Spring is in the air and sociology is on our minds. This week we cover gender roles during WWII, racial differences in support for the Affordable Care Act, and the immigration-crime paradox. All that and more below.

There’s Research on That!:

“The Immigration-Crime Paradox,” by Ryan Larson. Research shows that even though immigrants and the areas they inhabit are associated with lower levels of crime, both documented and undocumented individuals are more likely to be incarcerated and receive longer prison sentences.

“Moonlight, Masculinity, and Black Male Sexualities,” by Amber Joy Powell. Social science sheds light on the origins of stereotypes about Black male sexuality and how they influence Black men’s gender and sexual identity performances.

Discoveries:

“Women, WWII, and Reflections on Shifting Gender Roles,” by j. Siguru Wahutu. New research in Sociological Forum reads diary entries written by women during the Blockade of Leningrad to understand their perceptions of shifting gender roles.

Clippings:

“Race and Support for the Affordable Care Act,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Judy Lubin tells CNN why white support for Obamacare might have saved it.

“Why Fathers Are Afraid to Take Advantage of Paternity Leave Policies,” by Chelsea Carlson. The Guardian looks to Tina Miller to understand how gender norms shape parental leave.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

“Observing Life and Death in America: Gary Younge,” with Steven W. Thrasher.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Cyborgology talks the quantified self.
• Families As They Really Are breaks down housing options for 25-34-year-olds.
• Sociology Toolbox fosters participation in sociology courses.
• Sociological Images finds less policing does not lead to more crime.

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Happy Friday everyone! This week we have a number of pieces on gender inequality at work, at home, and even on vacation, a few new pieces on private prisons and policing, and sociological takes on March Madness, fake news, and shifting sexual practices. Enjoy!

There’s Research on That!:

“For Profit Prisons and the Immigrant Industrial Complex,” by Caity Curry. Private prisons have been reinstated, so we rounded up research on how they enable mass incarceration of immigrant populations.

“The Social Science of Sexual Practices,” by Allison Nobles. A recent survey reported that Americans are having less sex. But, so what? Why should we care how often people are having sex or who their sexual partners are? You got it — there’s research on that!

“Gendering Vacation,” by Sarah Catherine Billups and Allison Nobles. It may be spring break time for many, but women pay a higher price for taking time off work.

Discoveries:

“Highly Skilled White Women Pay the Biggest Motherhood Penalty,” by Sarah Catherine Billups. New research in American Sociological Review finds privilege has its price in the form of high motherhood penalties.

Clippings:

“The “Ferguson Effect” and Informed Policing,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. The New York Times talks to David C. Pyrooz about a different kind of Ferguson effect.

“Why Fewer Millennials Support Gender Equality in the Home,” Edgar Campos. Time covers Joanna Pepin and colleagues’ research on the changing gender attitudes of millennials.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

“Scorn Wars: Rural White People and Us,” by Nina Eliasoph.

“The Sadness of the Border Wall,” by David Bacon.

“How the Media Makes Protests Matter,” by Polina Zvavitch.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Trending Towards Traditionalism? Changes in Youths’ Gender Ideology,” by Joanna R. Pepin and David A. Cotter.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Families As They Really Are sorts out gender, politics, and millennials.
• Sociological Images talks worrisome dynamics of fake news.
• Engaging Sports reflects on March Madness and male emotional expression.
• Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies captures every day life in conflict.

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Hi, Folks! While many of our team members are out at the Midwest Sociological Society meetings this weekend, we’re still here bringing you the best of the week!

There’s Research on That!:

“The ‘Resurgence’ of Anti-Semitism,” by Brooke Chambers. Research shows prejudicial views aren’t a thing of the past, and may have been hiding in plain sight.

“The Risks of Raiding Sanctuary Churches,” by Matt Gunther, Jacqui Frost, and Ethan Johnson. Sanctuary churches have a long history, and research finds immigration raids pose a risk to community stability.

Discoveries:

“Class Status Helps Men More than Women in Elite Jobs,” by Ryan Larson. New research in American Sociological Review finds a high class resume could hurt women, as employers perceive them as less committed to full-time, demanding careers.

Clippings:

“The Persistence of Racial Wealth Gaps,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Tom Shapiro talks to The Atlantic about how economic mobility is harder for families of color.

