Millennial mothers are spending less time in the workforce and more time on housework and childcare when compared to Generation X and Baby Boomer mothers. Read our latest Special Feature by Brendan Churchill, Leah Ruppanner, and Sabino Kornrich to learn more.
As the United States continues to grapple with labor shortages today, Smithsonian Magazine recently highlighted the photography of sociologist Lewis Hine and his thousands of photos of children’s working conditions in the 1900s. Click here to read more and view dozens of pictures of child labor in the 1900s.
Summer is heating up! We have a number of projects nearing completion and coming soon to a computer/phone/or device near you. You may have also noticed that I am not Mahala. As Mahala passes the TSP torch to me this summer (Jake), I want to say a quick thank you and tribute to the years of guidance, commitment, and leadership Mahala has provided the TSP board. Thank you Mahala!
College students returning home during COVID-19 faced the challenge of living through a pandemic, while simultaneously adjusting (or not) back to their parents’ authority, writes Elena van Stee of partner Contexts’ blog.
The impacts of wrongfully imprisoning an innocent person go far beyond just the person, the friends, family, and community are also robbed of time with their loved one, Janani Umamaheswar writes in Council on Contemporary Families’ blog.
Although many states have laws requiring judges to order the confiscation of guns when emergency restraining orders including threats of violence are issued, most don’t. On the site, Jacob Otis writes up this surprising finding from Julie Kafka and colleagues.
Although homophobic lyrics were once common, mainstream rappers now apologize for using slurs and share the spotlight with LGBTQ artists. Matthew Oware writes on the changing culture of hiphop for The Conversation.
This week Shiny, Happy People, a docuseries about reality TV family the Duggars, and the fundamentalist Christian organization they belong to, premiered featuring sociologist Danielle Lindeman, who emphasized that the men in the family profited off the labor of their wives and daughters, whose births and weddings drew viewers.
ALL of partner Contexts Spring 2023 issue is open access for just a few more days! Check out the table of contents and download great content for your to-be-read list while you can.
First-generation college graduates are often the advantaged members of their disadvantaged class while people who don’t graduate college like their parents are often relatively disadvantaged. For Council on Contemporary Families‘ blog Anna Manzoni and Jessi Streib share their findings on what differentiates first-generation students, as well as students who do not follow in their parents’ footsteps to college, from their peers.
Whether parents are less happy than adults with out kids varies by race and gender in surprising ways according to recent research from Jennifer Augustine and Mia Brantley written up for the site.
Warmer weather have you in the mood for some spring cleaning? Read this archive piece rounding up research on the sociology of dust (?), the division of household labor, and why cleaning is a gendered task as you sweep out those winter cobwebs.
This week Matthew Desmond visited the University of Minnesota to give a public talk on his new book Poverty, by America. Our Society Pages’ board packed a few rows at the very front of the auditorium. It was a fun opportunity to see how long-form sociological work is translated to a live public, especially as we had just read a few chapters of the book together. The presentation was engaging and rich with stories of real people, as is typical of Desmond’s work. We even snagged a few funny inscriptions during book signing time (which you can see above).
Dawn Brancati wrote for Sociological Images on how pandemic lockdown measures actually reduced ISIS activity, removing crowd cover and public gatherings such as markets.
Ginevra Floridi wrote for Council on Contemporary Families’ blog on their new research finding that wealthier college-educated parents send more money to their young adult children as inequality increases, such as in the years following the Great Recession.
The children of undocumented migrants pulled over by police experience both short and long-term emotional harm, fearing their parents detainment or deportation. Expanded access to driver’s licenses could change that according to new research from Robert Smith and colleagues written up by Leonardo LaBarre.
Watch board member Jacob Otis’s roundup of research on the Child Tax Credit. As parents file their 2022 taxes, they won’t receive the expanded CTC despite evidence that it improved parent and child health.
This week Wellesley, a historically women’s college, voted against admitting any transgender or nonbinary students. For some social scientific context, read this archive piece summarizing research on how transgender policies at women’s colleges actively construct gender.
Contexts spoke with Dr. Chiara Cooper about her new article in the magazine, exploring the double-binds, compromises, and unwanted sex heterosexual college women experience.
For Council on Contemporary Families’ blog, Marta Soler and Ane Lopez de Aguileta wrote about how the book Creative Friendships can help children learn friendship skills and develop values that support their wellbeing.
Ellie Nickel wrote up recent research from Patrick Sheehan on the surprising appeal of perpetually unemployed career coaches who rely on emotional connections with job-seeking clients in the absence of formal credentials.
Sociologist Lisa Hajjar discussed her new book investigating the long legal fight against torture and its legacy with radio station KFPA.
The New York Times spoke with sociologists Christina Gibson-Davis and Jeffrey Alexander about how shifts in attitudes towards pregnancy and marriage may have contributed to a rise in mid-pregnancy weddings.
