Bookmarks (112)

Are you interested in discussing ethics in one of your sociology courses? This resource from ASA provides over a hundred case studies that can help facilitate discussion!

New & Noteworthy This week’s Clippings by Mallory Harrington includes Swiss sociologist and mental health advocate Jennifer Walter’s Threads post on the Trump administration’s “shock doctrine” to cognitively overwhelm citizens; Tonika Lewis Johnson and Maria Krysan’s new book, Don’t Go: Stories of Segregation and How to Disrupt It, highlighting how warnings to avoid Chicago’s South […]

It is late January 2025 and my eyes are still affixed to the websites and reels and headlines about the Los Angeles fires. A lot of my family and friends live there. I have spent the last two weeks texting people I know to see if they’re okay and following their temporary dislocation and participation […]

As an academic, I am driven by the following commitments: liberatory knowledge, sharing power, and critical application. These values inform my teaching and relationship building with students. In the spring of 2023, as a PhD student, I was approached with the opportunity to teach sociological theory at a private Catholic university. I was both excited […]

Let’s be real: taxes and fees stink. In Venezuela, a nation experiencing an ongoing political and economic crisis, nearly 52% of the workforce depends upon freelance work to make ends meet. In this context, many data workers trying to get paid are now subjected to a gauntlet of both international and domestic financial intermediaries—work platforms, […]

Michael James Walsh , “‘I’m also slightly conscious of how much I’m listening to something’: Music streaming and the transformation of music listening,” Media, Culture & Society, 2023 A phone with earphones plugged in, displaying the Spotify logo. “spotify musique mp3” by downloadsource.fr is licensed under CC BY 2.0. In 2016, Spotify launched a viral […]

Two events clashed in the past few days: January 27, International Holocaust Memorial Day, in 2025 witnessed the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Concentration and Extermination Camp. Many of the few remaining survivors came to the site of their suffering, together with many heads of state, to remember. From […]

TSP Board members Jordyn Wald, Emma Goldstein, Forrest Lovette discuss Tressie McMillan Cottom recent opinion piece in The New York Times on “Dry January”, or avoiding drinking alcohol during the month of January. This episode is produced by Forrest Lovette. Listen on Spotify

“Now the depression of the reactionary government.… It is a disgrace, which gets worse with every day that passes…. Everyone’s keeping their heads down, Jewry most of all and the democratic press.… What is strangest of all is how one is blind in the face of events, how no one has a clue to the […]

This ASA section provides a collection of resources for instructors planning to teach about climate change. The page offers example syllabi, peer-reviewed articles, and even feature films.

New & Noteworthy Our latest Clippings by Mallory Harrington covers sociology making headlines, including Tressie McMillan Cottom‘s critique of the moral politics surrounding “Dry January”; Brooke Harrington’s analysis of the antidemocratic ambitions of tech “broligarchs” on The Daily Show; Joan Donovan’s insights into the evolving role of political disinformation in Trump’s campaigns and the broader […]

A record number of U.S. renters are cost burdened, paying 30 percent or more of their monthly income towards their housing costs. High housing costs prompt low-income families to make widespread cutbacks on other critical household essentials, such as food, education, and transportation. However, high rental costs also have another effect on families that is […]

Since the mid-2010s, there has been a notable rise in media attention toward so-called unaccompanied minors migrating to the United States from Central America without parents or legal guardians. While some minors travel alone and may have no family members in the United States, the great majority travel with siblings, extended family, guides, or other […]

In an opinion piece for The New York Times, Tressie McMillan Cottom (Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina’s School of Information and Library Science) discussed the phenomenon of “Dry January,” reminding us that “anything that becomes popular has politics.” McMillan Cottom explains the language we...

Sport has long been intertwined with the study of human movement in North American post-secondary education. Whereas traditionally, the study of human movement and sport was housed within physical education programs, it is now predominantly offered through kinesiology programs that, more than ever before, align with narrowly defined health sciences. Much like how the Olympics […]

When envisioning the places most conducive to lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) flourishing, we might picture urban hubs like Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, with their populations, progressive attitudes, and vibrant gay social scenes. But how are LGB-identifying Canadians faring in rural areas? A study in the Canadian Review of Sociology examines LGB mental health across […]

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 […]