“The Prison Boom in Rural America,” by Caity Curry. In The Conversation, John M. Eason shows how rural communities with larger populations of color get an economic boost from prisons, but will probably need a new line of work.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

“‘Straight Girls Kissing,’ Beyond the Elite College Campus,” by Jamie Budnick.

“SocArXiv Promotes Open Sociology,” by Philip N. Cohen

“Screening Therapy Clients by Race and Class,” by Rose Malinowski Weingartner.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Revisit: Are African Americans Living the Dream 50 Years After Passage of the Civil Rights Act?,” by Velma McBride Murry and Na Liu.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Cyborgology on the ethics of driverless cars
• Sociological Images talks #thanksfortyping and the hidden work behind the books
• Engaging Sports looks at locker room access for transgender athletes

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Hello and happy Friday all. This week we’ve got a number of new pieces on religion, some reflections on how to influence public policy, and even a little sociology in outer space!

Office Hours:

“Mimi Schippers on Polyamory and Polyqueer Sexualities,” with Allison Nobles. In this episode, we chat with Schippers about her new book and the ways “compulsory monogamy” limits how we experience relationships.

There’s Research on That!:

“Do Politicians Listen When Constituents Call?,” by Erik Kojola. We round up research on the pros and cons of contacting legislators as a way to change social policy.

“Outer Space and Earthly Inequalities,” by Jacqui Frost. It may require rocket science to get to space, but social science is beginning to weigh in on what it might mean for social life if we continue to commodify and colonize outer space.

Discoveries:

“The Ordinary Side of Charismatic Leadership,” by Jacqui Frost. New research in Sociology of Religion finds that leaders of megachurches often embody a particular kind of charisma that blends the ordinary and the extraordinary.

Clippings:

“How Sociology Can Contribute to Public Policy,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. The New York Times talks to a number of sociologists in this piece about the uneven distribution of economics and sociology in public policy discussions.

“Sex Breaks and Employee Satisfaction in Sweden,” by Edgar Campos. Lotta Dellve talks to the New York Times about the potential of sex breaks to increase employee productivity and satisfaction.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

“Institutionalizing Prison Reentry,” by Brittany Dernberger.

“Not Making Mom Proud,” by Nicole Bedera.

“The Complex Path to Secular Identity,” by Rose Malinowski Weingartner.

“Black Names Aren’t That Simple,” by Moriah Willow.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Opioids, Health Care Denial, and a World of Pain,” by Megan Peterson.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Feminist Reflections reflects on trans-feminisms and coalitional social justice work.
• Sociological Images maps racial and educational segregation in the U.S. and explains the sociological relevance of Calvin (and Hobbes).
• Engaging Sports talks Tim Tebow and Trump’s America.
• Girl w/Pen! explores headscarves and manufacturing Islam.

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We may be on spring break, but we’ve still got a great line up for you this week. See below for new pieces on voter suppression, March Madness, and cultural appropriation at rugby matches.

There’s Research on That!:

“How Voter Suppression Shapes Election Outcomes,” by Neeraj Rajasekar and Amber Joy Powell. Trump may believe that massive voter fraud swayed the 2016 election, but research shows that voter suppression is a much bigger problem than fraudulent voting.

“Global Human Rights and the United Nations,” by Brooke Chambers. Despite its numerous shortcomings, research shows that the UN plays a crucial role in promoting human rights across the globe.

Discoveries:

“Parents in Prison Hurts Children in the Classroom,” by Caity Curry. New research in Social Forces moves beyond boys’ bad behavior to investigate the negative cognitive impacts of parental incarceration on all children.

Clippings:

“Appropriating African American Spirituals for Sporting Events,” by Edgar Campos. The New York Times talked to John M. Williams and other social scientists about the causes and consequences of the English Rugby team’s use of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” at their events.

“More Stress, Less Sex?,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Pepper Swartz offers the Washington Post some sociological reasons for why Americans are having less sex.

 From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

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

Contexts:

“Shame, Shame, Shame,” by Polina Zvavitch.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Engaging Sports talks globalizing March Madness.
• Sociological Images explores masculinity and fidelity in pop music and analyzes Google Trend data on questions asked by parents about their children’s sexuality.
• Families As They Really Are revisits ‘real men’ doing housework.
• Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies historicizes white supremacy on college campuses.

