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.

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There’s been a lot of talk among sociologists lately about the status of ethnographic research and knowledge, and writing has been at the center of it. Does well-written, powerfully argued fieldwork enhance our sociological understanding of others and the world around us, or is a powerful narrative something ethnographers use to draw readers in and convince them of the veracity of claims that may lack strong supporting data or careful engagement with existing literature and social theory?

I think this larger debate is important context for Matthew Desmond’s argument–offered in the conclusion of Evicted, and highlighted recently at the Sociological Imagination blog–against first person narrative in the presentation of ethnographically driven social science. In Desmond’s view, this approach fails to “capture the essence of a social world” because “the ‘I’ filters all.” He explains:  I wanted my readers to know and thus be able to assess my research and its various findings, interpretations, and claims. 

“With first-person narration, the subjects and the author are each always held in view, resulting in every observation being trailed by a reaction to the observer. No matter how much care the author takes, the first-person ethnography becomes just as much about the fieldworker as about anything she or he saw.”

“At a time of rampant inequality and widespread hardship, when hunger and homelessness are found throughout America, I am interested in a different, more urgent conversation. ‘I’ don’t matter.”

I really respect Desmond and his book (not to mention his writing chops, of which I am embarrassingly jealous–I mean, I really love that “I filters all” line). And I completely agree that sociological research should not be about the researcher, if only because we sociologists tend to insist that no one is really that special or unique in the modern world. (For years I’ve joked about writing a memoir entitled “It’s Not About Me.”)

However–there it is, you knew it was coming–I am not entirely comfortable with eliminating first-person perspective from all sociological writing, ethnographic or otherwise. In fact, sometimes I believe it is appropriate and even necessary for social scientists to write this way. At least, that’s what I argued in the conclusion of my new book on Midnight Basketball–a book that has a good bit of fieldwork in it and that I decided, against many of my other impulses and principles, to write in the first person.  Given the complexity of the social worlds we live in, as well as the wide array of sociological approaches to analyzing and understanding these worlds, I think having a diversity of narrative devices is something worth preserving. 

I did this partly to construct something of a narrative thread–the thread of my discoveries and idiosyncratic insights–for a potentially dry historical narrative/case study. More importantly, though, I took this approach because I wanted to “openly acknowledge, if not highlight, the constructed nature of the narrative and research process.” I wanted my readers to know and thus be able to assess my research and its various findings, interpretations, and claims. In other words, as I put it in the end,

“I think the more we know about the research process–what data is collected and how it is collected, the manner in which it is analyzed and interpreted–the more I am able to understand and assess the relative strength and power of the claims and findings that are offered.”

That doesn’t mean Desmond is completely wrong, or that I would write every book or article the way I did my midnight basketball book. But it is to say that there are many different reasons for writing in the voices and rhetorical styles that we social scientists do, and that, given the complexity of the social worlds we live in, as well as the wide array of sociological approaches to analyzing and understanding these worlds, I think having a diversity of narrative devices in our tool kit is something worth preserving.

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.

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Border security, breadwinners, and Botox – we covered all that and more this week on our site, so stop by or see below for the latest in sociological research and writing!

The Editors’ Desk:

“A Quick, Little Defense of Sociological Labor and Learning,” by Doug Hartmann. Co-editor Doug Hartmann responds to a growing number of commentators who think sociology degrees are a waste of time. He writes, “If we understand it properly, such talk can provide a powerful incentive and inspiration for doing the best work we all can do in the coming year to promote a broader understanding of what sociology is and why our teaching, research, and writing is so necessary and essential in the worlds in which we live.”

Clippings:

“Women, Work, and Well-being,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. More women are becoming the primary earners in their families, and new research finds that this shift might make actually increase well-being for the whole family.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“History, Myths, and Opportunities: Welfare at 20,” by Stephanie Coontz.

Contexts:

“Dark Money in American Politics,” by Dana R. Fisher.

“Don’t Use Wounded Veterans as Symbols for Your Cause,” by Sidra Montgomery.

“Is the Border Safe? Border Residents’ Perceptions of Crime and Security,” by Ernesto Castañeda.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Girl w/Pen! investigates men’s beliefs about gender-egalitarian relationships.
• Sociological Images talks Botox and the emotional lobotomy.
• Families As They Really Are asks if involved parents burden the university.

