Friday Roundup

Happy Friday everyone! This week we’ve got sociological takes on the limits of lobbying, the ways neighborhood racial composition affects exercise, and myths and facts for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. All that and more below.

There’s Research on That!:

“The Leverage and Limits of Lobbying in the United States,” by Shucheng Zhou, Kelly McCarthy, and Nicholas Bartlett. This guest TROT by students at Oberlin College details the different types and varied effectiveness of lobbying activities in the U.S.

Discoveries:

“Jogging While Black,” by Caty Taborda-Whitt. Rashawn Ray recently published an article in Social Science Research that explores how neighborhood racial composition acts as either a barrier or incentive to exercising outside.

Clippings:

“Why Music Festivals Are All Starting to Look the Same,” by Caity Curry. The Washington Post asks Johnathan Wynn to explain how growing commercialization and consolidation may diminish the quality of the musical experience for festival-goers.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Myths and Facts for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month,” by Nancy McArdle, Maura Baldiga, Pamela Joshi and Dolores Acevedo-Garcia.

Contexts:

“Cobesity,” by Sven E. Wilson.

“Obesity, Gender, and Immigrant Generations,” by Rose Malinowski Weingartner.

“Who Do You Think You Are?” by Justin Maietta.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Sociological Images explains why the American Health Care Act is bad for women’s health.
• Cyborgology asks does technology want? and writes an open letter to university ranking publications.
• Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies recovers memories from holocaust survivors in Latin America.
• Girl w/Pen! investigates Christian sex advice websites for a look at evangelical politics.

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The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the sociology is abounding. See below for new pieces on school tracking, marriage rates, and the “stuff” of family life.

There’s Research on That!:

“Missing Girls, Runaways, and the Racialization of Victimhood,” by Allison Nobles. The recent controversy surrounding alleged missing Black and Latina girls in DC highlighted the ways that race and gender influence who gets considered a “victim” and whose victimization goes unnoticed.

Discoveries:

“Racialized Tracking and Ethnic Identity Formation,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. New research in Sociology of Race and Ethnicity finds that school tracking shapes the ethnic identities of West-Indian students in Brooklyn.

Clippings:

“The Link Between Poverty and Marriage Rates,” by Edgar Campos. Judith Levine explains why Philadelphia has one of the lowest marriage rates in the country.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“3Q with Michelle Janning: Aesthetics Affect Me Personally,” with Megan Peterson.

Contexts:

“We Own It,” from editors Syed Ali and Philip Cohen.

“The Persistence of Racial Boundaries,” by Lucia Lykke.

“Class and Gender in Hiring for Elite Jobs,” by Brittany Dernberger.

“Make ‘Hockey is For Everyone’ For Everyone,” by Justin Maietta.

“Trust and Multiply,” by Carrie Clarady.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Sociological Images talks cultural differences in perception and today’s students on Rodney King.
• Engaging Sports reports on The Sports Women of Tampa and the pursuit of gender equality.
• Families As They Really Are analyzes the “stuff” of family life.
• Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies reflects on France, flags, and freedom fries and takes home some awards!

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It’s the end of the semester here in Minnesota, and we here at TSP HQ are bringing in the summer with some beers and BBQ with the grad board. But don’t worry, we rounded up our amazing week for you first. We’ve got a new Special Feature on gender segregation at work, a new Office Hours podcast on financial insecurity at home, and much more below.

TSP Special Feature:

“Hidden Figures and Feud: Pop Culture Tales of Occupational Segregation,” by Robyn Ryle. In our latest special feature, Ryle draws on recent media depictions of gender segregation in science and film to reveal the socially constructed nature of gender and occupations.

Office Hours:

“Marianne Cooper on Families in Insecure Times,” with Sarah Catherine Billups. In this episode, we talk with Cooper about her latest book and the ways that families of different social classes perceive and manage contemporary economic anxieties.

There’s Research on That!:

“The Hopes and Broken Promises of Coal,” by Erik Kojola. Trump recently promised to bring back coal, but research shows that mining may not lead to the economic growth and well-being that many are promising.

Discoveries:

“How Policy Promotes Parental Happiness,” by Brooke Chambers. Parents in the U.S. are some of the unhappiest in the world, and new research in the American Journal of Sociology argues that it likely has something to do with the lack of national parental support policies.

Clippings:

“Domestic Violence Outside the Home,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Silva Santos talks to Angelus about the links between gender violence in and outside of the domestic sphere.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“A View from Above: Social Structures + Youth’s Egalitarian Essentialism,” by Daniel L. Carlson.

