Welcome back to another week of sociology at TSP! This week you’ll find new research on graffiti as a subculture, how the term, “white trash” reinforces white supremacy, and reflections on why U.S. women’s soccer fans are mostly White.
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.
Discoveries:
“Graffiti and Social Control in Urban Spaces,” by Caity Curry. New research in The British Journal of Criminology finds that graffiti is a complex subculture.
Clippings:
“How the Term “White Trash” Reinforces White Supremacy,” by Lucas Lynch. NPR’s Code Switch talks to Matt Wray about why “white trash” remains a powerful insult against poor whites and people of color alike.
From Our Partners:
Sociological Images:
“Schools’ Selective Screening,” by Jean Marie Maier.
Council on Contemporary Families:
“Not Just Kid Stuff: Becoming Gendered,” by Heidi Gansen and Karin A. Martin.
And a Few from the Community Pages:
- Cyborgology reflects on Miquela Sousa, an Instagram influencer who is also a robot.
- Feminist Reflections discusses the perils and possibilities of all-Black male schools.
- Engaging Sports examines why most U.S. women’s soccer fans are white parents and their daughters.


Here at TSP headquarters, we’re gearing up for another fall semester starting in just a couple weeks — that means welcoming new board members, producing more in-house content, and highlighting awesome writing by our partners and community pages! Until then, we’ve got social science research on the “Hispanic Paradox,” new research on what makes a valuable potential partner for marriage, and insight on how childhood trauma makes reentry more difficult.
Happy Friday! Glad to have you back with us. This week we’ve got a new special feature on boomtowns, social science research on sexual violence in detention, and an interview with Dr. Hui Wilcox on her work on dance.
Greetings from Philadelphia! Many of us at TSP are in town for the annual American Sociological Association meeting, but that doesn’t mean we’ve been slacking on content! This week we’ve got social science research on the purposes of punishment, how lead poisoning can lead to antisocial behavior, and why children’s self-control isn’t a good measure of future success.
Happy Friday! As we move into August, we rounded up research on abortion providers before Roe v. Wade, the ways country context influences web journalism analytics, and why so many people watch disaster coverage.
Welcome back all! This week we wish Sociological Images a happy birthday! We also reflect on coded racial language in schools, the U.S. Supreme Court’s influence on diversity in college admissions, and immigrants’ sexual attitudes during college.
Hello again! As the World Cup wraps up this weekend, we review research on the impact of international mega-events. We’ve also got new research on what your nose knows, and a professor’s reflections about why she had to shut down her study on penis size and self esteem.