that Black teachers do not get the same resources as white teachers do from same-race social ties at work.

“Who Is Having More Same-Sex Sex? by Jean Marie Maier. New research in Gender & Society finds that younger people demonstrate more same-sex sexual behavior than older people, with a greater increase for women and black men.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“What’s New About Consent,” by Rebecca L. Davis.

From Our Community Pages:

• Engaging Sports discusses the symbolic violence of the X League and why women pay to play.

Last Week’s Roundup

Sign Up for Inbox Delivery of the Roundup

TSP Edited Volumes

Welcome back! This week we’ve got new research on public health epidemics and media coverage, how social ties help refugees, and reflections on colleges’ role in reducing unwanted sex on campus.

There’s Research on That:

“Contagion and Panic in the Media,” by Allison J. Steinke. In light of current coronavirus concerns, we review social science research on public health epidemics and media coverage.

“Journalism’s Evasive Objectivity Norm,” by Allison J. Steinke. In recent years ideals of fairness, accuracy, and balance in journalism have come under increasing attack, so we rounded up research on objectivity in journalism.

Discoveries:

“How Social Ties Help Refugees,” by Allison Nobles. New research in Socius finds that refugees need both strong and weak social ties to meet their needs in an unfamiliar society.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“No Easy Answers: Can Colleges Define Consent and Reduce Unwanted Sex?” by Stephanie Coontz and Paula England.

Sociological Images:

“What’s Weird about Where You’re From?” by Evan Stewart.

From Our Community Pages:

• The Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies reflects on the evangelical ethic and the spirit of escapism.
• Engaging Sports discusses how India came to love cricket.

Last Week’s Roundup

Sign Up for Inbox Delivery of the Roundup

TSP Edited Volumes

Welcome back! This week, we bring you research on graduate student debt, and a review of a new book investigating the stress and sleeplessness of Gen X women. We also feature a roundup of 16 TSP Classic posts that demonstrate why it’s important to celebrate Black history all year long.

Discoveries:

“Graduate Student Debt is Growing but Stratified” by Jean Marie Maier. New research on student loans identify graduate school as a major contributor to rising debt. Find out which students are better positioned by their degrees to pay it off.

The Editor’s Desk:

“American Women on the Verge: A review of Ada Calhoun’s Why We Can’t Sleep” by Syed Ali.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“The Puzzling Persistence of Gendered Dating” by Ellen Lamont.

Sociological Images:

“Hopeful Research on Romance” by Evan Stewart.

From Our Community Pages:

• The Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies reveals how colonialism is normalized in prominent monuments and government institutions.

TSP Classics:

As Black History Month draws to a close, we bring you “From the #TSPClassics Collection: Black History Month, a TROT that rounds up our favorite, timeless posts about the history, meaning, and importance of celebrating Black history.

“Presidents Pick the Power Elite” by Mark Lee. This TSP Classic Clipping draws on sociological expertise to understand the influence of millionaire investors on government leaders.

Last Week’s Roundup

Sign Up for Inbox Delivery of the Roundup

TSP Edited Volumes

Happy Valentines Day! This week, we bring you research on diamonds and their often exploitative extraction, as well as research that evaluates the promises of longhand notetaking. We also feature a new Discovery about American parenting.

There’s Research on That:

“Updating the Debate on Longhand Notetaking” by Jean Marie Maier. We introduce new research that extends and complicates what we know about the benefits of taking notes by hand.

“Mining Love” by Jillian LaBranche. As Valentine’s Day engagements cause diamond sales to rise, this roundup of research reminds us that diamonds have many symbolic meanings, and not all of them are positive.

Discoveries:

“American Parents Emphasize Hard Work” by Mahala Miller. New research sheds light on which traits parents most want to pass on to their children and how it’s changed over the past three decades.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Highlights from the 2020 CCF Conference” by Arielle Kuperberg.

From Our Community Pages:

• The Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies interviews an expert about how cultural perceptions of the body affect torture.
• Engaging Sports reports research findings about the nature of the feedback women receive in the eSports community.

TSP Classics:

Just in time for the Oscars, we bring you, “The Sociology of Oscar-Winning,” a TSP Classic from Clippings and an exposé on what it takes to win big at the Academy Awards.

Last Week’s Roundup

Sign Up for Inbox Delivery of the Roundup

TSP Edited Volumes

Happy Friday! This week, we bring you research on the sexual socialization of boys and racial inequalities among newly hired coaches in college athletics. We also feature a new teaching resource for assessing students’ critical thinking about racial narratives.

There’s Research on That:

“Boys, Masculinity, and Sexual Expectations” by Allison Nobles. We round up research on how boys and young men understand the relationship between beliefs about “being a man,” peer pressure, and sex.

Discoveries:

“Race and Organizational Pathways in College Coaching” by Jean Marie Maier. To shed light on racial inequalities in the NCAA, new research examines who is likely to fill vacant coaching positions in Division I basketball.

Teaching TSP:

“Assessing Popular Narratives on Race: A Final Project for ‘Race and Racism in the U.S.’” by Monica Jarvi. Check out this great resource for implementing a final project focused on racial narratives in your Race and Racism course!

