Friday Roundup

The days are getting shorter and the weather is getting colder – so grab a warm beverage and curl up with some great social science!

The Editors’ Desk:

“The Return of Revolt – Tommie Smith and John Carlos Go to Washington.” Editor Doug Hartmann reflects on his first book about athlete protests and how things have and have not changed since.

There’s Research on That!:

“Problem-Oriented Policing in an Age of Protest,” by Amber Joy Powell. Research is mixed on whether or not problem-oriented policing strategies are effective.

“Whose Nation, Whose Parks?” by Erik Kojola and Jacqui Frost. In conjunction with the recent centennial celebration of the National Park Service, we look to research on who actually gets the most out of national parks and the racial and ethnic inequalities their creation often stems from.

“Protesting Prison Conditions,” by Caity Curry. The recent prison protests highlight not only unpaid labor but also issues of dismal healthcare and high rates of suicide in prisons, as well as the overuse of solitary confinement.

Discoveries:

“Are Warming Temperatures a Scientific Consensus or Hoax? It Depends on Your Political Party,” by Erik Kojola. New research maps the significant divergence in opinions about climate change causes and consequences among Democrats and Republicans over the past decade.

Clippings:

“Crossing an ‘Empathy Bridge’ to Understand Trump Supporters,” by Elizabeth Tremmel. Sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild talks with Wisconsin Public Radio about her research with conservatives in Louisiana.

“What Makes a ‘Successful’ Immigrant?” by Neeraj Rajasekar. “Unlike other immigrant groups whose parents are more likely to have college degrees, Mexican second-gen immigrants have experienced the most ‘success,’ overcoming the odds of often being the first person in their family to attend college.”

From Our Partners:

Scholars Strategy Network:

“Are Gender Stereotypes A Problem For Female Candidates?,” by Nichole Bauer.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“TANF Policy to Address Low, Volatile Income among Disadvantaged Families,” by Bradley Hardy. 

Contexts:

“Bonfires of Belfast,” by David Schalliol.

“Middle-class Moms Managing Black Sons’ Vulnerability,” by Brittany Dernberger.

“Expressing Depression,” by  Lucia Lykke.

“Career Plans Aren’t Family Plans,” by Moriah Willow.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Sociological Images looks at selfies in high schools and media coverage of domestic violence.
• Girl w/Pen! discusses when sexy media matters.
• Families As They Really Are revisits family income versus family structure and affordable childcare.

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Boy, do we have a ton of great new stuff to share with you this week. We’ve got a number of pieces on diversity, activism, and community in the sporting world, some excellent tips and ideas for teaching and writing in sociology, and a new podcast with Aldon Morris, just to name a few. See below for all that and more!

The Editors’ Desk:

“First Person Ethnography.” Editor Doug Hartmann reflects on the different narrative devices used in ethnographic writing and argues that each has it’s own strengths and weaknesses.

Office Hours:

“Aldon Morris on The Scholar Denied,” with Enid Logan. In this special hour-long episode, University of Minnesota sociologist Enid Logan talks with Morris about his new book and the ways W.E.B. Dubois shaped the field of sociology.

Teaching TSP:

This semester we are rolling out a series of posts from grad instructor Jack Delehanty on teaching writing in sociology classes. Check out his first post, “Teaching Writing with 5-Minute Workshops,” and stay tuned for more.

There’s Research on That!:

“Pipeline Protests a Pipedream?,” by Erik Kojola. The protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline are the most recent battle between Native American rights and industrial development, and research shows that these battles often result in social dislocation, environmental problems, and a loss of livelihoods for native communities. For even more research on that, check out Erik’s recently published article on the ways that news media coverage of the Keystone XL pipeline worked to legitimate extraction and disrupt potential coalition between unions and environmentalists.

“Punters and Protesters,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Research shows that Colin Kaepernick’s choice to kneel during the national anthem is part of a larger resurgence of athlete activism surrounding racial inequality in America today.

“Millennials Misunderstood,” by Evan Stewart. Millennials get a lot of flack these days, but social scientists argue that they are not as shallow or selfish as popular memes make them out to be—they are responding directly to unique social pressures.

Discoveries:

“Extending the “Crime Scene” into the Community,” by Ryan Larson. New research in Sociological Science finds that not only are communities of color more likely to experience violence, they are also more likely to see an increase in stop and frisk activity after a violent crime is committed.

Clippings:

“The History of the Republican Party Divide,” by Chelsea Carlson. Josh Pacewicz explains to the Washington Post that Trump is not the origin of the conflicts we are seeing in the Republican Party today but that these divisions stem from a much longer history.