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“We simply do not need more poetry, gender studies or sociology majors. Starbucks is fully stocked with baristas for the foreseeable future.” (StarTribune, Monday, September 5, 2016).

This is the pull quote from this morning’s local paper that I was confronted with as I prepared to head to campus to finalize my syllabus on this Labor Day holiday. It actually comes from an editorial written by an economics professor and academic administrator that originally appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer. The piece argued that if more of higher education is to be publicly funded–as per the calls of the Bernie Sanders wing of the Democratic party–then taxpayers should have more of a say in what academic programs are offered by colleges and universities for students to study.

Troubling though it is, the sentiment is far from new. Attacks on the liberal arts and publicly funded higher education more generally have not only proliferated, they have begun to be institutionalized in states ranging from Wisconsin to North Carolina to Louisiana. But what jumps out at me, for obvious reasons given my position and this website, is the inclusion of sociology on the list of supposedly unproductive and unemployable college majors. If this were just this one instance, I might write it off. But over the past few weeks, I’ve seen and heard sociology pop up in several such conversations and contexts. Perhaps most notably, there’s a radio spot running currently on my favorite sports talk station in the Twin Cities in which some for-profit college identifies sociology as a major that will leave its graduates channel surfing on the couch without meaningful work or income.

Obviously, I couldn’t disagree more. I feel like sociology is an extremely valuable area of study, not only in terms of the general value of a liberal arts education, but in terms of cultivating useful, marketable skills in the workplace. Indeed, with its emphasis on research, communication, critical thinking, and the realities of our social conditions, I see sociology as great preparation for a job market that values soft skills, creative thinking, flexibility and the ability to think, learn, and re-invent one’s self over time.

What’s more, the kinds of graduates we produce and the research we put into the world are of tremendous societal value as well–indispensable, I think, to making a good society as well making money. One of the points in the editorial that is the most objectionable to me is the assertion that we need fewer criminal justice majors, social workers, and elementary school teachers than we do computer engineers and statisticians–which seems to be based mainly on the fact that the starting salaries of the latter seem to be about double those of the former rather than any actual consideration of the societal value and necessity of these occupations. (Oh and by the way: statistics, methods, and data analysis are a key component of any self-respecting sociology curriculum as well.)

I don’t want to dwell on this little cloud of negativity much further at the start of an exciting new academic year and on what, for me at least, will be a day full of sociological labor, except to say two things. First, such talk should serve as a useful reminder of how misunderstood and marginalized our discipline can be. And second, if we understand it properly, such talk can also provide a powerful incentive and inspiration for doing the best work we all can do in the coming year to promote a broader understanding of what sociology is and why our teaching, research, and writing is so necessary and essential in the worlds in which we live.

Happy Friday everyone! We here at TSP are gearing up for the start of a new semester and are excited about welcoming some new grad board members, starting some new projects, and continuing to report on the best in sociological research. To kick off the school year, in addition to linking to our most recent posts, this week we highlight some of the blogs at TSP that are great resources for teachers and students alike.

Teaching with TSP:

If you are teaching classes this fall, or prepping a class for the near future, check out the wide variety of syllabi, activities, and videos at our Teaching TSP blog. We have great posts on how to use Discoveries to teach methods, how to use TROTs to show students how to summarize research, and how to use social science to get students to reflect on evidence used in the media.

Discoveries:

Looking for short and interesting summaries of recent research articles by sociologists? Look no further than our Discoveries blog! We cover two to four articles a month and pull from dozens of journals. Some of our recent summaries include how bilingual benefits vary by gender, how social media influences anti-fracking movements, and how intelligence does not necessarily curb racism.

Clippings:

“Race and Perceived Attractiveness,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. New research shows how black people are seen as more attractive if they tell others they are mixed-race.

“Divorce Season,” Allison Nobles. Turns out, there is not only a marriage season, but divorces also follow seasonal trends.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Welfare Reform Attitudes and Single Mothers’ Employment after 20 Years,” by Phil Cohen.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Feminist Reflections reflects on sex role theory.
• Sociological Images talks taxing the rich and the symbolism of boy and girl bikes.
• Families As They Really Are asks that we learn from millennials and ditch bathroom bills.
• Sociology Toolbox helps foster critical thinking.