Contexts‘ blog shared a teaching exercise, and Q&A with co-author DeAnna Y. Smith, to help bring their Winter 2023 feature “Child Removal Fears and Black Mothers’ Medical Decision-Making” to the classroom.
The Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies’ blog shared a Q&A with Joachim Salvesberg on the International Criminal Courts’ release of arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova related to the forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia.
Check out our write up of new research from Danya Lagos showing that there has not been one “trans tipping point.” Although more people now identify as transgender, the relationship between other social identities and transness has changed over birth cohorts.
For Contexts Sophie X. Liu shared stef m. shuster and Laurel Westbrook‘s call for exploring joy in sociology with their research showing that authenticity, pride, mental health benefits, and community are elements of trans joy.
The Los Angeles Times drew on the work of Kate Cairns and collaborators, Priya Fielding-Singh, and Caitlyn Collins, and Kathleen Gerson to help us understand why parents, especially mothers, are judged so harshly for how and what they feed their kids.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Even if today is not the one day of the year you claim Irish ancestry check out our roundup of research on how Irish people (and other European ethnic groups) became white in the United States.
For Council on Contemporary Families’ blog Jaclyn S. Wong wrote about how her research shows that workplace and childcare, egalitarian cultural models, and coordinated action from partners are all necessary to achieve equal dual-earner partnerships.
Virginia Rutter for Girl w/ Pen shared thoughts on James Butler’s essay “This Concerns Everyone” on the challenges of care which is necessary and costly, both economically and personally, but rarely centered in political debates.
In Japan the same help-seeking behavior that boosts mental wellbeing in the U.S. leads to decreased life satisfaction & less positive mood according to research from Verity Y. Q. Lua & colleagues written up for the site by Caroline Garland.
For the Conversation, sociologist Kelsy Burke and Tyler Lefevor examine how religion and political affiliation shape beliefs about transgender rights, focusing in on legislative developments in Utah.
Listen to WBUR Boston speak with sociologist Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot on the challenges of transitioning into a “third act” of life without a cultural narrative to support the risk taking and reinvention necessary.
On Tuesday the Supreme Court hear arguments on student loan forgiveness, read this piece from Amber Joy Powell on racial and gender disparities in the burden of student debt.
For Council on Contemporary Families’ blog, Armin A. Dorri and Stephen T. Russell wrote about their new research showing that lesbian, gay, and bisexual people who have more internalized homophobic stigma desire children more but feel they are less likely to achieve parenthood.
Leonardo LaBarre wrote up new research from Ilya Slavinski and Becky Pettit showing that court fines and fees are not a replacement for incarceration and target the same historically disadvantaged communities.
CBS news spoke with sociologist Mary Brinton and Masahiro Yamada who critiqued Japan’s new match-making initiative, designed to address low birth rates by encouraging marriage, for not addressing the gender inequality and economic insecurity young people face.
With historic winter storms blowing across the United States this week, post-earthquake recovery efforts ongoing in Turkey and Syria, check out this piece from partner Contexts on what social science tells us about natural disasters.
For Council on Contemporary Families’ blog, Dr. Breanna Boppre wrote about the stressors loved ones of incarcerated people overcome to visit their family members, from transportation time and costs to constant surveillance.
Niya St. Amant wrote for Engaging Sports on the risk and injury associated with high-stakes competition show RuPaul’s Drag Race.
New research from Kristin Kelley shows that, despite more women choosing to keep their maiden names, wives who do not take their husband’s last names are considered less loyal and loving and farther from the ideal wife.
February is Black History Month but it is not the only time of year we should center conversations around race and racism, according to sociologist Dan Hirschman speaking with USA Today, especially given the organized backlash against racial progress.
For more Black History Month reading, check out this piece from alums Caty Curry and Amber Joy Powell highlighting black women’s long-standing contributions to the discipline.
New co-editor Seth Abrutyn sat down to discuss how Dr. Anna Mueller and his Contexts piece “Durkheim’s Suicide in the Zombie Apocalypse,” helps make foundational sociological concepts accessible and interesting to students, offering discussion prompts for other instructors hoping to do the same.
Transgender parents may let children explore their gender before ascribing labels, according to new research from Rachel G. Riskind, Samantha L. Tornello, and Mary Campbell shared on Council on Contemporary Families’ blog.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day we shared some good news for young love. New research from Sara I. Villalta and colleagues found that supportive, low-conflict romantic relationships help teenagers feel happier.
Jenny Enos wrote for Everyday Sociology about how the sociological imagination and the term “emotional labor” can help us explore and understand the experiences and challenges of women choosing to have children later in life.
