Bookmarks (107)

New & Noteworthy I Hate the Elite…Sometimes, by S Ericson from Yuchen Luo’s study, explores how Trump’s presidency altered populist views among his supporters. Luo’s research reveals that many Trump voters, feeling represented by him, became less populist between 2016 and 2020, though their attitudes toward elite groups largely remained unchanged. Will Trump’s second term […]

Yuchen Luo, “We Got Our Guy!: Populist Attitudes after Populists Gain Power,” Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, 2024 Presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks before a rally in Pennsylvania. “Donald Trump Rally 10/21/16” by Michael Candelori is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Many people feel that politicians in power don’t represent them. For instance, […]

This Hill piece by Fisher and Yazdiha (2025) discusses the history of activism in the US and the lessons climate activists can learn from the civil rights movement.

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Neil McLaughlin, Professor of Sociology at McMaster University and author of Erich Fromm and the Global Public Sociology (2023). In our conversation, Neil discusses the rise, fall, and potential resurgence of the writings of Erich Fromm. Neil reflects on the value of Fromm’s work in this current political […]

In this Teaching Sociology piece, Rojo (2024) discusses both the challenges and opportunities in community-engaged learning and advocates for an approach that balances both student needs and community partnerships.

New & Noteworthy Gender, Cultural Change, and the Catholic Church, adapted by Jordyn Wald from work by Christine Delp, examines the evolving role of women in the Catholic Church amidst cultural shifts. The article highlights Pope Francis’s 2024 synod, which, while falling short of ordaining women as deacons sparked ongoing debates about gender roles. From […]

Jordyn is a first year PhD student in the Sociology Department at the University of Minnesota. Her interests lie on the perpetuation of gender inequality across intersecting dimensions of culture, media, race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, and family.

We are on the verge of one of the biggest wealth transfers in world history—what some social scientists have called “The Great Wealth Transfer.” We are also living through a huge increase in wealth inequality. Yet we know surprisingly little about a key type of wealth transfer: inheritance. What do people actually do with their […]

When does cultural appreciation become appropriation? A recent study published in the American Sociological Review offers a fresh look at this often misunderstood process. To do so, sociologists Abraham Oshotse, Yael Berda, and Amir Goldberg applied an experimental design, known as a vignette experiment, to a large sample of over 2,500 participants. The authors provided […]

New & Noteworthy How Partisan Moral Flexibility Shapes Beliefs in American Politics by Anastasia Dulle writes about research by Minjae Kim and colleagues who examined how Americans evaluate truth in political statements in their study in the American Journal of Sociology. Using online surveys, the researchers found that voters across the political spectrum often support factually […]

If you missed the Council on Contemporary Families’ “Families in Perilous Times: A Policy and Public Scholarship Workshop” this October in Baltimore, here’s a recap of the event. The day began with opening remarks from CCF Chair Arielle Kuperberg, setting the stage for the discussions ahead. The first panel delved into abortion in the post-Dobbs […]

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are rapidly transforming the current educational landscape, with students far outrunning faculty in their use of these tools. Current research highlights a cultural lag in higher education, a phenomenon Sociologist William F. Ogburn described in 1922. This term refers to the gap in adaptation between material (physical artifacts) and nonmaterial culture […]

Zachary Parolin & Stefano Filauro, “The United States’ Record-Low Child Poverty Rate in International and Historical Perspective: A Research Note,” Demography, 2023 Two young boys running towards the ocean during sunset. “Children Running on Beach at sunset” by Click Sent is licensed under Pexels License. Despite being one of the richest nations in the world, […]

In this Contexts piece, Corey M. Abramson uses Mill’s Sociological Imagination to examine new ways AI can advance sociological research. The author also highlights some potential pitfalls of AI, such as erasure and abstract empiricism.

In our present era of book bans, challenges to K-12 gender curriculum, and legislative battles over gender-affirming care, it seems the left and right have nothing in common when it comes to kids. To learn more, Mallory Rees and Abigail Saguy examined the current state of discourse on gender in the context of parenting, drawing […]

A large college lecture hall, with some seats brightly lit and others covered in an ominous shadow. Photo by Pixabay from Pexels under Pexels license. On November 9th, 2023 the Florida Board of Governors voted to remove “Principles of Sociology” from the list of required courses at all public colleges. Manny Diaz Jr, the state’s […]

Lampe (2023) advocates for using TikTok to increase student engagement and class participation. The author discusses how TikTok can be used to simplify big concepts and examine lived experience.