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Hello hello! We are slowly recovering from a great ASA in Seattle and bringing you some new pieces as well as highlighting some older, but still timely, posts and podcasts along the way.

Discoveries:

“Reducing Recidivism after Armed Conflict,” by Amber Joy Powell. New research shows a link between combat and crime in Colombia.

There’s Research on That!:

Heading back to school? Check out some of our classic TROTs on education, including race in the classroom, school segregation, and advanced placement tests.

Office Hours:

Our podcast is coming back in full force this fall with producers Matt Gunther and Matthew Aguilar-Champeau. If you are looking for a 30-minute dose of sociology, come check out some of our past episodes and stay tuned for new ones throughout the semester. A few great recent episodes include:

Dalton Conley on the Use of Genomic Biology in Sociology

Sanyu Mojola on Love, Money, and HIV

Doug McAdam on American Racial Politics and Social Movements

Joanna Kempner on the Gender Politics of Migraine

From Our Partners:

Scholars Strategy Network:

“The Reproductive Stigmas Faced by Low-Income Young Women in the Deep South,” by Janet M. Turan and Whitney D. Smith.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Welfare Reform at 20: How’s that Working?,” by Virginia Rutter.

Contexts:

“Young, Relentless Feminism,” by Nicole Bedera.

“Did Baby Boomers Opt Out or Lean In?” by Virginia Little.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Families As They Really Are revisits boys and emotions in the classroom.
• Sociological Images talks totem vodka, English acquisition among immigrants, and lessons from the Louisiana flood.
• Cyborgology explores grotesque microcelebrity and Nextdoor’s refusal to racially profile.

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The Olympics, Broadway, and genomic biology, oh my! Sociology is everywhere these days, and we are here to report on it. We’ve got some great stuff for you this week, including a brand new Office Hours podcast with Dalton Conley, so be sure to stop by and stay up to date on all things sociological.

In other news, the TSP crew is heading to Seattle for the ASA meetings this weekend. Grad editor Evan Stewart will be live tweeting the panels and plenarys from the TSP Twitter, so for those who can’t make it and even those who can, you can follow us for updates and highlights.

See you in Seattle!

Office Hours:

“Dalton Conley on the Use of Genomic Biology in Sociology,” with Caty Taborda-Whitt and Sarah Catherine Billups.

Discoveries:

“Work-Family Policies Foiled by Masculinity Norms,” by Allison Nobles. New research finds that men who learn about supportive work-family policies are more likely to prefer progressive work-family arrangements, but only if they think other men share those preferences.

There’s Research on That!:

“Poké Panic!,” by Evan Stewart. “Social science research gives us a more measured perspective on the good, the bad, and the Poké.”

Clippings:

“Sociology on Broadway,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. An new Broadway play will tell the story of how sociologist Terje Rød-Larsen helped make the historic Oslo peace talks a reality.

“The Reproduction of Racial Segregation Online,” by Sarah Catherine Billups. Recent research shows how systemic racial inequality offline gets reproduced in similar ways online.

From Our Partners:

Scholars Strategy Network:

“How Weight-Based Discrimination Hurts Many Americans,” by Abigail C. Saguy.

Contexts:

“Parental Parties,” by Brittany Dernberger.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Promoting Marriage among Single Mothers: An Ineffective Weapon in the War on Poverty,” by Kristi Williams.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Sociological Images talks the “glass wall” in coaching and the anthropology of optical illusions.
• Sociology Lens examines gender dynamics at the Olympics.
• Cyborgology finds that people are becoming less worried about technological changes.
• Families As They Really Are revisits the origins of achievement gaps.

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Happy Friday everyone! We have some great stuff for you this week, including thoughts on Trump’s latest “joke,” how to better promote diversity on college campuses, and the success (or lack thereof) of social media campaigns. See below or stop by the site to catch up on the latest.

Discoveries:

“How Black Mothers Struggle to Navigate ‘Thug’ Imagery,” by Amber Joy Powell. “Black mothers of all economic backgrounds use stigma management to try and keep their sons safe, whether it be teaching them to manage their environment, their experiences, or their emotions.”

“The Consequences of Costless ‘Likes’,” by Jacqui Frost. New research finds that “liking” a cause on social media is not likely to lead to a donation.