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

“Will a NFL Player Take a Knee at the Super Bowl?” by Simón E. Weffer, Rodrigo Dominguez-Martinez, and Raymond Jenkins.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“National Spouses Day Was Last Week…. Feeling Any Pressure? A Fact Sheet on Prospects for Marriage in Contemporary America” by Daniel L. Carlson and Stephanie Coontz.

Sociological Images:

“The “New” Gender-Neutral Doll” by Martha McCaughey.

From Our Community Pages:

• The Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies ponders the role of pronunciation in marking nationality and creating symbolic borders between people.

TSP Classics:

Just in time for the Iowa primary debacle, we bring you The (Retrospective) Charm of an Iowa Caucus,” a TSP Classic from Cyborgology and a now-ironic homage to the past simplicity of its technology.

Last Week’s Roundup

Sign Up for Inbox Delivery of the Roundup

TSP Edited Volumes

Welcome back! As the first month of the year draws to a close, we bring you a roundup of scholarly work on blood donation, and new research on how parents choose new homes and how courts handle crisis.

There’s Research on That:

“Individuals, Institutions, and Blood Donation” by Jillian LaBranche. In light of critical blood shortages across the US, we bring you research illuminating factors that prompt more people to donate. Surprisingly, altruism is only part of the story.

Discoveries:

“Make Yourself at Home, unless You’re Renting” by Amy August. New research in Social Forces explores how the goals of searching for a new home differ depending on families’ income level.

“Courts in the Context of Crisis” by Jillian LaBranche. New research compares U.S. citizens and non-citizens’ likelihood of receiving prison sentences in the aftermath of 9/11.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Giving Up Marriage for the Baby Carriage?” by Jennifer Randles.

From Our Community Pages:

• The Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies investigates participation in public observances of Holocaust Remembrance Day.
• Cyborgology ponders the complexity of disaster tourism as Australians come to bear witness, bolster awareness, seek validation, and more generally, cope with the surreal fires ravaging their nation.
• Engaging Sports explores how Canadian surf culture thinks about concussions.

TSP Classics:

As the Corona virus spreads worldwide, we bring you Evan Stewart‘s TSP Classic, “Ebola and the Epidemic Mindset,” which rounds up research on how media and governments shape the way citizens respond to outbreaks.

Last Week’s Roundup

Sign Up for Inbox Delivery of the Roundup

TSP Edited Volumes

Welcome back! This week, we reflect on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words about order and justice, tension and peace, and the vast chasm between colorblind ideals and persistent racial inequalities. We also feature the TROT that traveled the furthest on social media in 2019, and the Discovery with the best title, as voted by TSP’s graduate board.

There’s Research on That:

“Best of 2019: Race, Gender, and Surviving Student Loan Debt” by Amber Joy Powell. In light of recent conversations and debates about student loan debt, we rounded up social science research on the conditions driving student loan debt and its disparate impacts by race and gender.

Discoveries:

“Best of 2019: 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.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Marital Strain Increases Psychological Distress for Couples in Both Same-Sex and Different-Sex Marriages, but Women in Different-Sex Marriages Suffer More” by Michael A. Garcia and Debra Umberson.

Contexts:

“Twenty Years in a Culture of Fear” by Daniel Harrison.

TSP Classics:

In “MLK: Sinking Shots, Sparking Thoughts,” Doug Hartmann reflects on the legacy of one of the most famous sociology majors.

Last Week’s Roundup

Sign Up for Inbox Delivery of the Roundup

TSP Edited Volumes

Welcome back! This week, we feature two articles voted best of 2019 by the TSP team. The first celebrates the (often forgotten) Black women who continue to inspire sociological studies across a range of subfields. The second introduces a novel way sociology instructors can provide feedback to students modeled after the Great British Baking Show.

There’s Research on That:

“Best of 2019: Unearthing Black Women’s Early Contributions to Sociology” by Amber Joy Powell and Caity Curry. We reflect on the contributions of three influential Black women: Ida B. Wells, Anna Julia Cooper, and Jacquelyn Mary Johnson Jackson.

Teaching TSP:

“Best of 2019: 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.

TSP Classics:

“Who Are Fair Trade Deals Good For?” by Erik Kojola. Just in time for the Senate vote on a new trade deal between the US, Mexico, and Canada, we round up research on who benefits from these kinds of trade deals and who doesn’t.

Cyborgology‘s Nathan Jurgenson brings us “Photos of Snow,” a reflection on why we take and post and like snow photos.

Last Week’s Roundup

Sign Up for Inbox Delivery of the Roundup

TSP Edited Volumes

Welcome back! This week, we feature two articles voted best of 2019 by the TSP team. The first talks about the transformative potential of violence, and the second interrogates gaslighting from a sociological perspective. Finally, a new piece from our community pages calls attention to the crisis in Kashmir.

There’s Research on That:

“Best of 2019: 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.

Discoveries:

“Best of 2019: The Social Basis of Psychological Abuse” by Jordan Boudreaux. Research in American Sociological Review reveals how people who commit domestic abuse mobilize gender stereotypes, racial stereotypes, and victims’ institutional settings in order to manipulate their victims’ sense of reality.

From Our Community Pages:

• Center for Holocaust & Genocide Studies calls attention to the territorial dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir and how the crisis affects the Kashmiri people.

Last Week’s Roundup

Sign Up for Inbox Delivery of the Roundup

TSP Edited Volumes