Contexts:

“Fearless Girl: Seriously, the Guy Has a Point,” by Greg Fallis.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies discusses the Guernica bombing and its message for today.
• Families As They Really Are flashes back to secular listening on November 9th.
• Sociological Images exchanges questions and answers on sex and love in and after college.
• Engaging Sports talks the evolution of Muhammad Ali’s “draft dodging”.

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After-school programs, sexual harassment in the workplace, and the French elections. We’ve got sociological takes on all that and more this week at TSP.

TSP Special Feature:

“Cultural Lag and the Fallacy of Asian Americans as the Model Minority,” by Jennifer Lee. In another important and timely feature, Lee reflects on the United Airlines incident involving an Asian American doctor and interrogates the often assumed homogeneity of Asian American experience.

There’s Research on That!:

“How Students Benefit from After-School Programs,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. The Trump administration questions the efficacy of free lunch and after-school programs, but social science shows they do work.

Discoveries:

“Politics and Power Drive Growing U.S. Income Inequality,” by Erik Kojola. New research in American Journal of Sociology finds that shifting political power towards companies and away from workers is a major driver of inequality.

Clippings:

“The Organizational Barriers to Reporting Sexual Harassment,” by Caity Curry. The New York Times spoke with Anna-Maria Marshall about the ways sexual harassment policies do more to help the organization than the victim.

“Misrepresenting the Nature of Protest,” by Neeraj Rajasekar. Rimal Wilkes talked to The Ubyssey about the many issues with Pepsi’s recent “protest” commercial.

From Our Partners:

Council on Contemporary Families:

“3 Questions with Philip Cohen on Why March for Science,” with Megan Peterson.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Sociology Toolbox talks race, class, and the U.S. environmental movement.
• Sociological Images investigates the origin and meaning of the phrase “start a family”.
• Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies laments Le Pen, nativism, and Holocaust denial.
• Families As They Really Are revisits autonomy in old age.

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Hey everyone! This week we’ve got timely takes on the death penalty, disgruntled air travelers, and the shortcomings of the U.S. tax system. We’ve also got a new podcast episode on the Koch Brothers and American democracy. So settle in and see below for some serious sociology!

Office Hours:

Theda Skocpol on the Koch Network with Jack Delehanty. In our latest podcast episode, we talk with Professor Skocpol about how the Koch Brothers have transformed American democracy, and whether any corollaries are emerging on the political left.

There’s Research on That!:

“Border Walls and Symbolic Boundaries,” by Edgar Campos. Trump’s wall would be more than just a physical barrier, it would also intensify the symbolic boundaries that reinforce national and racial identities in the United States.

“Racial and Regional Differences in Support for the Death Penalty,” by Caity Curry. Issues in Arkansas and the Supreme Court have brought the death penalty back into the media spotlight, so we rounded up research on this “peculiar institution” and why it remains resilient today.

Discoveries:

“Who’s ‘One of the Guys?’ Navigating Gender in the Tech Industry,” by Edgar Campos. New research in Gender & Society finds that gender-fluid women are more likely to be perceived as competent tech workers.

Clippings:

“Double-Booked and Discontented Airline Passengers,” by Edgar Campos. The New York Times talked with Elizabeth Popp Berman about why there is so much hostility on airplanes.

From Our Partners:

Contexts:

“Immigration Data Tools,” by Rose Malinowski Weingartner.

“Chump Change.” Viewpoints on taxes, their shortfalls, and who pays the price.

• Sales Taxes and Municipal Fiscal Inequality by Josh Pacewicz
• Why Do Americans Hate Taxes? by Joshua McCabe
• The Only Trump Pivat That Mattered by Laura Blessing
• Mistaking Regressive for Progressive Taxes by Vanessa Williamson
• The Great California Experiment by Isaac William Martin
• Deadly Deficits by Monica Prasad

Council on Contemporary Families:

“The Use and Abuse of Millennials as an Analytic Category,” by Frank Furstenberg.

“Some Men Try to Compensate for Relative Loss of Income to Women. How They Do So Varies,” by Dan Cassino.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

• Feminist Reflections honors the childfree auntie.
• Sociological Images asks where our 2016 tax dollars went and finds that feminine women are seen as less suited for science.
• Engaging Sports talks building inclusive sporting communities.
• Families As They Really Are questions recent reports regarding millennials and gender attitudes.

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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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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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