“‘Muggles’ and Stigma: Using Harry Potter to Teach Sociology,” by Caity Curry. Bertena Varney at Southern Kentucky Community and Technological College has been using Harry Potter to teach students about inequality and disabilities.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

“Making Sports More Sporting” – Five Viewpoints:

• “Addressing Racial Injustice In Big-Time College Sports,” by Marvin P. Dawkins.
• “Change Doesn’t Necessarily Mean a Paycheck,” by Lucia Trimbur.
• “LGBT Inclusion,” by Pat Griffin.
• “‘This Has to Change!’,” by Cheryl Cooky.
• “Racism and the Rooney Rule,” by Kevin Hylton.

“The Shifting Landscape of Sports Media with Dave Zirin,” by Ben Carrington and Dave Zirin.

“How the Young Weigh Weight,” by Rose Malinowski Weingartner.

Scholars Strategy Network:

“The Roots and Impact of Outrage-Mongering in U.S. Political Opinion Media,” by Sarah Sobieraj and Jeffrey M. Berry.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“TANF Didn’t Fight Poverty. Full Employment Did,” by Alan Barber and Virginia Rutter.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Sociological Images talks burkini bans and the lack of balanced coverage on the elections.
• Families As They Really Are revisits research on hooking up.
• Sociology Toolbox explores how superstition in sports helps build community.

Last Week’s Roundup

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Our Latest Book

Hello and happy Friday everyone! The TSP grad board is back in full force this week with an array of interesting and timely posts, from welfare in Oregon, to mourning on social media, to getting in trouble at school. Also, Contexts is rolling out their latest issue, which covers Hamilton, the Oscars, street dancing in Compton, and bonfires in Belfast, so be sure to keep checking in with them as they make different pieces from the latest issue available online over the next few weeks.

There’s Research on That!:

“Restorative Justice in the Classroom,” by Sarah Catherine Billups. Back to school means back to important discussions about disciplinary action in the classroom.

“When ‘Nice Guys’ Rape,” by Amber Joy Powell. Feminist scholarship highlights the pervasiveness of rape culture and helps us pinpoint how it reproduces notions that only “bad guys” commit “real rape.”

Discoveries:

“Variety is the Spice of Life, but Are Typical Dishes Best?” by Sarah Catherine Billups. New research in the American Sociological Review examines the differences between consumers who prioritize variety in the genres of food and movies they consume and those who prefer typicality.

Clippings:

“Why Oregon is So Generous,” by Ryan Larson . Oregon has one of the most robust welfare systems in the U.S., but social scientists shed light on some of the racist and classist reasons why that might be.

“Challenging ‘Normal’ Bodies, One Girl at a Time,” by Amber Joy Powell. Female Olympians are fighting back against the stigma of larger, more muscular female figures.

“Mourning with Social Media,” by Edgar Campos. How Twitter is making the mourning of others more open and public than it’s ever been.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

Contexts is rolling out its latest issue, and new individual pieces will be made available online each week. See below for the table of contents, a letter from the editors, and one of their new feature articles.

“A Cornucopia of Sociological Goodness,” from editors Syed Ali and Phil Cohen.

“Summer 2016 Table of Contents.”

“The King of Compton,” by Jooyoung Lee.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Why Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Programs Succeed or Fail on the Frontlines of Welfare Reform,” by Jennifer Randles.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Cyborgology covers grief hype-jacking, writing for a public audience, and the political economy of the headphone jack.
• Sociological Images explores Latinos for Trump and how our media bubbles protect our ideologies.
• Families As They Really Are talks Bad Moms and back to school.

Last Week’s Roundup

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Our Latest Book

Hello, everyone, and happy summer! Things have been heating up at TSP headquarters, and we’re back with a look at the latest in social science research. Our team is also gearing up for ASA 2016 next month, and we hope to see many of you there!

Discoveries

“Faith in Fellow Citizens” by Evan Stewart. New research from Daniel Olson and Miao Li finds the relationship between religiosity and trust across nations isn’t quite what we would expect.

White Papers

Clippings

“Counseling Callbacks Skewed by Race, Class, and Gender” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Heather Kugelmass talks to The Atlantic about inequality in therapy.

“Swipe Right for Sociology” by Kat Albrecht. Jessica Carbino talks Tinder and the sociology behind the swipes for Los Angeles Magazine.

“The ‘Model Minority’ Is a Harmful Stereotype, Too” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Adia Harvey Wingfield explains how excellence can isolate in The Atlantic.

There’s Research on That!

“Affirmative Action, College Admissions, and the Debunked ‘Mismatch’ Hypothesis” by Neeraj Rajasekar. In light of the Supreme Court’s decision in Fisher v. University of Texas-Austin, research shows Affirmative Action helps, not hurts, racial minority groups.

“The Point of Unicorns” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Remember that prehistoric “Siberian Unicorn” discovered earlier this year? While archeologists comb the fossil record, sociologists are unpacking all our other paranormal beliefs.

