VOLUME 33 NOVEMBER 2005 NUMBER 8
A Capitol Hill Party Celebrates 100 Years ASA showcases sociological research, education, and service to society at Sociologists in the Limelight th its 100 anniversary in the U.S. Capital ASA’s much-anticipated “birthday by Johanna Olexy, Centennial Congressional Reception & party on the Hill” was commemorated Public Information Office, Research Exhibit. with 28 research poster displays by four and Lee Herring, Public Affairs Office The reception was ASA’s latest categories of exhibitors: (1) Seven celebration focused on its centenary, and individual sociologists (highlighting a range of science and education topics he people in the U.S. Congress the event was designed intentionally to “T including disaster preparedness, K-12 need social scientists to provide the kind both commemorate the historic mile- education including science education, Charles Votaw of information required to inform public stone of ASA’s 100 years of existence and homeland security); (2) Nine college and policy,” said New York Rep. Sherwood to showcase sociology relevant to federal university departments in the Washing- “Sherry” Boehlert, the Republican Chair policy among a unique national leader- ton, DC, metropolitan area; (3) Represen- of the U.S. House Committee on Science, ship audience in the nation’s capital. Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) [center] with tatives from eight federal research and the first of three Members of The reception was an overwhelming ASA Executive Officer Sally Hillsman [left] agencies; and (4) Four nonprofit social Congress to speak at ASA’s October 25 success, with nearly 200 attendees, and ASA President Cynthia Fuchs Epstein. including sociologists and students, science research organizations. (The federal agency programs represented congressional staffers, congressional In Service to the Government committee staffers, federal science were the National Center for Education agency officials, and policy representa- Statistics, National Center for Health In addition to celebrating 100 years of tives, hearing speeches by Rep. Boehlert, Statistics, National Institute of Child sociology, the reception was a reminder North Carolina Rep. David Price (D), Health and Human Development, to federal policymakers and the congres- and Rhode Island Rep. Patrick Kennedy National Institute of Justice, National sional audience of sociology’s relevance (D) on the utility of social science for Institute on Drug Abuse, National to Americans’ lives and well-being. policy. Tennessee Rep. Bart Gordon (D) Science Foundation, Office of Behavioral ASA President Cynthia Epstein and Charles Votaw and his staff on the House Committee on and Social Sciences Research, and the Executive Officer Sally Hillsman each Science were very helpful with arrang- U.S. Department of Agriculture. Also spoke briefly about the ASA and the role ing this event, providing the necessary represented were the Consortium of of sociology in federal and local policy. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) speaks to the sponsorship, and ASA publicly acknowl- Social Science Associations, the National “We are a vibrant discipline …dedi- attendees of the Centennial Reception & edges this support. Academies, the Council of Professional cated to the advancement of sociology as Research Exhibit about the policy need for Associations on Federal Statistics, and a scientific discipline and to sociology’s social science research. the DC Sociological Society.) See Centennial, page 4 Sociologist-led Homeland Security Think Ahead to 2007! Session Proposals Are Invited for the Center Is Unveiled nd University of Maryland’s START program to explore terrorists’ mindsets, 102 Annual Meeting Program! motivations The 2007 program is now starting to in new ways. Participation in a thematic by David C. Walsh* well as some in Europe and Israel. It is take shape under the leadership of session is by invitation only; a proposal the sixth of an eventual seven Homeland President-Elect Frances Fox Piven and should include suggestions for organizer A new component of U.S. research- Security Centers of Excellence (HS- the 2007 Program Committee. “Is and participants (see guidelines below). based efforts to understand and weaken Centers). START is housed at the Another World Possible? Sociological To receive full consideration, Thematic global terrorism was formally launched University of Maryland. All the HS- Perspectives on Contemporary Politics” Session proposals should be submitted at the University of Maryland’s College Centers will tackle different dimensions is a theme that invites participation by November 30, 2005. Park, MD, campus at a press conference of homeland defense. across the discipline and gathers Special Sessions focus on new areas and panel discussion in September. together a variety of sociological work in of sociological work, timely topics, and a Unveiling the new See START, page 10 diverse formats. variety of critical areas facing the world National Consortium The wide spectrum of sessions on today. Special Session topics may or may for the Study of the Annual Meeting program reflects not relate to the theme. They generally Terrorism and Re- the ASA’s commitment to facilitate address sociological issues, whether in sponses to Terrorism intellectual communication and the research or its application, of importance (START)—which transmission of knowledge, informa- to the discipline or of interest beyond. incorporates a collec- tion, and skills relevant to the field of Participation is by invitation. Proposals tive of sociologists, sociology and aligned social sciences. for sessions co-sponsored with sister psychologists, crimi- Members are encouraged to submit sociological associations are usually nologists, risk analysts, session proposals for the following accommodated under this component. anthropologists, and components of the program. Regional Spotlight Sessions provide other scientists— Thematic Sessions are specially opportunities to look at issues pertinent START and University designed and planned by the Program to the host site for the Annual Meeting. officials described the Committee to further examine the With New York City as the site of the new Center and its meeting theme. The sessions are broad 2007 Annual Meeting, a broad spectrum mission. in scope and endeavor to make the of topics awaits exploration, from Enabled by a $12- theme of the meeting come alive. Ideas historical and political perspectives to million Department of are encouraged that confront issues in international relations to cultural and Homeland Security new ways, unfold the theme in various artistic influences and beyond. (DHS) grant an- settings, or bring new research together
David C. Walsh, pixwords.com David C. Walsh, See Annual, page 11 nounced in January (see February 2005 Inside this Issue: ASA Award Nominations Footnotes, p. 1), START START director and sociologist Gary LaFree speaks about the new DHS and New Research Survey engages a half-dozen Center of Excellence before introducing the seated panel of speakers, Details on submitting nominations for the nine major ASA Awards professors at Maryland which included [left to right] Jacques Gansler, University of Maryland’s presented at the Annual Meeting in August are on page 12. The deadline partnering with Vice President for Research; Melvin Bernstein, DHS Director of University for all of the awards is December 31, 2005, so send your nominations in collaborators at Programs; Edward Montgomery, Dean of the University of Maryland’s soon. And visibility is increasing for non-academic sociologists with a another two-dozen College of Behavioral and Social Sciences; William W. Destler, University new survey from ASA’s Research & Development Department (see U.S. institutions as of Maryland Provost; and Charles E. McQueary, DHS Undersecretary. page 4).
PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION 2 NOVEMBER 2005 FOOTNOTES
The Executive Officer’s Column ASA’s Centennnial Year: Members Speak, Council Responds Much has happened since the ASA 2005 centennial year began. While many special activities were undertaken to In This Issue . . . commemorate our 100th anniversary, others were born of significant national or world events that engaged members and ASA in actions that have added dimensions to ASA as a Sociologist to Head professional association during its centenary. Historians at our bicentennial may infer trends from ASA’s many institutional National Children’s roles during this year and, likely, from the ones that follow. Center Sociology and Human Rights Developments in international terrorism, the war in Iraq, and international plenary Barbara Entwisle to direct multi- speakers at the 2004 Annual Meeting (e.g., past presidents of Brazil and Ireland), as federal-agency study center on child well as insights on domestic developments from U.S. plenary speakers at the 2005 3 Annual Meeting (e.g., historians, legal scholars, political analysts) spurred renewed and adult health. sensitivity to issues of human rights among sociologists. Members urged Council to commemorate our centenary with an official statement on human rights. Council responded in August, recognizing that although the Association has spoken often and Immigration Reform taken formal actions to defend “sociologists and other scholars persecuted for their beliefs or scholarly activities,” ASA lacked a comprehensive position statement to Makes an Odd Bedfellow affirm its support for basic civil and political freedoms here and abroad. Drawing upon the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the statements of allied scientific and ASA’s Congressional Fellow academic bodies, ASA has codified its commitment to basic human rights, particularly 3 examines the party’s different as they nurture free scientific inquiry and human development (see p. 7 of this Foot- approaches to immigration reform. notes). Sociology and Disasters ASA entered its celebratory year with scenes of devastation from a major Sociologists Outside the international disaster, the December 2004 tsunami. Our members, however, reacted Ivory Tower to that news, and the hurricane devasta- ASA Research and Development tion of the U.S. Gulf Coast, by recognizing 4 that sociological scholars and researchers Department develops new survey on are not impotent in facing tragic events. Sociologists have been studying non-academic sociologists. disasters for more than a hundred years and actively engaging policymakers and the public with useful knowledge. ASA President Troy Duster responded with a special opening plenary of our 100th Annual Meeting chaired by Kai Erikson and featuring University of Indonesia sociologist Imam Prasodjo, who is leading recovery activities in Aceh. Shortly after, President Cynthia Fuchs Epstein responded by supporting an The Organization of intense effort by the ASA Executive Office to pull together resources of use to the sociological community, press, and public on the hurricane disasters, and by working Regional Societies with other leading sociologists to initiate new national research efforts. Centennial article on the regional Sociology for the Nation 5 associations. The relevance of sociology to national policymaking is not disputed within our discipline, but members want ASA to develop effective methods of making this relevance visible. Council supported an ASA Centennial Congressional Reception and Research Exhibit as the capstone of this year, and both centennial-year presidents Kent State and University Epstein and Duster represented the Association at the event. Four Members of Con- gress helped ASA put policy-relevant sociology (as well as educational and federal of Akron Collaboration research support) prominently on display at this Capitol Hill event last month (see Two sociology departments share article on p. 1). This was truly a proud moment for our discipline and our members in 7 responsibilities of producing many the nation’s capital. PhDs. Sociology for the Health of Science Council responded immediately and proudly to the news that the National Science Board had recognized New York University sociologist Dalton Conley with the immensely prestigious Alan T. Waterman Award (see May/June 2005 Footnotes, p. 1). Presenting the 2005 The award catapulted sociology’s visibility among important scientific and policy audiences that affect the welfare of science overall, and sociology in particular. Award Winners Council’s support of ASA’s public affairs efforts and our membership in the Consor- Seven prestigious awards were tium of Social Science Associations continues to reflect the members’ needs for efforts in 8 support of federal funding for the social sciences and advocacy to defend research peer presented to nine prominent review and to preserve and improve federal data systems, as well as promote the sociologists. relevance of sociological research to national policy development. Tangible results include restoration of funding for the 2010 Census and the American Community Survey and a Senate amendment to overturn the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ planned elimination of the collection and publication of worker data on women. ASA Seeks the Best of the Council developed a pragmatic position statement to counter the scientifically uninformed comments of Harvard University’s Lawrence Summers about women’s Best achievement in science and math and worked with the Executive Office to inform the 12 Send your nominations for the major public and policymakers of this research, which counters stereotypes and can improve the diversity of the U.S. scientific, engineering, math, and technology workforce. ASA awards by December 31. In response to many members’ interest in the thematic sessions of the 2004 Annual Meeting, Council created a Task Force on Institutionalizing Public Sociology. Its forthcoming recommendations will have an impact on sociology as a discipline and profession as well as affect other sciences as they struggle with effective ways to promote “public science,” to enhance the nation’s well-being through science. ASA Members Break Records These achievements spring from the engagement of ASA members and from their Our Regular Features volunteer efforts within the Association. ASA members established the Association’s 100th year as the year with the highest number and proportion of eligible voters partici- Public Forum...... 