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We are heading into spring break up here in Minnesota, but TSP won’t be taking a break from bringing you all things sociology. This week we’ve got new pieces on crime fears, hate groups, and feminist book stores, among others. See below and see you next week!

There’s Research on That!:

“Fear of Crime and Punitive Policies,” by Caity Curry and Ryan Larson. Despite crime rates dropping, fear of crime remains high. Social science helps explain why.

“Not So “Über” Anymore?,” by Evan Stewart. Uber may be in the hot seat right now, but research shows that racial and gender discrimination is a common issue in new businesses.

“How Discrimination Harms Your Health,” by Sarah Catherine Billups. The link between discrimination and stress is clear, and research shows that centrality and visibility of racial or sexual differences leads to higher rates of discrimination.

Discoveries:

“Policing Mothers with Disabilities,” by Allison Nobles. New research in Gender & Society finds that mothers with disabilities are often disciplined by medical professionals because of their perceived risk.

Clippings:

“How Hate Groups Mobilize Masculinity,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. The Guardian interviewed Michael Kimmel about the ways hate groups validate the masculinity of their followers.

“The Trump Presidency and the Rise of Political Activism,” by Caity Curry.  Dana Fisher and Sara Sobieraj talk to NPR about the recent rise in political activism on both the left and the right.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“International Family Research for International Women’s Day,” by Braxton Jones.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Sociological Images visualizes gender inquality in a feminist bookstore and maps social inequality and political polarization in the U.S.
• Families As They Really Are revisits six ways to enable women’s economic empowerment.
• Cyborgology talks surveillance and suicide.
• Sociology Toolbox pictures the U.S. environment before the EPA.

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Transnational migrants, public housing, and the Oscars. We’ve got sociological takes on all that and more this week at TSP.

Office Hours:

“Sergio Chávez on Border Lives and Transnationalism,” with Matt Gunther. In this episode, Dr. Chávez describes the incredible strain that border controls and bureaucracies place on low wage workers, but he also provides a remarkable account of the way that many workers leverage these difficulties into relationships and livelihood strategies.

There’s Research on That!:

“The Problems with Public Housing,” by Matthew Aguilar-Champeau. With ongoing efforts to revitalize public housing projects in the U.S., we look to research on the social forces and sentiments driving their decline.

“The Limited Efficacy of Domestic Violence Policies,” by Sarah Catherine Billups. Research shows that domestic violence policies are often limited in how much they change the way perpetrators think of domestic violence, even if they sometimes keep abusers from repeating violent behavior.

“Public Stories and Social Change,” by Allison Nobles. Stories can be powerful tools for establishing group identity and mobilizing people for a cause, but people in power are more likely to have their stories heard.

Discoveries:

“High School Arrests Halt Higher Education,” by Amber Joy Powell. New research in Criminology finds that being arrested in high school severely limits pathways to higher education.

Clippings:

“Trump’s Reason for Travel Ban Not Supported by Research,” by Edgar Campos. Charles Kurzman tells the LA Times that his research has not identified a single death since the 9/11 attacks caused by people from the seven nations Trump put on his ban list.

“The Ivy League of Gender Inequality,” by Brooke Chambers. New York Magazine details a new study by Dirk Witteveen and Paul Attewell that finds a gender pay gap among graduates of elite universities.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

“Raising the Visibility of Gender-Nonconformists: A Review of ‘Gender Revolution: A Journey with Kati Couric’,” by Barbara J. Risman.

“Moonlight, Trayvon, the Oscars, and America’s Fear of Black Boys,” by Steven Thrasher.

“Children of Immigrants, Changing Races,” by Saswathi Natta.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Time/Place/Race/Class and Family Changes,” by Braxton Jones.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Families As They Really Are revisits marriage education policy and inequality in America.
• Sociological Images explains why people are so averse to facts and asks why Mormons liked La La Land so much.
• Engaging Sports talks race and the U.S. women’s soccer team.

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Hello hello all! As usual, we have a great line up for you this week, so we will get right to it.

There’s Research on That!:

“When Journalists Tweet,” by j. Siguru Wahutu. Social media in the newsroom is increasingly common, but it can blur the lines between professional and personal opinion.