National Public Radio’s Marketplace spoke with sociologist Carolyn Chen on how her ethnographic research in Silicon Valley, which explores the almost religious devotion of tech workers, can help us understand the identity crises laid-off employees might face.
We’re working on a *secret new project* that has us thinking about how to balance big picture thinking with zooming in on the complexities of life uncovered in social scientific analysis. Whether we’re imagining our audience as the interested public, students, or a skeptical parent who isn’t quite sure why we picked sociology, we need to balance key takeaways with the data and stories that help explain these findings and showcase the relationships or processes we think our readers should care about. Striking this balance is one of the main challenges of how we think about doing public sociology. It helps to view this as a vision rather than a destination, one we work towards everyday as a student board, especially when the excitement for a new undertaking starts fading in light of the reality of the hard work ahead.
Deadric T. Williams and Virginia Rutter were re-posted on Council on Contemporary Families’ blog writing about new publications that explore the stubborn problem of viewing family structure as an explanation for black-white racial inequality.
Board member Jacob Otis wrote up new research from Tony Cheng that shows that community listening sessions are not an impartial venue for residents to raise complaints about the New York Police Department (NYPD). Instead, the NYPD focuses on easily resolvable complaints rather than than “rabble-rousing” topics such as police brutality, favor regular pro-police attendees, and choose venues, such as churches and schools, with existing relationships with the police.
Sara Bruhn wrote for Council on Contemporary Families’ blog about her new research showing that welcoming school districts are an important site of belonging and inclusion for Latino mothers in sanctuary cities.
Axios spoke with Laura E. Gómez and Nancy López about what a proposed change to the census questions on race and ethnicity could mean for Latinos. Current estimates suggest Latinos were significantly undercounted in the 2020 census.
Yesterday Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. Read more about the importance of Groundhog day, and other strange rituals.
As Contexts gets settled in at their new headquarters at the University of British Columbia, they spoke with Dr. Elizabeth Hirsh about why the policy briefs are one of her favorite sections of the magazine.
Because critics assess them based on “authenticity” and consumers expect them to be cheap, gourmet ethnic restaurants struggle to stay afloat and gain recognition. Check out this new discovery from Gillian Gualtieri written up by board member Abigail Palmer.
Insider spoke with sociologist Janet Vertesi on how her ethnographic work with NASA helps shows that, unlike the general public, scientists do not anthropomorphize the robots they work with but they do feel deeply connected to the technology.
Given Twitter’s uncertain future, and the energy of our board members, particularly our enthusiastic undergrads, we are considering what alternative social media platforms TSP might use to showcase our public sociology work. We aren’t yet sure what this will look like but we are having fun thinking about how we could make TSP go viral and feeling grateful for the advice and participation of a younger, and more trend-sensitive, generation. Do you showcase your academic work on other platforms? Do you wish TSP was on a social media site that you love? Drop us a line at [email protected].
This week, we lost co-founder of Sesame Street, Dr. Lloyd Morrisett. Dr. Morrisett leaves behind a powerful legacy of public children’s programming that works to reflect the sometimes tough realities of kids lives, such as parental incarceration.
Contexts spoke with Dr. Ethan Raker about why he is excited about Contexts‘ arrival at the University of British Columbia (spoilers: Great opportunities for grad students! Showcasing UBC’s unique soc perspective! The great Trends section!)
For Engaging Sports Dawn Norwood reflects on what the history of athletics at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the reality of the financial and racial inequalities shaping college athletics can tell us about renewed attention to HBCUs.
For Council on Contemporary Families’ blog Brittany Stahnke Joy shared her research on what aspects lead to long-term success in marriage.
We can’t stop thinking about this piece from new board member Leonardo LaBarre, voted one of our “Best of 2022.” Check out his write-up of research from Dylan Jackson & colleagues showing that kids who are expelled or suspended from school experience earlier and more frequent police encounters.
For Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, Hajar Yazdiha spoke with Axios about how emphasis on King’s I Have a Dream speech entrenches colorblind views that deny systemic inequality, and shapes public memory of the civil rights movement.
Today our spring semester kicks off! We’re excited to reunite and welcome a few new board members. I, for one, am feeling energized and ready to tackle some new projects we have in the works and dive back into our regular schedule of meetings, editing, and posting. Every new semester brings fresh faces and challenges, we look forward to what’s ahead.
This week, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced she will step down. Ardern was the country’s first leader to give birth while in office. Checkout this roundup of research on the challenges working mothers face giving some context to why Ardern might not feel she has “enough in the tank” for another term.
As Contexts touches down at the University of British Columbia, they spoke with Dr. Ethan Raker about what he loves about the magazine and it’s public-facing mission.
Daniel L. Carlson and Richard J. Petts wrote for Council on Contemporary Families’ on their new research demonstrating the pandemic’s mixed-effects on gender inequality.