10 pating in the ASA election. We marked another year of growth in the Association’s Departments...... 13 membership, moving us to a 30-year high. The 2005 Centennial Annual Meeting was the second meeting ever to top 5,000 registrants and was the second largest meeting in Obituaries ...... 18 ASA history (after 2004). And, the 2005 meeting was the first to top 600 sessions! But, at the “end of the day,” Council was wise enough not to take all these achieve- ments too seriously, when it authorized an official centennial activity for members to poke a little fun at ourselves with The Sociologist’s Book of Cartoons. ❑ —Sally T. Hillsman NOVEMBER 2005 FOOTNOTES 3 Sociologist to Lead National Proposed Disaster Legislation Is Children’s Study Center Informed by Sociological Research by Sylvia Pociask, ASA Research Pescosolido, who, along with Pennsylva- by Lee Herring, ASA Public Affairs Office citizen-participants, thereby jeopardiz- Assistant, and Lee Herring, nia State University colleague Linda ing the ability of the United States to ASA Public Affairs Office Burton, serves on the Federal Advisory “In the August 2 Air France plane respond effectively to domestic emer- Committee of the NCS. crash in Toronto, passengers did not gencies. To quote Rep. Kennedy, “Direct, The National Children’s Study The NCS is a massive national panic as some reports stated. Contrary to participatory community-based disaster (NCS), a long-anticipated and compre- undertaking by three primary participat- popular belief, passengers may have planning incorporates unique local hensive multi-federal-agency effort to ing federal agencies: The National been scared, but because they did not conditions of culture, geography, assess the effects of the environment on Institutes of Health’s National Institute panic, everyone escaped safely,” said language, and infrastructure, as a fail- child and adult health, took a major step of Child Health and Human Develop- sociologist and disaster researcher Lee safe against developing unrealistic forward in September with the formal ment (NICHD); the Centers for Disease Clarke, Rutgers University. emergency plans, and gives citizens a announcement that contracts have been Control (CDC); and the National Sociological research has been meaningful role in preparing for awarded to six Vanguard Centers to Institute of Environmental Health demonstrating for some time now that as disasters.” pilot and complete the first phases of Sciences (NIEHS). first responders in emergency situations, Kennedy’s bill has already gained the NCS. If adequately funded by These six NCS Vanguard Centers “ordinary” people tend not to panic, but support from members of the House Congress over the next few years, the were chosen in part because they have instead more typically exhibit normal Committee on Homeland Security. Co- NCS will be the largest such study ever advanced clinical research and data altruistic type behavior and social sponsors of his bill include Rep. Bennie undertaken in the United States, and collection capabilities, with the ability to coordination. Data to this effect contra- Thompson (D-MS), Rep. Mike McIntyre appropriately, the NCS has incorporated obtain and manage biological and dict popular and uncorroborated, reflex- (D-NC), Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), the social and environmental like news accounts. Reaction to a disaster Jim Langevin (D-RI), and others. ASA’s behavioral specimens; is “spur of the moment.” And lawmakers July/August 2004 Footnotes newsletter sciences from Given the importance of the overall have commu- on Capitol Hill are beginning to recog- (see bottom photo and caption) de- its inception. study, and its scope, I am pleased to nity networks nize this sociological phenomenon. For scribed early meetings with Kennedy’s In fact, have sociology represented among for identifying, example, Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) legislative staff as he began develop- sociologist the Vanguard Centers. recruiting, and introduced his Ready, Willing and Able Act ing an earlier version of the bill. The bill Barbara retaining [HR 3565] on July 26. The bill extensively can be found at
Centennial, from page 1 service on behalf of the public good,” dence. So, our purpose tonight is to which was informed by sociological said Hillsman. “This is an ambitious celebrate our centennial and to sample research, remarked, “The American mission, but one whose success we think some of the notable achievements of Sociological Association has been is well demonstrated by even a small sociological research that are policy- successful not only by promoting the selection of sociologists, sociology relevant. Such research can help govern- vitality, visibility, and diversity of departments, and federal science ment and the public inform their policy sociology, but also by informing the programs such as those who have joined debates, and provide information that general public, as well as national and us tonight. They illustrate what our can help us understand how public international leaders, about human discipline can do through timely and policy can be more effectively imple- behavior, social dynamics, and the high quality social science to serve the mented.” resilience of humanity.” public and its policy makers in tackling Adorning the Rayburn House Office “May sociology’s significance for the hard problems.” Building banquet room were the 11 public and its leaders continue through- From left to right: Allison Rosenberg, University of st large, colorful ASA centennial banners out the 21 century and to its second North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Rep. David Price (D- In Service to the People ❑ depicting ASA’s history in the context of centennial,” concluded Hillsman. NC), Karolyn Tyson (University of North Carolina- Before introducing Rep. Price, Epstein the last 100 years of U.S. history. In Chapel Hill), Catherine Liao (Rep. Price’s Office). said, “Never has our discipline been as addition to the poster displays, attend- challenging and engaged as we are now ees enjoyed good food and drink, the …. Our contributions to knowledge are speeches by Members of congress, and finding new audiences in government, made new connections with other in the private sector, and among the researchers and made valuable congres- Increasing the Visibility of Sociology public through the media and our sional contacts. PhDs Outside the Ivory Tower educational institutions. Sociologists, Rep. Kennedy, who recently proposed like other informed Americans and national disaster-preparedness legisla- by Roberta Spalter-Roth, ASA Research age of sociologists working in non- policymakers, aspire to government and tion, the Ready, Willing, and Able Act (see and Development Department academic sectors is so low. Most agreed policy dialogue that relies on a base of page 3 of this issue or the ASA website at that while there was a high degree of reliable scientifically established evi-
A Century of Professional Organization in American Sociology This is the first essay of a three-part perspective series commemorating leadership opportunities from ASA’s centennial year. actual membership figures is somewhat elusive. This difficulty by Bruce Keith, United States Military of a regional association. is attributable in part to variation Academy West Point The relationship between the national in the way records are main- and regional associations is evident from tained and in the arbitrary The history of sociology is replete the inter-related patterns of their elected selection of organizational with illustrations of how the discipline officers. From 1930 to 1939, 30 percent boundaries. For these reasons, benefited from the actions of individuals (3) of ASA presidents have been regional I have examined potential and departments. And yet, the organiza- association presidents. These propor- membership by the geo- tion of American sociology, as depicted tions increased through the 1980s, when graphic locations of presidents’ institu- by Lawrence Rhoades (1981), is inextri- 70 percent (7) of ASA presidents served tional affiliations, an approach that Goldberger, Marvin L., Brendan A. Maher, cably linked to the development of its as a regional president. Since 1990, only creates cleanly demarcated geographical and Pamela Ebert Flattau, eds. 1995. professional associations. Notably, the two of the 14 ASA presidents have been boundaries among the five regional Research Doctorate Programs in the United relationship between the national and regional presidents (Figure 1). associations (Keith 2004).5 Accordingly, States: Continuity and Change. Washing- regional societies has evolved from If we assume that presidents of the the Eastern Sociological Society (ESS) ton, DC: National Academy Press. recognition and integration to separation regionals are drawn from their respec- has a potential membership base of 3,172 Keith, Bruce. 2004. “Disciplinary Culture and autonomous isolation. For example, tive constituencies, we might expect to faculty.6 The North Central Sociological and Organizational Dissonance: The Regional Association in American the ASA1 initially established a relation- find that regional presidents’ institu- Association (NCSA) and Pacific Socio- Sociological Focus tional affiliations have shifted away Sociology.” . 37(2): 83- ship with the regional societies in 1932. logical Association (PSA) are most 105. From 1942 through 1963, regional from graduate programs. Evident from similar with respect to their population Rhoades, Lawrence J. 1981. A History of the societies were given direct representa- Figure 2 is the observation that the sizes (1,243 and 1,426 faculty respec- American Sociological Association: 1905- tion on the ASA Council. This pattern of institutions represented by national and tively) while the Southern Sociological 1980. Washington, DC: American governance changed in 1963 when regional association presidents parallel Society (SSS) and Midwest Sociological Sociological Association. regional societies nominated two one another through 1969. During the Society (MSS) are comparable (1,852 and candidates for the ASA Council with one 1970s and 1980s, shifts occur in both the 1,710 respectively). The PSA is the most Notes of them chosen in the general election. ASA and regional associations. Since efficient recruiter, attracting 57 percent of 1 The second essay in this three-part series After 1967, the ASA Council terminated 1990, the two trends diverge dramati- its available faculty base; the SSS recruits will address the evolution of disciplinary its relationship with the regional cally, with the regional and national 48 percent of its faculty base, followed in culture and organizational drift. societies. association presidents increasingly being turn by the MSS (45 percent), the ESS (24 2 Throughout this paper, I denote the Several reasons have been advanced drawn from different institutional types. percent), and the NSCA (11 percent).7 national sociological association as the to explain the separation of the national Thus, while membership provides ASA while recognizing that the official name of this organization remained the and regional associations; perhaps most Institutional Prestige leadership opportunities within the American Sociological Society through conceivable is the perspective that the Ironically, while doctoral program discipline, the regional societies are, at 1959. regionals contribute relatively little to faculty have divested themselves from present and to varying degrees over 3 I direct attention to five regional associa- the promotion and advancement of the leadership roles in the regionals, most of time, attracting relatively small seg- tions, including the North Central discipline. One wonders, therefore, if their graduates are likely to receive ments of