“The Role of Female Role Models,” by Jacqui Frost. Social science shows that positive female role models are a significant predictor of interest and success in STEM for women, and movie stars are not the only ones who can fill those roles.

Discoveries:

“Police Brutality and Citizen Cynicism,” by Ryan Larson. New research in American Sociological Review finds a significant drop in 911 calls after an incident of police violence.

Clippings:

“How Scary Video Games Build Social Bonds,” by Matthew Aguilar-Champeau.  Margee Kerr talks to The Observer about the camaraderie you can build by playing horror-themed video games with others.

“‘Colorblind’ Economic Policies and Their Racial Repercussions,” by Caity Curry.  Adia Harvey Wingfield explains how seemingly neutral economic and criminal justice policies can work to maintain systems of racial inequality in The Atlantic.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“For African Americans, Grief and Loss Starting as Children,” with Debra Umberson.

Contexts:

“Babes in Bikeland,” by Bjorn Christianson.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Families As They Really Are revisits ditching bathroom bullies.
• Sociological Images talks the history of divorce and maps where LGBT people live in the U.S.
• Engaging Sports asks if technology can solve the “concussion crisis”
• Cyborgology argues Facebook is not a community and talks PewDiePie and microcelebrity.

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Happy Friday everyone! This week we’ve got timely pieces on private schooling, immigration policy, fearmongering, and more. So read on if you’re looking for a little sociological perspective.

There’s Research on That!:

“School Choice and Social Inequality,” by Evan Stewart and Neeraj Rajasekar. Social science comparing private and public approaches to schooling finds distinct benefits of public schools and questions whether more choice in schooling really helps everyone.

“The Culture of Mass Deportation,” by Caity Curry. On the history of American immigration policy and the increasingly punitive turn it’s taken.

Discoveries:

“Uncertainty and Flexibility in Trans Health Care,” by Sarah Catherine Billups. New research in Journal of Health and Social Behavior investigates how doctors navigate trans care.

Clippings:

“Nothing to Fear but Fearmongering Itself,” by Edgar Campos. Barry Glassner talks to TIME about Trump’s unprecedented use of fearmongering as a political tactic.

“Why We Don’t Need a White History Month,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Vox talks to Daniel Hirschman about how calls for a white history month ignore the already pervasive white privilege in U.S. society.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“How Many Deaths? The High Rate of Bereavement among Black Americans,” by Megan Peterson.

Scholars Strategy Network:

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Sociological Images talks problems with “femvertising” and shares new data on the motivations of Women’s March participants.
• Engaging Sports shows how Trump’s travel ban affects athletes.
• Center for Holocaut and Genocide Studies explores the representation of Native Americans in art displayed at the Minnesota State Capitol.

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Hey everyone! Lots of great new stuff this week, including a new Office Hours podcast. So let’s get to it!

Office Hours:

“Natasha Warikoo on The Diversity Bargain,” with Neeraj Rajasekar. In this episode, we talk with Warikoo about her new book and the ways that elite students understand diversity and make sense of their social positions.

There’s Research on That!:

“White Working Class Voters,” by Erik Kojola. The election of Donald Trump left many wondering why large numbers of working class whites voted for a candidate who supports policies that are likely to have a negative impact on them. You guessed it — there’s research on that. 

“Gendering Intelligence,” by Sarah Catherine Billups. A recent study found that young girls are more likely to attribute “brilliance” to men. Research on gender stereotypes and socialization helps explain why.

Discoveries:

“Violence Against Police Triggers Race-Specific Reactions,” by Caity Curry. New research in American Journal of Sociology explores how local acts of violence against police influences discriminatory use of force by police after the fact.

Clippings:

“Overeducated, Underemployed,” by Chelsea Carlson. Tressie McMillan Cottom talks to The Washington Post about why many African Americans are overeducated, yet underemployed. 

“Sociological Strategies For a Successful Protest,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Vox draws on numerous sociological studies to suggest the best strategies for effecting change.

From Our Partners:

Scholars Strategy Network:

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Families As They Really Are explains how housing support programs influence families.
• Sociological Images talks manspreading and the demographics of the women’s march.
• Engaging Sports reflects on Rio 2016’s legacy and calls for an end to “podium girls.”

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