November 2006 Number 8
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VOLUME 34 NOVEMBER 2006 NUMBER 8 2008 President Is a Defender of the “Poorest of the Poor” by Barbara Ehrenreich, inveigled me into working with her on late George A. Wiley, leader of the 1960s responsible professor as well as an activ- author of Bait and Switch the program of the annual meeting of the welfare rights movement, and developed ist and writer. How does she do it? The Society for the Study of Social Problems the confrontational strategy that led to a secret, revealed to me over time, is that I first met Frances Fox Piven in the (SSSP), over which she then presided. liberalization of welfare she does not sleep much, and early 1980s. I was a struggling freelance and a reduction in somehow manages to remain writer; she was an intellectual star. Fighting to Reduce Poverty extreme poverty during alert on a punishing schedule Everything about her intimidated me: When we met, Frances was already that decade. Even more of meetings, travel, and writ- Her habit of not saying anything until widely known for her classic books, perturbing to many ing deadlines. she had thought it through, her sociolog- co-authored with her long-time com- of her fellow social Within a short time of our ical erudition, her relentless work ethic, panion, Richard A. Cloward: Poor scientists, she always initial meeting, Frances and her fearlessness in the face of authority, People’s Movements and Regulating the said exactly what was I began our intellectual and and—if I may mention it—her drop-dead Poor. She had achieved tenure at Boston on her mind even if activist collaboration. We co- good looks. I am not sure why she took University and considerable recogni- that meant publicly authored articles on welfare an interest in me, but within months tion, including a Guggenheim fellowship upbraiding them for and the threat of welfare she had convinced me that the high- and the C. Wright Mills Award from the statements she found “reform” for a variety of pub- est feminist priority was the defense of SSSP. But because of her activism, she condescending to the lications, including Dissent, the poorest of the poor, that is, women was still a bit of an enfant terrible within poor. The Nation, and Mother Jones. on welfare. And she had somehow academia. She had collaborated with the At the same time, She is a delightful person to Frances was—and Frances Fox Piven write with—rigorous, logical, remains—a diligent meticulous about facts, and and hard-working academic citizen. utterly ego-free. We spent many hours NSF Education and Human Resources Sometimes I have chided her for putting over tea, outlining our arguments, so much time into academic committees mustering our data, and dividing up the to Be Headed by Marrett and slaving over her students’ disserta- actual writing. In the 1980s, we launched tions, but she always insisted on being a workforce of scientists, technicians, engi- See Piven, page 7 Cora B. Marrett, senior vice president neers, mathematicians and educators and for academic affairs at the University a well-informed citizenry that has access of Wisconsin-Madison and long-time to the ideas and tools of science and engi- ASA member, has been appointed neering. The purpose of these activities is Names Change for Two ASA Awards Assistant Director of the National to enhance the quality of life of all citizens Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for and the health, prosperity, welfare and W.E.B. DuBois Name Is Directly Related to Scholarship Education and Human Resources (EHR), security of the nation. making her one of seven directorate Marrett’s position at NSF will be As the result of a major petition drive, including signatures from two-thirds heads. She assumes her position February in conjunction with the University of the ASA Council and 13 ASA presidents and the necessary number of votes 1, 2007, where she will lead NSF’s mis- of Wisconsin’s (UW) Department of in the May 2006 ASA election, ASA announces the change in name of two of its sion to achieve excellence in U.S. science, Sociology, where she will remain a major awards: the Career of Distinguished Scholarship Award is now the W.E.B. technology, engineering, and mathematics tenured faculty member. She has served DuBois Career Award for Distinguished Scholarship, and the DuBois-Johnson- (STEM) education at all levels. UW in her current position for the last Frazier Award is now the Cox-Johnson-Frazier Award. The latter award is No stranger to the NSF, six years. From 1974-97, she named after sociologists Oliver Cox, the first recipient of the award back in 1971, Marrett also served as the first was a faculty member in two Charles Johnson, and E. Franklin Frazier. This is the second change to the ASA Assistant Director of the NSF departments—Sociology and major award program in the past two years after the addition of the