From Our Partners:

Scholars Strategy Network

How To Break America’s Logjam on Guns and Gun Violence by Philip J. Cook and Kristin Goss

Challenges and Opportunities for Efforts To Build Academic Ties Between the United States and Mexico by Beverly Barrett

How the Reproductive Justice Movement Benefits Latinas by Rocio Garcia

Why Regulation Is Necessary and Proper for a Well-Functioning Democracy and Market Economy by Michael Lipsky

Stabilization and Equity—Responses to Urban Fiscal Crisis In Flint, Michigan, and Beyond by Ashley E. Nickels

Why the Time Is Right To Expand the National School Lunch Program To Higher Education by Sara Goldrick-Rab, Katharine Broton, and Emily Brunjes Colo

Why There Are No Quick Economic Fixes for Women in Developing Countries by Barbara J. Risman and William J. Scarborough

Contexts

Letta Page and Syed Ali review Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari and Eric Klinenberg

Sarah Halpern-Meekin, Laura Tach, Kathryn Edin, and Jennifer Sykes explain how the Earned Income Tax Credit is a hand up for lower-income families

Paula England and Eliza Brown ask who has how many sexual partners and whether those patterns vary by sexual orientation

Hello and happy Friday everyone! We here at TSP HQ are wrapping up another great semester with research on binge drinking, collective mourning, and ex-felon employment. While we will remain hard at work bringing you all the best in sociological research over the summer, we are going to scale back our Roundups to once a month until September. So, you won’t hear from us again until June but be sure to keep stopping by to check out what we are up to in the interim!

There’s Research on That!:

“When Fans Cry: Why We Mourn the Loss of Celebrities” by Amber Joy Powell. “People mourn the death of celebrities who hold connections to emotional events; that is, people do not solely grieve the loss of that celebrity, but also the loss of the memories associated with that celebrity.”

Discoveries:

“Binge Drinking on the Bubble,” by Ryan Larson. Peer pressure can create a potent pull to binge drink, but only for those with a medium genetic propensity.

Clippings:

“Ex-felon Employment,” by Ryan Larson. NPR talks to Devah Pager about how felons fare when they gain employment.

Give Methods a Chance:

“Madison Van Oort on Discourse Analysis & Studying Commercials,” with Kyle Green. Kyle and Madison chat about their collaborative work on the ways commercials employ the crisis of masculinity to sell products.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

“The Converging Gender Wage Gap, 1980-2012,” by Craig Upright.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Why is Pay for Caregiving Work So Low?” by Paula England.

Scholars Strategy Network:

“What We Know – And Need to Learn – About Progress Against Sex Discrimination in Education,” by Celene Reynolds.

And a Few From the Community Pages:

• Families As They Really Are wishes everyone a Happy Feminist Mother’s Day!
• Sociology Lens talks corruption and responsibility in recognition.
• Cyborgology reflects on the ‘technique’ of blackface and gendered bodyhacking.
• Sociological Images asks why the media genders marital unhappiness and shows how racial wealth gaps effect the next generation.

Last Week’s Roundup

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Our Latest Book

Big things are happening at TSP this week! Our latest volume, Assigned: Life With Gender (edited by Lisa Wade!), is now available along with cutting edge work over on TROT and a new Office Hours podcast to enjoy!

There’s Research on That!:

Clippings:

Discoveries:

“Smart Whites Less Racist in Principle, Not Necessarily Policy” by Amber Joy Powell. New work from Geoffrey T. Wodtke finds high verbal ability helps people talk the talk, but walking the walk is another story.

Office Hours:

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Optimism about families beyond the way we never were” by Braxton Jones. Good news troubles the myth of the “traditional” family.

Scholars Strategy Network:

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Sociological Images asks why aren’t there more women in politics?
• Families As They Really Are talks bathroom bills.
• Cyborology looks at live tweeting and who owns Washington Park?
• Feminist Reflections reviews debates over sex ed.

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Our Latest Book

It is officially spring here in Minneapolis, but the erratic weather has not rained out our research roundup! Be sure to stop by and check out our latest.

There’s Research on That!:

“Spring Cleaning,” by Sarah Catherine Billups. On the sociological significance of dust and who is responsible for getting rid of it.

“Rural, White Women Getting Sicker, Dying Quicker,” by Sarah Catherine Billups. How stress and timing of childbirth disproportionately affect poor white women.

Clippings:

“Why Pay Inequality is So Stubborn,” by Allison Nobles. “Unfortunately, while a small number of women moving into top positions may help those below, when large numbers of women enter traditionally male-dominated fields, the results are not so rosy. Why? Women’s work simply isn’t valued as highly as men’s.”

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

“Microscopic Hair Comparison and the Sociology of Science,” by Simon A. Cole and Troy Duster.

