More than ever, the world needs sociology. We face mounting challenges of heightened global conflict, economic inequality, a fracturing political discourse, and environmental degradation. Rapid change and looming threats have created a widespread sense of social un-ease, as well as cynicism, nostalgia, and fear. This is especially true in the post-9/11 era, which has witnessed not only a dramatic change in the political-economic landscape but rapid culture change, such as gay marriage, as well. At Boston College, our graduate program is different. Our title says it best -- Social Economy and Social Justice: Class, Race, and Gender in a Global Context. We believe that as sociologists, we are ideally placed to understand. But we are committed to more than understanding; we believe in acting affirmatively on that knowledge, in becoming what American Sociological Association President Michael Burawoy has called "public sociologists." We collect data, we analyze, we debate, and we transform.
Boston College, I believe, is a unique place to study sociology. We have a distinguished faculty with a commitment to first-rate research, teaching and service. Our graduate curriculum includes not only in-depth training in the central traditions of sociology, but also a focus on "critical sociology" which puts us at the cutting edge of developments in sociology and related disciplines. In recent years, we have added six new faculty at all levels -- Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor -- and have made major improvements to our graduate training. The department has expanded its expertise in global sociology, race and post-colonial studies, gender and family, urban poverty, consumerism, advanced qualitative and quantitative methods, medicine and the body, as well as African American, Latin American and Native American studies. We continue to be strong in social movements, theory, aging and retirement, the sociology of mental illness, nd political economy. Our faculty write influential books and publish widely in major sociological journals. A significant number consider themselves "public sociologists," whose work is influential beyond the academy. We support students who have similar ambitions.
And speaking of students, ours are wonderful. I'm a relative newcomer to Boston College and the quality of the graduate students was a major draw for me. Their intelligence, talent, and commitment are impressive. Whether studying social movements aimed at reducing inequality or analyzing reconfigurations of culture, sexuality, health care, crime, education, spirituality, or politics, our students engage in creative social research in their quest for social justice. As a department, we support originality in content and method, and believe in a model of graduate training that allows students to follow their passions. We aim to expand, not narrow, the terrain and methodologies of sociology for you to explore.
Our sociological sensibilities and programmatic themes fit well with Boston College's mission as a Jesuit university, committed to both academic excellence and the pursuit of social justice. Indeed, whether in formal classroom exchange or informal dialogue, this much is clear -- Boston College's faculty and graduate students are passionate about sociology and committed to grappling with the major social issues of our times. Being situated in Boston -- a major metropolitan area steeped in history and culture -- is another advantage. The promises and troubles of Boston invite timely sociological inquiry. We benefit also by our university's participation in a consortium of Boston area graduate schools. This enables our students to cross-register for courses at other leading institutions, diversifying course offerings, while facilitating exchange with other graduate students in the Boston area.
Two additional aspects of our graduate program also deserve mention. These include our Departmental Seminar -- an ongoing forum for exposing our students and faculty to cutting-edge research and writing in the social sciences -- and our annual Distinguished Visiting Scholars Series. The Distinguished Visiting Scholars Series brings a leading sociological scholar to the Boston College campus for a period of residency during each semester. During their stay, each scholar delivers a major public lecture, teaches one or two sessions of an intensive faculty/graduate student seminar, and is available for informal conversation with students and faculty. This provides a unique opportunity for members of the BC sociology department to dialogue and develop relations with a wide variety of important sociologists. In recent years the Distinguished Visiting Scholars Series has brought to a wide variety of influential thinkers including Paul Gilroy, Aldon Morris, M. Jacqui Alexander, Patricia Hill Collins, Sandra Harding, Dorothy Smith, bell hooks, Mary Waters, Michael Burawoy, Tricia Rose, Alondra Nelson, and Prudence Carter to the BC campus.
If your view of yourself as a sociologist has affinities with ours, I encourage you to find out more about us by exploring our department's website and paying us a visit. Prospective graduate students are invited to meet with our faculty and students and to sit in on graduate seminars.
