Stephen Pfohl featured speaker at two conferences
 BC Sociology Professor Stephen Pfohl was the keynote speaker at the NESA 2009 Spring Conference on "The Sociological Imagination" on April 11 at Western New England Collegein Springfield, MA.
He spoke at a workshop on People, Planet, and Profit on April 18 at the Brighton Campus. The title of his lecture was The Planetary Perils of Cybernetic Capitalism: Power, Profit, Resistance, and Change. |
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| Democratic Pedagogy |
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Sociology PhD students Chris Kelly and Ross Glover led a teaching seminar on March 31 at the Connors Learning Center. |
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| A Slowdown That May Slow Us Down |
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 Juliet Schor was quoted in a New York Times article about reduced working hours.
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| To Tell or Not to Tell |
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 Assistant Sociology Professor Shawn McGuffey gave a lecture on understanding black women's experiences of rape as part of the C.A.R.E. week.
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| Barbie at 50 |
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 Sociology Professor Sharlene Hesse-Biber discusses Barbie's legacy on NPR's 'On Point'.
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| Zine Magubane elected to executive committee of ESS |
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 Associate Sociology Professor and Chair Zine Magubane was elected to the executive committee of the Eastern Sociological Society. She will serve from 2009-2012.
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| Sev Bruyn Art Exhibit |
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 Professor Emeritus Sev Bruyn exhibited some of his paintings in the Newton Free Library.
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| Shawn McGuffey on "Origins of Male Violence" |
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Assistant Sociology Professor C Shawn McGuffey took part in a panel discussion on the origins of male violence at Harvard in December. |
| Departmental seminar series: "Structures and Subjects in the Global Economy: What Gender Helps Us See" |
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 On October 28, Leslie Salzinger presented “Structures and Subjects in the Global Economy: What Gender Helps Us See” as part of the departmental seminar series.
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| NAWCHE Speaker Series presents The Lolita Effect |
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 M. Gigi Durham spoke on October 23 about her recent book The Lolita Effect, which explores the early sexualization of young women by marketers and the media. The event was hosted by NAWCHE.
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| Sociology Department Sponsors Service-Immersion Trip to Nicaragua |
Professor Mike Malec is leading a service-immersion trip to Nicaragua after Spring semester final exams. The trip was open to all BC undergraduates. If you are interested, email Professor Malec at malec@bc.edu. |
| David Karp Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award |
Professor David Karp won the Lifetime Achievement Award from the ASA Section on Emotions. The award will be presented at the August 2008 ASA annual meeting. The award honors someone with a record of several years of scholarly work of exceptional merit and who has developed and extended the sociology of emotions empirically, theoretically, or methodologically. |
| Graduating Sociology Majors Honored |
Patrick Denice and Thomas Laidley were honored as Scholars of the College for their excellent theses. Patrick wrote on the study abroad experience and how it affects students' subsequent consumption. Tom wrote on changing transportation behaviors in response to the threats of global warming. Tom's thesis won the McCarthy Prize (in social sciences) which is given for the best scholar of the college thesis in those disciplines.
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| Malak Yusuf Wins Asian-American Scholarship |
 Sociology major Malak Yusuf ('09)won the Asian-American scholarship, given to a student who demonstrates superior academic achievement, extracurricular leadership, community service, and involvement with the Asian-American community and Asian-American issues both on and off campus.
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| SC357 Social Change in Action Featured in Heights |
 Darcy Leach's Social Change in Action Course is featured in a recent issue of the BC Heights, which describes the structure of the course and this term's "Sweatbanned" project, an attempt to pressure the BC administration to partner with the Designated Supplier Program (DSP), which requires factories producing university logo clothing to pay their workers an hourly living wage.
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| Sociology Major Named "Person of the Year" by BC Heights |
 Jessica Young, a sociology major in her senior year, is one of five young women who form the Senior Board of Ecopledge, which has just been recognized by the BC Heights as the 2008 “Person of the Year.” Throughout the year, Ecopledge has been working on campus to help increase Boston College’s environmental awareness and sustainability. more
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| Advocating for Climate Change Awareness |
 Juliet Schor was invited to present her research on consumption and worktime reduction to Al Gore and leaders of the Alliance for Climate Protection at the Climate Solutions Summit in Nashville, TN on May 15, 2008.more
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| Sociology Research Professor Lisa Dodson Presents at the National Civil Rights Project |
On May 8 Sociology Research Professor Lisa Dodson and her collaborator Wendy Luttrell of Harvard Graduate School of Education will present their research, “Family Ties and Blind Policies: Mothers and Children Climb Together,” at the national Civil Rights Project held at UCLA. The Civil Rights Project’s new initiative, "The Future Rests on Working Moms," looks at the work and family struggles of low-income families from a civil rights perspective.