There’s Research on That!:

“The Wax and Wane of Body Hair Removal,” by Allison Nobles. To shave or not to shave? Research shows that trends in body hair removal may be shifting, but certain choices continue to be stigmatized.

Clippings:

“The Feminization of Bank Robberies,” by Kat Albrecht. Sociologists reflect on the causes of a recent uptick in the number of females committing bank robberies.

“Combating CyberCreeps,” by Allison Nobles. Women are starting to speak out about their experiences of harassment on online dating sites and coming up with strategies to curb harassment in the future.

From Our Partners:

Scholars Strategy Network:

“How the Ways College Authorities Talk about Diversity Can Undercut Efforts To Fight Racial Inequality,” by Natasha Warikoo.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“The Date’s Not Dead,” by Arielle Kuperberg and Joseph E. Padgett.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Sociological Images talks white supremacy and Trump’s “jokes.”
• Sociology Toolbox explains how to teach Excel using 2016 police lethal force data.
• Cyborgology reflects on the Pokémon Go craze.

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Hello again everyone! The TSP crew is gearing up for another year and looking forward to bringing you all the best in sociological writing and research during what it sure to be a roller coaster ride of an election year. Starting this week, we are resuming our weekly roundups to keep you up to date on what is going on around the site. We have a lot to share with you this week, including some pieces from a new issue of Contexts, thoughts from editor Doug Hartmann on the new era of athlete advocacy, and numerous angles on all things election.

The Editors’ Desk:

“A New Era of Athlete Awareness and Advocacy,” by Doug Hartmann. “Let there be no doubt: we live in a new era of athlete awareness and advocacy, unlike anything we’ve seen since the late 1960s.”

There’s Research on That!:

“How Institutions Trump Personal Politics,” by Evan Stewart. Sociological research sheds light on how it is that Trump won the Republican party nomination without majority support from Republican leaders.

Discoveries:

“Is Lead-Laced Blood Thicker than Lead-Laced Water?” by Neeraj Rajasekar. New research finds that the racial gap in childhood blood lead levels rises in wealthy neighborhoods.

“Promiscuous Papas,” by Caty Taborda-Whitt. A study of 37 countries reveals that the gender of a father’s firstborn child has a significant influence on that father’s likelihood of being sexually promiscuous later in life.

Clippings:

“Politicians Talk about Muslims,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Inflammatory rhetoric surrounding Islam in America can be found on both sides of the political spectrum.

“Whitewashed Affirmative Action,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Despite increased litigation by white women against affirmative action, white women are among affirmative action’s primary beneficiaries.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

As Joel Best points out in his new Contexts piece, “Sociologists don’t just view the glass as half-empty, we mutter that it is probably leaking, too.” So, the new issue of Contexts asks sociologists to tell them some good news for a change. See below for a first look at what they came up with.

“What Good News Looks Like,” by Joel Best.

“An Economic Gap Slowly Closing,” by Rose Malinowski Weingartner.

“A Hand Up for Lower-Income Families,” by Sarah Halpern-Meekin, Laura Tach, Kathryn Edin, and Jennifer Sykes.

Scholars Strategy Network:

“Donald Trump and the Dynamics of American Public Opinion about Racial Profiling,” by Deborah Schildkraut.

“Why Does Immigration Arouse Deep Feelings and Conflicts?” by John D. Skrentny.

“What Does The Supreme Court’s Deadlocked Decision on Deferring Deportations Mean for Immigrant Families?” by Heide Castañeda.

“How Catholic Hospitals Restrict Reproductive Health Services,” by Debra Stulberg and Lori Freedman.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Taking the Nostalgia of Trump Supporters Seriously,” by Stephanie Coontz.

“Social Policies, Parenthood, and Happiness in 22 Countries,” by Jennifer Glass, Robin Simon, and Matthew Anderson.

“What’s really ‘for the family’,” by Virginia Rutter.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Girl w/Pen talks better patient care for lesbian and bisexual women and the ever evolving Barbie.
• Sociology Toolbox examines racial bias in police shootings and conservative logics regarding race and crime.
• Sociological Images explains why nationalism is dangerous, the reverse Ferguson effect, and why Bill was the face of Hillary’s historic nomination.
• Cyborgology reflects on the political conventions, empathy after the Orlando shootings, and how Trump is stranger than fiction.

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