Vincent M. Carter, “From chart-topper to gold record: The effects of Billboard chart popularity on RIAA gold or platinum certification of #1 R&B/Hip-Hop singles in the Pre-SoundScan and SoundScan eras, 1977–2008,” Poetics, 2024 A vinyl record store. Image by Darya Sannikova under Pexels license. How can you tell if a song is popular? Two important measures of musical success […]

Minjae Kim, Oliver Hahl, Ethan Poskanzer, and Ezra W. Zuckerman Sivan, “When Truth Trumps Facts: Studies on Partisan Moral Flexibility in American Politics,” American Journal of Sociology, 2024 A slogan on the side of a truck. A U.S. flag is superimposed over an outline of the United States, above a large red banner emblazoned with […]

New & Noteworthy How Negative Feedback Impacts Women’s Political Participation Online by Dylan DiGiacomo-Stumm covers research by Zhaodi Chen and Junghun Han. They examined how negative feedback affects women’s participation in online political discussions using survey experiments. The study finds that while “dislikes” do not deter women, the risk of post deletion significantly reduces their […]

The Contexts team is happy to welcome the esteemed Dr. Alondra Nelson. The Harold F. Linder Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study, where she leads the Science, Technology, and Social Values Lab, and a distinguished senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, Nelson served from 2021-2023 as deputy assistant to President Joe Biden […]

In this Context’s piece, Auldridge-Reveles and Murphy (2024) argue that we need a sociology of flourishing or well-being instead of focusing only on social problems.

Zhaodi Chen and Junghun Han, “Her Lips Are Sealed: Effects of Negative Feedback on Women’s Participation in Online Political Discussions,” Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, 2024 A woman holding two phones, one with “1000 likes” and the other with none.” “Person Holding Smartphones” by Kaboompics.com is licensed under Pexels License. Women’s voices remain […]

Dixon and Quirke (2017) discuss how ethics chapters in sociological research methods textbooks promote a procedural rather than nuanced approach to ethics. They suggest ways for instructors to help students develop a fuller understanding of conducting ethical research.

New & Noteworthy This week’s Clippings via Mallory Harrington highlights recent sociological insights, including Arlie Russell Hochschild’s exploration of political divides in Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and the Rise of the Right, Gi-Wook Shin’s analysis of South Korea’s political instability following President Yoon’s martial law declaration in All Things Considered, Allison Pugh’s examination of AI’s impact […]

Since ChatGPT launched in 2022, AI has become inescapable. Sociologists warn an “algorithmic society” risks deepening inequalities in finance, healthcare, and science, yet others see potential for imaginative uses that benefit society. Are data streams and chatbots the new iron cage? Can sociologists, especially qualitative researchers, make these tools work for social insight? Lessons from […]

Arlie Russell Hochschild (Professor Emerita of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley) appeared on Next Question with Katie Couric, discussing her book Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and the Rise of the Right. The book describes how residents of Pikeville, KY, a small city where 80% of 2016 voters supported...

This one-page piece by Ridgeway (2024) from Contexts Magazine is a great introduction to status and status processes for students!

Thompson (2024) examines parental preferences in school selection, highlighting how individual choices influence school communities. The study finds that parents prioritize overall school achievement and learning opportunities over schools with higher equity ratings.

New & Noteworthy Wealth Gaps at the Extremes for Baby Boomers and Millennials by Shania Kuo covers research in the American Journal of Sociology. It examines how Millennials and Baby Boomers compare in wealth trajectories. Using US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the study reveals that while Boomers had higher homeownership and less debt in […]

Rob J. Gruijters, Zachary Van Winkle, and Anette E. Fasang, “Life Course Trajectories and Wealth Accumulation in the United States: Comparing Late Baby Boomers and Early Millennials,” American Journal of Sociology, 2023 An older man helping a young girl play pool. “Girl Playing Pool” by Rene Terp is licensed under is licensed under CC BY […]

Are you teaching a Family Sociology class or a Sociology of Film course next semester? This Teaching Sociology piece recommends the new film Kelce (2023) as a helpful movie for examining themes like work-life balance and raising a family with a high-profile job.

Elite sport, especially on display at large-scale televised events, can provide a site for social and political messaging, including in the form of support, dissent, or opposition. One of the most iconic examples of dissent occurred at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics when successful US athletes John Carlos and Tommie Smith, supported by Australian silver […]

Are you planning to update your teaching approach for the upcoming semester? This Teaching Sociology article highlights new resources now available in TRAILS, including updated assignments, class activities, and even sample syllabi.