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| Birthday Presents Get a Timeout From Parents |
Sociology Professor Juliet Schor is quoted in a Boston Globe article that highlights a growing trend of anticonsumerist children's parties. more
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| What Does it Mean to Call McCain a "War Hero" Candidate |
 Sociology Professor Charles Derber co-authors Christian Science Monitor article, which discusses how "playing the war hero card has long been a political strategy to elect Republicans; legitimize imperial wars; and portray Democrats and peace activists as weak, cowardly, or traitorous."
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| Real Food at Boston College |
 Real Food BC, made up of students like Sociology grad student Mike Cermak and allies outside of BC, has three events scheduled for the week of 4/7 through 4/12: a Food and Diversity potluck, the movie King Corn, and a Real Food panel. See their website for more details.
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| Asuo-Mante Wins MLK Scholarship |
 Sociology Major Eric Asuo-Mante (‘09) won the Martin Luther King scholarship at the 26th awards ceremony for the Martin Luther King scholarship (see The Heights article). The scholarship is presented annually to the junior “who reflects King’s philosophy in his or her life and work.” |
| From Undergrad Thesis to Book |
 BC Sociology alumna Katherine Adam (2007) developed her undergrad thesis into a published book. She’s featured in The Heights, and a celebration for her and co-author Sociology Professor Charlie Derber was held on campus on March 12. |
| Hip-hop and the Environment |
 Sociology grad student Mike Cermak is writing his doctoral thesis on the connection between environmental justice and hip-hop, and is in the classroom assisting teachers on the topic at the Urban Science Academy. His work was featured in the Boston Globe. |
| The Endless Pursuit of Unnecessary Things |
| Sociology Professor Juliet Schor is quoted in a New York Times article that explores the implications of humanity’s growing numbers and resource thirst. more |
| Undergraduate Research Honors |
At the Feb. 1 Boston College Undergraduate Research Symposium, three
Sociology majors were among 12 students (of approximately 44 presenters) who
received special recognitions as "Award Winning Presenters." Congratulations to Nicole Picone, Sarah Popper, and Malak Yusuf! |
| Absolutely Safe |
| The Women's Studies Program had a screening of Absolutely Safe, a film devoted to the controversy over breast implant safety, on the BC campus. The screening was followed by a discussion with the filmmaker, Carol Ciancutti Leyva, and Professor Abigail Brooks from the Sociology Department.. |
| Prof. Malec wins Distinguished Service Award |
 At the recent meeting of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport, Michael Malec was presented with the Society's "Distinguished Service Award" in recognition of more than 25 years of service to the organization.