their potential membership Sociological Association (NCSA), the consolidation of these organizations into appointments in institutions that remain base. Pacific Sociological Association (PSA), fewer associations might benefit the affiliated with them. Of the 1,622 Membership in regional associations the Eastern Sociological Society (ESS), the Southern Sociological Society (SSS), discipline. In consideration of this query, sociology PhDs conferred between 2000 is attractive to a diverse group of I direct attention to three areas across individuals and drawn increasingly and the Midwest Sociological Society and 2003, only 11 percent (179) received (MSS). Insofar as the Southwestern and five regional associations.2 In succession, from a population base that is not well- faculty appointments in doctoral- Mid-South Sociological Associations I examine leadership patterns, institu- granting sociology departments.3 represented among the ASA leadership. maintain histories distinctly different tional appointments of recent sociology Moreover, as the status of one’s graduate As such, the regionals represent an than the others, I have excluded them doctoral recipients, and regional associa- department decreases, so too does the important venue through which many from this analysis. tion membership. probability of placement in a doctoral sociologists receive recognition and 4 Data on PhD recipients and job appoint- program. To illustrate, of the 727 leadership experience. Nonetheless, the ments were drawn from the ASA Guide to Path to Leadership graduates from sociology programs with regionals appear to recruit a small Graduate Departments of Sociology (2000- 2004 editions). a status of “inadequate” through proportion of their potential member- Membership provides experience 5 These figures are based on National through leadership opportunities. “good,” 42 (5.8 percent) received ship base. To remain viable throughout st Research Council data (Goldberger, Illustratively, from 1930 through 2003, appointments in other PhD departments; the 21 century, the discipline of sociol- Maher, and Flattau, 1995), demarcated by 360 persons served as regional associa- of the 895 graduates from “strong” and ogy needs to address the divergent Cartter’s (1966) five department tion presidents; 75 persons served as “distinguished” departments, 137 (15.3 organizational trajectories of the profes- categories. ASA presidents. With few exceptions, percent) hold such appointments.4 Thus, sional associations within the context of 6 Information on regional presidents was ❑ presidents of the associations served one out of seven graduates from high its prevailing culture. obtained from two sources: conference single one-year terms. Five percent (18) status departments and one out of 17 programs and websites. 7 Data on the population of potential of the 360 regional association presidents graduates from low- to mid-status References members was drawn from the ASA’s departments received faculty appoint- served as president and vice president of Cartter, Allan M. 1966. An Assessment of 1999 Directory of Members. ASA, another 4 percent (14) were ASA ments in programs that offer a doctorate Quality in Graduate Education. Washing- 8 Actual membership data was obtained ton, DC: American Council on Educa- president, and 6 percent (21) served as in sociology. from the regional associations. the ASA vice president. Nine percent tion. (32) of the regional presidents served as Regional Membership ASA president while 43 percent (32) of Strong leadership requires a strong Figure 2: Proportion of Association Presidents Holding Affiliations the ASA presidents served as president membership base, though assessing with PhD Degree-granting Departments
Figure 2: Proportion of Association Presidents Holding Figure 1: Proportion of ASA Presidents Who Served as Regional Presidents Affiliations with PhD Degree-Granting Departments
0.8 1
0.7 0.95 0.7
0.9 0.6 0.6 0.545 0.85
0.5 0.5 0.8
0.4 0.75 Proportion
Proportion Overlap 0.3 0.3 0.7 0.3
0.65 0.2 0.2 0.6 ASA
0.1 0.55 Regionals
0 0 0.5 1930-39 1940-49 1950-59 1960-69 1970-79 1980-89 1990-99 2000-03 1930-39 1940-49 1950-59 1960-69 1970-79 1980-89 1990-99 2000-03 Decade Decade 6 NOVEMBER 2005 FOOTNOTES International Workshop on Social Networks Theory and Methodology: Applications for Regional Carbon Management by Penelope Canan, Global Carbon Project media, or scientific consensus difficult. Therefore, the GCP call for a regional/urban future far different than business as usual requires understanding conservative net- What can social network works for BAU as well as processes of network transformation and the emergence of theory and methods contribute to networks for innovation. solving the social problem of We agreed that currently we are collectively “managing” the carbon cycle but by global warming? That was the scientific and ethical standards, the management is characterized as piecemeal, careless, question entertained at the inconsistent, profligate, and shortsighted. Enabled by past and current networks of International Workshop on Social power, the world has embraced a carbon culture that has spun out of control in less Networks Theory and Methodol- than 200 years. ogy, hosted by the Global Carbon The earth has always cycled carbon in the atmosphere (mainly as CO2); in the oceans Project (GCP) in Tsukuba, Japan (surface, intermediate waters, deep waters and marine sediments); in terrestrial April 5-7, 2005. Social scientists ecosystems (vegetation, litter, and soil); in rivers and estuaries; and in fossil carbon, from Japan, the United States, and which is being remobilized by human activities. However, with the rate of fossil fuel Europe reported on state-of-the- burning feeding industrialization, urbanization, and transportation and with large-scale art social network theory and land clearing, the naturally balanced carbon cycle is in a non-analogous and dangerous methodology to envision their use state. for on-the-ground social change So, social change it is. But how? Well, short of an enlightened despot, we’re going to regarding carbon management in have to create new