New & Noteworthy Instagram Activism and Black-Asian Solidarity by S Ericson covers research by Rachel Kuo and Sarah J. Jackson and how Black and Asian activists in 2020-2021 used Instagram to draw on historical cross-racial solidarity, challenging media stereotypes and fostering shared memory to advocate for change. This week’s Clippings by Mallory Harrington covers recent […]

TSP Board members Emma Goldstein and Mallory Harrington discuss Tressie McMillan Cottom recent opinion piece in The New York Times on the connection between tradwives, podcast bros, and wellness influencers and Donald Trump’s recent election win. This episode is produced by Forrest Lovette. Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4eNZDlJ

Benika Dixon (Assistant Professor of Public Health at Texas A&M University), J. Carlee Purdum (Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Houston) and Tara Goddard (Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning at Texas A&M University) wrote an article for The Conversation on how jails an...

We are thrilled to welcome Roman Williams to the Contexts blog to celebrate the publication of his new book, Sacred Snaps: Photovoice for Interfaith Engagement. In this post, blog editor Elena van Stee chats with Roman about his photography-driven approach to participatory action research—what Roman calls “sociology with the public.” They discuss how Roman is using the […]

Looking to incorporate Du Bois into your teaching pedagogy? This article provides an overview of Du Bois’s teaching philosophy. The author points out that a Du Boisian pedagogy would be reflexive, caring, focused on decolonial ways of knowing, and place-based.

On Thursday, the International Criminal Court issued warrants for senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and leaders of Hamas for Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes. The decision came six months after the ICC announced its intent to investigate the ongoing war in Gaza and ten months after the International Court of Justice […]

Rachel Kuo and Sarah J. Jackson, “The political uses of memory: Instagram and Black-Asian solidarities,” Media, Culture & Society, 2023 A crowd of protestors hold various signs, including “Black Lives Matter” and “Yellow Peril Supports Black Power.” “Racism is th Deadliest Virus” by Backbone Campaign is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Social media is an […]

This Chronicle piece offers five ways professors can incorporate AI into their classrooms, even if they are initially skeptical. It also provides guidance on educating students about the limitations of AI to help prevent its misuse.

New & Noteworthy TSP’s Jordyn Wald has a new StoryMap on Law Enforcement and Body-Cams. It covers research on body-cams and its increasing use by police, improved accountability and reduced complaints, but their impact on excessive force and arrests varies depending on activation policies and usage. Our latest Clippings by Mallory Harrington covers recent sociology […]

TSP Board members Emma Goldstein, Mason Jones, and Leo LaBarre discuss Deborah Carr and Susan Brown’s recent contributions in The New York Times on the increasing trend of unmarried cohabitation among older adults. This episode is produced by Forrest Lovette.

Let’s have fun! Autumn in North America is magical for many reasons. First, there’s the spectacle of color that surrounds so many of us (sorry California friends). Second, the cool weather invites the cozies, like sweaters, fires, and our favorite hot drinks—cocoa, coffee, and yes, even a pumpkin spice latte. And then there’s all the […]

Marianne Cooper (Senior Research Scholar at Stanford University’s VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab) and Priya Fielding-Singh (Senior Manager of Research and Education at LeanIn.org) wrote an article for the Harvard Business Review on how gender equality in the workplace has stalled and is not inevitable. Dat...

from the editors in brief: “Parenting Gender, From Left to Right,” by Elena G. Van Stee. “Crossing the Cultural Line,” by Parker Muzzerall. “Rural Rainbows,” by Sophie X. Liu. “Shedding the Wealth,” by Colter J. Uscola. “A Woman Walks into a Brothel,” by Parker Muzzerall. “Whose Parents Are Paying,” by Elena G. Van Stee. “Status […]

In 2024, the Rubik’s Cube, the puzzle invented by the Hungarian professor of architecture Ernő Rubik, celebrates its 50th anniversary. We would like to take this opportunity to discuss how important Rubik’s invention has been to humanity. It is estimated that approximately one in seven people in the world have at least attempted to solve […]

With fewer undergraduates choosing sociology, many professors may seek new ways to attract students. This ASA page offers valuable resources to help students explore career opportunities available with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.

In this episode, Dr. Daniel Silver, Professor of Sociology at the University of Toronto Scarborough and author of Scenescapes: how qualities of place shape social life (2020), joins us to discuss and read from Georg Simmel’s Sociology: Inquiries into the Construction of Social Forms (first published in 1908). Be sure to check out Dan’s co-authored […]