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| Rich Kid Syndrome |
 America's burgeoning money culture is producing a record number of heirs, along with questions about how this treasury will be used. Center on Wealth and Philanthropy Director Paul Schervish discusses the subject with New York Magazine. |
| Climate & Consumption |
 BC sociologist Juliet Schor links global climate problems to 'incessant growth in consumption' in an interview with public radio's 'Marketplace.' more. |
| "Our Home Is Gone" |
 Abraham Cho (2007), a graduate of the Sociology Honors Program, recipient of the Scholar of the College designation, and winner of the William Gamson Award, helped found the Boston chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War. His thesis, "Our Home Is Gone: Homeless Veterans and the Road Back," is available here. |
| Amy Finnegan wins PON fellowship. |
 PhD candidate Amy Finnegan was awarded a summer fellowship with the Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation. She used it to work on her dissertation, The Perception of Negotiation and Nonviolent Action in Northern Uganda . |
| Critics Choice Award Winning |
 The Handbook of Feminist Research: Theory and Praxis (Sage 2007), edited by Sharlene Hesse-Biber, is one several books selected as a Critics Choice Award Winner by the American Education Studies Association (AESA). |
| daddy does cybernetics: Diary of a Mental Patient |
 Jackie Orr performed a historical, somewhat hysterical, story of U.S. Cold War culture caught between the threat of contagious panic and the government sponsored imperative to "Keep Calm!" Part social history, part political theory, part schizophrenic poetry, this piece of "performance theory" attempts to evoke the reasoned madness of an era from which we perhaps have yet to fully emerge. daddy does cybernetics is part of the departmental seminar series. |
| Hidden Power |
 Thom Hartmann's Independent Thinker of the Month Review praises Sociology Professor Charlie Derber's Hidden Power as "the must-read book of the year. Buy three copies, at least, because you'll want to share a few with friends, and will never want to part with your own well-marked-up copy." Hidden Power was a top finalist for the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY). |
| Tattoo You? |
 Sharlene Hesse-Biber, a Sociology professor and widely published author with a specialty in body image, has recently been consulted in the media for her expertise on tattoos. The Boston College Chronicle interviewed her on the topic in an article entitled "Tattoo You?" |
| Michael Malec Receives Award |
 Professor Michael Malec has received a Professional Service Award from The Drake Group, a college reform group. |
| Juliet Schor Awarded Leontief Prize |
 The Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University has awarded Sociology Professor and Chair Juliet Schor the "2006 Leontief Prize for Expanding the Frontiers of Economic Thought", a distinguished prize designed to recognize outstanding contributions to economic theory that address contemporary realities and support just and sustainable societies. More. |
| Feedback, Fear, and Fascination |
 On January 23, Stephen Pfohl presented Feedback, Fear, and Fascination: Cybernetic Social Control and Global Capitalist Power. This plenary presentation examined the global politics of cybernetic forms of social control in the realms of culture, economy, and war. It provided a critical sociological history of information-driven rituals of power and resistance in an era characterized by high-speed telematic communications, electronic surveillance, and ultramodern technologies aimed at colonizing the social imagination and body. Feedback, Fear, and Fascination is part of the departmental seminar series. |
| The Social Death of Stuff |
 On November 21, Juliet Schor presented "The Social Death of Stuff: Accumulation and Discard in the Global Economy, " examining data on purchases of new apparel items and discards of used apparel, and considering the the theoretical context for understanding these trends. The Social Death of Stuff is part of the departmental seminar series. |
| How To Stay Married |
 Sociology faculty member Natasha Sarkisian and fellow author Naomi Gerstel, recently awarded for their research excellence, were quoted in a London Times article on marriage. Click here for the article. |
| Frontline Feature |
 Assistant Professor Shawn McGuffey's research on parental responses to child sexual abuse was featured in Frontline, a media outlet for MCASA (Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault). |
| Ranking Corporate Money |
 Recent Sociology graduate Christian Gilde (M.A. 2006) and Associate Professor Michael Malec presented their paper, "Ranking Corporate Money: College Basketball and Corporate Giving," as part of a symposium on Sports & Organizational Dynamics at the 2006 Academy of Management Annual Meeting in Atlanta, August 11-16. |
| Hidden Power |
| Hidden Power, written by Sociology Professor Charles Derber, was selected as a top finalist for the 2006 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) in the category of Current Events. The IPPY Awards are designed to bring increased recognition to the deserving but often unsung titles published by independent authors and publishers. |
| Model Research |