networks at every level and sector of human activity to revolution- real places. Below is an overview of the conference and its collective thinking. ize the way we live on the planet. Such sweeping social change must occur at local Workshop participants included (in alphabetical order): Jeffrey Broadbent (Univer- (regional) levels since regions vary in their natural resources and ecosystem properties sity of Minnesota), Joseph Cabrera (University of Arizona), Penelope Canan (GCP & (forest, plains, desert, e.g.) as well as in their social resources and socio-economic University of Denver), Elizabeth Caniglia (Oklahoma State University), Catherine characteristics. Moreover, and very importantly, places vary in their location in larger Dibble (University of Maryland), Fukuyo Iino (United Nations University, Japan), networks of greater regional, national, and global carbon-based power. Mikiko Kainuma (NIES, Japan), Yasuko Kameyama (NIES, Japan), Kazumi Kondoh Presentation Topics. Network methods and analysis are pertinent to regional carbon (Washington State University), Elizabeth Malone (Joint Global Change Research management in a variety of ways that cross topical areas (from the structure of social Institute, University of Maryland, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory), Michael connections (ties) to the structure of ideas), scales, and evolution. New approaches let Obersteiner (IIASA, Austria), Erich Schienke (Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute), Stephan us add date stamps so that we can look at network evolution over time. The table below Scholz (GCP & University of Arizona), John Sonnett (University of Arizona), Hiroyasu presents the workshop session topics. Sugihara (Development Bank of Japan), Yutaka Tsujinaka (observer, University of The GCP Seminar Series was held to coincide with the second day of the conference. Tsukuba, Japan), Yoshiki Yamagata (NIES, Japan), and Chisa Umemiya (NIES, Japan). Professor Jeffrey Broadbent’s presentation was entitled, “Pathways to Participation: Some Beginning Assumptions. We began with the assumption that network action Global Networks and NGO ‘Voice’ in Japanese Climate Change Policy.” ❑ is a powerful organizational force, especially useful for intentionally flexible response to changing conditions in an operating environment. This is because network components can be selected and quickly “activated” according to perceptions of appropriate Table 1. Sessions at the International Workshop on responses. Network ties can also be usefully called upon to resist threats to the status Social Networks and Regional Carbon Management quo from external challenges. (Consider, for example, the power of the “old boys’ network” in resisting acceptance of women and minorities in decision making posi- ■ The GCP RC6 Initiative: Regions, Cities, Carbon, Culture, Climate, tions.) Change and Consequences Network analysis is especially promising to go beyond the statistical and conceptual ■ Capturing Network Dynamics across Space and Time categories of organizational behavior (firms, nation states, disciplines) in that it facili- ■ Stakeholder Identification, Participatory Research and Citizen tates the examination of non-continuous social units that traverse the nation state, even Involvement regions and continents. Essentially, network analysis is concerned with the structure of social relations independent of locale and circumstance, examining patterns in connect- ■ Networks in/for Ecosystem Understanding & Management edness among non-contiguous, multi-site entities, using interpersonal and ■ Making Case Studies Comparable: Qualitative Case Analysis interorganizational and other network ties as the basic unit of analysis. Anheier and ■ Network Views of Cultural Content and Media Analysis Katz (2005:207) explain that: ■ “Network analysis measures social reality not by reference to people’s individual Simulations, Modeling Network Dynamics, and Computational attributes (gender, class, age, values, and so on) but by looking at their social relation- Laboratories ship, the patterns they form, and their implications for choices and behavior.” They maintain that networks are appropriate for understanding social behavior in the 21st century of globalization where society is an “interconnected and multilayered social space” comprised of “cross-border networks” and “chains of interaction” linking ASA Council Briefs the local to the global (quoting Keane 2001). August 16-17, 2005 The mission of earth system science and of the Global Carbon Project is revolution- The 2004-05 Council of the American Sociological Association held its final ary: to change the way the science and management of carbon (the lifeblood of the meeting on the final day of the Centennial Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. The world economy) are conducted. Everyone agrees that accomplishing this mission following day the 2005-06 Council convened for its inaugural meeting. Over the requires understanding the intricately woven fabric of systemic relations in nature, course of the two days, Council received numerous reports and updates. Key including those among human societies, in order to tease out “windows of opportu- actions taken included (but are not limited to) the following: nity” for efficacious interventions in the “business as usual” scenario. • Changed the name of the Distinguished Scholarly Publication Award to the We know that business as usual (BAU) is supported by complex systems of eco- Distinguished Scholarly Book Award. nomic, political, and cultural interests, with the dominant culture being globalized • Changed the deadline for nominations for all ASA awards to January 31st of capitalism with “local” growth machines. These systems (networks of existing prac- each year. tices) have been institutionalized, making challenge by an activated public, interested • Received and accepted the Final Report of the Task Force on Sociological Specialties. Participants in the International • Received and accepted the audit of 2004 financial records. Workshop on Social Networks • Accepted the slate of candidates proposed by