“Germany Avoids Going Gray,” by Carrie Clarady.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“The Way We Still Never Were,” by Stephanie Coontz. Be sure to check out Coontz’s substantially revised and updated edition of The Way We Never Were.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Sociological Images illustrates global wealth inequality and explores race-based activism on college campuses.
• Families As They Really Are asks if government marriage education programs promote gender equality.
• Cyborology reports on the art of Fuller House.
• Feminist Reflections reflects on the inclusion of new gendered language in the dictionary.

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Our Latest Book

Hello, everyone, and happy NOT Tax Day! With a brief respite from the primary election news cycle this week, we at TSP have been rounding up research on everything from harm reduction to hookup culture. Enjoy!

The Editors’ Desk

“Larry Jacobs’ Public Scholarship.” Chris Uggen highlights Jacobs as a model for research and media outreach.

There’s Research on That!:

“Bringing Harm Reduction to America’s Heroin Problem” by Austin Jenkins and Allison Nobles. Research shows how new approaches to drug treatment increase safety and lower stigma.

Clippings:

“Corporate Diversity Won’t Solve Income Inequality” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Kevin Leicht explains why in an in The Atlantic.

“Tall, Thin, and Raking It In” by Allison Nobles. Amy Blackstone talks to Broadly about pay gaps and personal appearance.

From our Partners:

Scholars Strategy Network:

“Can Universities Maintain Diversity without Directly Considering Race in Admissions?” Mark C. Long investigates alternatives to affirmative action and finds a few hazards along the way.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“The Date’s Not Dead” by Arielle Kuperberg and Joseph E. Padgett. New research shows hookup culture is popular on college campuses, but so is more traditional dating. Tinder hasn’t trumped it all!

Contexts:

“Shallow, Self-Absorbed, and Aggressively Competitive ‘Primates’.” Myra Marx Ferree talks ethnographic methods while reviewing Primates of Park Avenue. 

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Feminist Reflections looks at the gender gap in traffic.
• Sociological Images reflects on what makes art popular. Maybe it’s just familiar?
• Cyborgology looks ahead to Theorizing the Web 2016 with a paper preview!

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Our Latest Book

Hello and happy Friday! We’ve got a little bit of everything for you this week, from gender segregation in the workplace, to white evangelical Christians and their voting habits, to data activism and the Panama Papers. Enjoy!

There’s Research on That!:

“Colorism and Divisions Among Black Women,” by Amber Joy Powell. How casting for the new Nina Simone biopic highlights the consequences of colorism.

Discoveries:

“Trickle-Down Gender Parity?” by Allison Nobles. When women are employed in upper level positions, what happens to the women left near the bottom?

Clippings:

“A-Ok-Cupid,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Sociologist Michael Rosenfeld dispels negative assumptions about online dating.

From our Partners:

Scholars Strategy Network:

“Why America’s White Evangelical Christians Turn Out at High Rates in Midterm Elections,” by Lydia Bean.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“How is Celebrity Intimate Partner Violence Covered? Race and Gender Patterns Abound,” by Molly McNulty.

Contexts:

“Talking Happiness, Security, and Counterinsurgency with Laleh Khalili,” by Steven Thrasher.

“The Paper Ceiling,” by Brittany Dernberger.

“How to End Institutional Racism,” by the Contexts Grad Team.

“The Unborn and the Undead.” Viewpoints by Susan Markens, Katrina Kimport, Drew Halfmann, Kimala Price, and Deana A. Rohlinger.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Education and Society talks activist burnout and the culture of martyrdom.
• Sociological Images covers the history of homesickness and the whiteness of opioid addiction discourse.
• Cyborgology reflects on the Panama Papers and data activism and why we should wait for drones.

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No foolin’ from us today, there is just a lot of great new content over on TSP this week! From family policy to freegans, we’ve got you covered.

The Editors’ Desk:

“The Politics of Poverty Policy“. Doug Hartmann highlights new work from the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality.

There’s Research on That!:

“The Social Ties of Terrorism” by Evan Stewart. In the face of recent tragedies, social science helps us make sense of the motives and methods behind terror.

Discoveries:

“Freegan Foragers’ Moral Mission” by Sarah Catherine Billups. New research from Alex Barnard digs into dumpster diving.

Clippings:

Give Methods a Chance:

This week Kyle Green talks to R. Tyson Smith about ethnography

From Our Partners:

Scholars Strategy Network:

Council on Contemporary Families:

Contexts:

“#callmecaitlyn and contemporary trans* visibility” by D’Lane Compton and Tristan Bridges. “The public celebration and recognition of transgender people is a start, but it has not yet been matched by achievements in gender equality and diversity.”

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Sociology Lens shows how study abroad could make students go green
• Sociological Images looks at charismatic leaders and where the wild quakes are.

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