Excellence in Directorate for Social, Behavioral Afro-American Studies—where Reporting of Social Issues Award. and Economic Sciences (SBE) she advanced from associate Aldon Morris (Northwestern University) and Michael Schwartz (Stony in 1992-96. For her leadership professor to full professor and Brook University), who wrote the petition for the changes in both award names, in developing new research was chair of the sociology depart- believed it was important to make connections between the history of the disci- programs and articulating the ment in between (1988-91). During pline and those who are practitioners today (see May/June 2006 Footnotes). scientific projects of the direc- that time she also was affili- In addition, Morris and Schwartz said in their petition, “If the award is named torate, she received the NSF ated with the Wisconsin Center after someone whose visibility extends well beyond the profession, it allows the profession to borrow this visibility, and to project our winners to an audience well Distinguished Service Award. In Cora B. Marrett for Educational Research. In 2005 she added the Erich Bloch between her faculty and academic beyond the profession. For sociology, we believe that this is particularly impor- Distinguished Service Award from the affairs positions at UW, she served as tant, since we aspire as a profession to reach an audience beyond the confines of Quality Education for Minorities Network the senior vice chancellor for academic our discipline with insights that can hopefully make a difference in social life.” to her award roster. The award is given affairs and provost at the University of Because of such needed publicity, Morris and Schwartz believed DuBois was annually to an individual who has made Massachusetts-Amherst for four years. a perfect fit for the Distinguished Scholarship Award. “DuBois was the consum- singular contributions to the advance- In addition to her UW and NSF roles, mate public intellectual. He fought ment of science and to the participation of Marrett has served as director of two for the rights of people of color, not just “Congratulations” to the 2006 groups underrepresented in STEM fields. programs for the United Negro College in the United States, but also around ASA Section Award Winners! “We’re thrilled to have Dr. Marrett Fund (1990-92), was a fellow at the Center the world. He fought for women’s ASA is proud to announce the winners join us at NSF again at this critical time in for Advanced Study in the Behavioral rights, worker’s rights, Jewish free- of the various awards given by ASA’s our agency’s mission,” said NSF Director Sciences (1976-77), an assistant professor dom, a peaceful world without nuclear Arden Bement in the NSF announcement. at the University of North Carolina (1968- weapons, and for human dignity and special interest sections. Not all 44 sec- “Leadership in STEM education at NSF is 69), assistant and associate professor of democracy across the globe.” They con- tions give awards, but the vast majority immensely important, and the agency is sociology at Western Michigan University tinued, “. because of his singular role of sections have now reported their fortunate to have a professional such as (1969-74), and a senior policy fellow at the as public intellectual, his name would 2006 award winners to ASA, and they are Dr. Marrett leading EHR.” National Academy of Sciences (1973-74). confer a more appropriate luster to the listed on the ASA website <www.asanet. ASA Executive Officer, Sally Hillsman, In ASA, Marrett has served as a former award than other, also worthy, choices.” org> under “Sections.” A hearty con- enthusiastically welcomed Marrett to her Vice President (1998), Council member While the names of the two awards gratulations is extended to each of these NSF leadership role. “It was a significant (1997-99), and as a member of the Rose have changed, the criteria and purposes outstanding scholars and ASA members! ‘coup’ for NSF to bring Cora Marrett Series Editorial Board (2001-03). She was of these prestigious awards remain the to head the EHR Directorate. This is an also elected a fellow of the American same. For more information about this important time for scientific research to Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1998 award and all ASA awards, see page 7 of this issue of Footnotes. contribute to strengthening American and the American Association for the The changes in award names went into effect in September 2006 after ASA’s education, and Cora is the right person to Advancement of Science in 1996. She is Annual Meeting in Montréal. Any members who would like to send in a nomi- accomplish this vital mission.” widely published in the field of sociology, nation for these awards, or one of the other ASA major awards, can do so via In her NSF role, Marrett will continue and has held many public and profes- email to [email protected].