President-Elect Piven for Theory and Methodology, hosted by appointment to the 2007 Program Committee. the Global Carbon Project in • Voted to approve a recommended 6% increase in the institutional rate for ASA Tsukuba, Japan. [Front row, left to journal subscriptions. right]: Kazumi Kondoh • Voted to approve a recommendation to increase 2006 membership dues by a (Washington State University), Beth 2.8% COLA. Caniglia (Oklahoma State • Approved use of the ASA General Fund to contribute to the cost of adding an University), Yukako Ojima (Global additional MFP fellow each year for the next five years beginning in 2006 at an Carbon Project), Mikiki Kainuma (National Institute for anticipated cost of between $10,000 and $15,000 per year, contingent on Environmental Studies of Japan), continued funding from the National Institute of Mental Health. Penelope Canan (Global Carbon Project and the University of Denver), Yoshiki • Accepted ranked lists of candidates for appointment to all ASA committees. Yamagata (National Institute for Environmental Studies of Japan), Midori Usui-Aoyagi • Cognizant of the vitality of smaller sections, Council voted unanimously to (National Institute for Environmental Studies of Japan), Fukuya Iino (United Nations direct the Committee on Executive Office and Budget to explore alternatives for University). [Second row]: Catherine Dibble (University of Maryland), Frank Malone supporting small sections, and to report back at the next meeting in January. (independent consultant), Elizabeth Malone (Joint Global Change Research Institute, • Decided upon Annual Meeting locations for 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2014. University of Maryland and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory), Yasuko Council asked the Executive Office, as much as possible when negotiating Kameyama (National Institute for Environmental Studies of Japan), Melanie Hartman meeting contracts, to try to vary meeting dates between early and mid-August, (Global Carbon Project), Hiroyasu Sugihara (Development Bank of Japan). [Back rather than the current system of holding meetings in mid-August. row]: Stephan Scholz (Global Carbon Project and the University of Arizona), Erich Unanimously approved a proposed Statement on Human Rights. Schienke , Jeffrey Broadbent (University of Michigan), Michael Obersteiner • (Interantional Institute for Applied Systems Analysis), Rajesh Nair (National Institute • Received reports from the initial meetings of the new task forces on sociology for Environmental Studies of Japan), John Sonnett, (University of Arizona), Joey and general education, and the MA degree in sociology. Cabrera (University of Arizona). • Approved proposed registration fees for the 2006 Annual Meeting. NOVEMBER 2005 FOOTNOTES 7
Spotlight on Departments Community Action Research An occasional column showcasing accomplishments Grants Awarded and innovations in sociology departments by Johanna Olexy, reviews and inteerviews. The measured Public Information Office outcome areas are: academic perfor- mance, social skills, emotional well- Kent State and University of Akron The American Sociological being, and behavioral problems. The Collaborating for More than a Quarter Century Association’s Spivack Program in project will provide Youth Impact with Applied Social Research and Social information on the effectiveness of their by Victoria Hougham, Academic and program is governed by the joint faculties Policy announces the recipients of the programs and provide an analyses of the Professional Affairs Program of both departments, who meet as a group 2005 Community Action Research short-term and long-term effects of the to make program decisions and policies. Initiative (CARI) awards. This small program. This year marks the 30th anniversary A Joint Executive Committee consisting of grants program encourages and sup- Camerino Salazar, University of of the first class in University of Akron the two department chairs and two ports sociologists to bring social science Texas-Health Science Center San and Kent State University’s joint sociology graduate directors is the administrative knowledge, methods, and expertise to Antonio, will assist The South Texas PhD program. The program is a model of mechanism directing the joint faculty. The address community-identified issues Injury Prevention and Research Center, how to extend the resources of depart- department chairs alternate in two-year and concerns. Each applicant described a which works to reduce the burden of ments wanting to offer a PhD program terms as Chair of the Joint Executive proposed project for pro bono work with injury among the South Texas region and meet the commitment to teach many Committee. (3) All standing committees of a community organization or local through education, research, and undergraduate students. the joint program have faculty from both public interest group, the group’s intervention. His project aims to deter- campuses. Thus, their comprehensive request for collaboration, and the mine adult Hispanic male attitude and Development and History exam committees have two faculty intended outcomes. CARI provides up to behaviors regarding drinking and $2,500 for each project to cover direct impaired driving through focus groups. Because the demand for PhD sociolo- members from each department, while costs associated with doing community It will also assess their familiarity with gists was increasing in the late 1960s and dissertation committees must include at action research. The six 2005 proposals impaired driving laws. The goal is to early 1970s, and both schools were least one faculty member from each selected are: raise the community awareness about sending a number of their MA students to campus. Faculty from either department Kathlyn Barry, Wayne State Univer- the social, health, and legal conse- other PhD programs, the development of may chair a dissertation for a student sity, received support to work with the quences associated with drinking and doctoral programs at Akron and Kent from either university. (4) One set of community organization Safe Horizons, driving, and gather