 An editorial in the Journal of General Internal Medicine has declared that a recently published study by Associate Professor of Sociology Eva Garroutte and Assistant Professor of Sociology Natasha Sarkisian on disparities in health perceptions between Indian patients and their doctors represents a significant advance and should serve as a model for future research. Read their study here. |
| Paul Schervish speaks on Bill Gates |
| Sociology Professor and Center on Wealth and Philanthropy Director Paul Schervish discussed Bill Gates' decision to step back at Microsoft and step up in philanthropy on Tuesday's edition of NPR On Point, heard locally on WBUR-FM. Listen online here. |
| Craig Smith on cover of Sports Illustrated |
 Sociology major Criag Smith is on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Read about his journey to the NCAA tournament here. |
| Fund raising for water filters in San Juan del Sur |
 An open mic evening of entertainment was held in the cabaret room at Vanderslice Hall on Tuesday, May 2nd. Funds support construction and installation of water filters in poor rural schools and communities near San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Read more about the water filter project here. |
| Lord of the Games |
 Long before the founding of Rotisserie League Baseball, BC sociologist Bill Gamson dreamed up a primitive forebear of the addictive fantasy game in 1960. More on the National Baseball Seminar, now in its 46th year, from the Boston Globe. |
| Critical Sociology |
 Culture, Power, and History: Studies in Critical Sociology, written by several BC Sociology professors, graduate students, and alumni, and edited by Professor Stephen Pfohl and PhD students Aimee Van Wagenen, Patricia Arend, Abigail Brooks and Denise Leckenby, has just been published by Brill Academic Publishers (Leiden, The Netherlands). More... |
| Working Longer in America |
 Sociology PhD student Esteban Calvo Bralic's brief on financing retirement in America is available on the Center for Retirement Research website. |
| Sociology Speaks 2004-2005 |
| Distinguished Visiting Scholars Tricia Rose, Alondra Nelson, and Prudence Carter on Black Social Thought and Research; New Hires Zine Magubane, C. Shawn McGuffey, and Natasha Sarkisian; Charles Derber's Hidden Power; Bioterrorism: Fear, History, and Reality; the Geneology of Cyberpunk; and more. |
| Sociology Speaks 2003-2004 |
 Richard Swedberg on Economic Sociology, Sarah Babb interviews Juliet Schor on the commodification of childhood, James Holstein on publishing, Eva Garroutte on identity and survival of Native America, Mike Malec on service trip to Nicaragua, Michael Moore visits BC campus, and more. |
| Eva Garroutte Awarded NIA Grant |
| Associate Professor Eva Garroutte was recently awarded a $4 89,780 grant from the National Institute on Aging for her research on "Health Communication with American Indian Elders." |
| Sev Bruyn Wins William Foote Whyte Distinguished Career award |
 Sociology Professor Emeritus Severyn Bruyn has been selected by the ASA Section on Sociological practice to receive the 2005 William Foote Whyte Distinguished Career Award. The award was presented during the ASA Anniversary meeting in Philadelphia. For more information see the ASA website. |
| Jeanne Guillemin on Bioterrorism |
 "Think Global," a national public radio collaborative initiative, features Jeanne Guillemin of Boston College on biological weapons. Access the program on the WGBH Forum Network. |
| Sarah Babb Wins Woodrow Wilson Fellowship |
 Associate Professor Sarah Babb has been awarded a prestigious Woodrow Wilson Fellowship for AY 2005/06. This award will enable Babb to pursue research on the complex ways in which global economic ideas rise and fall from historical prominence within a context of powerful multi-national economic and political institutions. |
| Paul Schervish Awarded Grant |
 Director of the C enter on Wealth and Philanthropy (CWP) and Sociology Professor Paul Schervish was awarded a $100,000 grant from the T.B. Murphy Foundation, "The Material and Spiritual Dynamics of Wealth; Dilemmas and Decisions Surrounding the Accumulation and Distribution of Financial Resources." See article in The Chronicle. |
| BC's Most Wanted Instructors |
 Denise Leckenby (Ph.D. student and Teaching Fellow) is one of BC’s “Most Wanted” instructors. Based on the Undergraduate Student Government’s Professor Evaluation Profiles (PEPs), Leckenby’s core course Love, Intimacy and Human Sexuality was rated 10 out of a maximum score of 10. The Heights |
| Eastern Sociological Society Merit Award |
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 Sociology Professor Bill Gamson has just been awarded the 2005 Recipient of Merit Award from the Eastern Sociological Society. Gamson received this award on March 19 at the ESS Meetings in Washington, DC. | |
Mike Cermak's Planet in Peril class was featured in 
Sociology Professor Leslie Salzinger participated in 
Research Professor Lisa Dodson presented her study on 
On March 27, Zine Magubane discussed the recent upswing in interest about Africa and Africans in popular culture. Her talk addressed how Africa has historically been represented in popular culture and compare it to what is happening today. Movies, Madonna, and Malawi is part of the 
On Thursday March 29, the 
Assistant Professor Shawn McGuffey won the Sally Hacker award of the Sex and Gender section of the ASA for his remarkable article 
Michelle Gawerc, Ph.D. candidate and Presidential Fellow in Sociology, has been selected as a 2006 Graduate Student Fellow of the 