new data about the State became an attractive option. Initially, courses is offered across departments to which provides services for victims of risk factors associated with impaired geographic proximity helped to create ties the doctoral students, with half being at domestic violence and sexual assault. driving. between the departments; however, Kent State and half at Akron. Thus, in a The goal of her project, the Macomb Linda Shaw and Richelle Swan, similar and complementary strengths typical semester students will take courses Institutional Response Evaluation California State University-San Marcos, were what drove the departments to on both campuses. Required courses (MIRE), is to evaluate the response of the will use their CARI funds to work with formally propose a joint doctoral program rotate yearly between departments. police, prosecutors, and the justice the Supportive Parents Information to the OBOR. After three years of plan- The universities are only 15 miles system in Macomb County, Michigan, to Network (SPIN). SPIN is a grassroots ning and proposals, the joint doctoral apart, which is a 25-minute commute. To domestic violence and assault com- organization that encourages low- program was approved by The Ohio facilitate the ability of students to take plaints during 2003 in order to prevent income and welfare families to identify Board of Regents (OBOR) in 1973 and courses on both campuses, each semester needless deaths. After the collection and and respond to economic and social students began the program two years all courses are offered two days a week on analyses of data, the results of MIRE will barriers. Their project funds will be used later. one campus. be presented to the Macomb County to conduct a needs assessment among “When departments have geographic There are currently 27 graduate faculty, Council on Family Violence and will previous welfare fraud offenders in proximity and similar or complementary 49 doctoral students, and 54 masters include recommendations for changes in order to develop an alternative to strengths it makes sense to pool re- students, all clustered in three joint domestic violence police and legal prosecution, the Fraud Diversion sources. In a time when the cost of program specializations: Medical Sociol- response. Program, for first-time ofenders. The graduate education is being questioned by ogy and Mental Health, Social Psychol- Rebecca Culyba, American Bar goal of the assessment is to provide state legislatures and boards of trustees, it ogy, and Inequality. University of Akron Foundation, will use her grant to work guidelines for information packets and is a model that speaks to cost effective also has a fourth specialization in Devi- with AIDS Athens, a community-based, training programs to educate the welfare programs,” explained Richard Serpe, ance and Criminology. Across the last volunteer agency committed to meeting community and to reduce fraud. current chair at Kent State. decade, the joint program has awarded an the needs of northeast Georgians Linda M. Waldron, Christopher Additionally, “Required courses need average of six doctorates a year, 67 in infected with AIDS through case Newport University, received a CARI to be offered on a regular basis, whether total. management and direct client services. grant to work with Maasai American there are just a handful of students or a Strengths and Highlights Her project will conduct a systematic Organization in Kenya, which partners dozen. Combining students across program evaluation of the “Well 2 Do” with Kenyan groups for the promotion universities allows departments not only The joint nature of the program HIV prevention program, which trains of education, community health, and to offer these sorts of courses, but also to presents a number of benefits for the barbers and beauticians as peer educa- sustainable industry and has agreed to offer more electives,” said Zipp, “Regard- students, faculty, and state legislature. tors and provides educational materials pay for boarding school education for ing faculty, two modestly sized depart- Because the required courses alternate to their customers. The purpose is to some Maasai girls. Waldron’s project will ments by themselves might not provide between campuses, students are required provide AIDS Athens with well-orga- assess the benefits, challenges, and the necessary concentrations of faculty to take courses on both campuses. This nized data on the Well 2 Do program outcomes of this education through expertise in essential areas and tight gives students access to more faculty and and measurable goals for revising future qualitative interviews with the educated budgets might not allow for the additional more graduate students from which to training and recruitment strategies. girls to assess their expectations and hires required.” interact and collaborate. Vicki L. Hunter, Brenda M. Kowalewski, Weber State evaluate their future. Her goals are to Both Serpe and Zipp have noted that a Kent State alumni noted that, “due to University, received her CARI grant to determine how their education affects departments considering a joint doctoral the joint program, I had access to a larger work with Youth Impact, a a youth their family life and cultre, and gather an program need to take into consideration pool of faculty members offering an array development program for “at risk” inventory of where the girls are educa- the structure and culture of the depart- of specializations. This was helpful in adolescents in Ogden, Utah. Her project tionally. ments. Some of the numerous things to terms of the number and variety of course launches the beginning phase of a 20- The deadline for applications for the take into account are the coordination of offerings that the department was able to year longitudinal study involving 2006 CARI award is February 1, 2006. research emphases, university rules offer and in terms of choosing a disserta- undergraduate students to determine the Additional information is on the ASA regarding appeals, grievances, the tion chair and committee members that fit effectiveness of after school and youth homepage