September/October 2013
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Volume 41 • Number 6 • September/October 2013 An Ethnographer, a Teacher, and the inside 2014 ASA President Robin Leidner, University of the truth about the nuts and bolts linked culture to social structure, Pennsylvania of fieldwork, she has sometimes biography to history. been self-critical in print. The 2015 Theme Is nnette Lareau, the Early Influences 5 It’s time to right the “Sexualities in the Social A2014 president of the Annette’s own biography pro- World” American Sociological balance. Annette is an extraordinary sociologist vides some clues to her long-term The theme will explore the Association, has greatly fascination with education, family, expanded our under- and a person of integrity, importance of sexuality generosity, gracious- and social class. She grew up in in people’s live and its standing of how social Northern California, the daugh- inequality is reproduced ness, and understanding. relevance in sociology. Over the course of her ter of two teachers whose college while extending the educations were made possible by possibilities—and raising career, she has continu- Community Action Annette Lareau the GI Bill. Her mother’s stories 7 the bar—of qualitative ally deepened and refined Research Grants our understanding of about her impoverished childhood research. Through meticulous made a deep impression: the family Awarded fieldwork, theoretically informed inequality by focusing on the connections—or disconnections— experienced multiple evictions and CARI funds help sociologists analysis, and engaging writing, as a child Annette’s mother spent tackle real-world problems. Annette has had an impact on between families and other institu- tions, especially schools. Carefully many hours in the library—not only scholarship and public discussion because she loved books, but also about education, family life, and uncovering the everyday patterns The World Social Forum that confer advantage to some because it was too cold at home. 9 in Tunisia social class. A believer in telling children and not others, she has Continued on page 8 At the WSF, attendees debate religion in public and political life as well as gender relations. The Journal of Health and Social 2013 ASA Annual 11 Edit an ASA Journal Meeting Breaks Contemporary Sociology, Behavior Welcomes New Editor Contexts, Social Psychology Attendance Record Mark Wheeler, University of California, the subject of his talk, and today Quarterly, and Teaching Daniel Fowler, Los Angeles Gee, Professor of Community Sociology are now seeking ASA Public Information Office Health Sciences at the University editor applications. veryone’s career takes unexpected he 2013 American Sociological twists and turns, and Gilbert Gee’s of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) E Association Annual Meeting was is no exception. The new Fielding School of Public T the most successful ever in terms of editor of ASA’s Journal of Health, focuses his attendance. From the Executive Officer .................2 Health and Social Behavior research on determin- A record-breaking total of 6,184 Science Policy .........................................3 (JHSB) recalls a pivotal ing how racism and people attended International Perspectives .................9 moment while he was other forms of structural the conference a graduate student. He disadvantage contribute ASA Forum ............................................ 13 in New York admits he was floundering to health and health care Announcements ................................. 13 City, topping the in terms of what he wanted disparities. He also exam- previous best of Obituaries .............................................. 17 to do as a career, when he Gilbert Gee ines local neighborhoods 6,025 established was asked by his advisor to and issues of environmen- six years ago, the give a speech before his peers on the tal justice using a multi-level and last time ASA question of race and health. It was life-course perspective. That is, how visited the Big an intimidating prospect for a young racism impacts a person throughout Apple. Attendance also increased man in his early 20s with a penchant the lifespan and the different ways it by 16 percent compared with 2012, for wearing ripped blue jeans and could change the course of a child’s when 5,330 convened in Denver, old T-shirts (“Not unlike how I dress life compared to that of an adult. Colorado, for the Annual Meeting. today,” he jokes), but it also served to “From crib to coffin,” he has writ- “New York City has histori- gel his thinking on what direction he ten, “race is invented, recorded, and cally been a popular destination wanted his research career to take. reported. The classification of peo- for our members, so we certainly The question that came to ple’s race on their birth certificates, anticipated a good turnout,” said fascinate him was, roughly, does college applications, medical charts, racism make you sick? That became Continued on page 12 Continued on page 4 footnotes • September/October 2013 To view the online version, visit <www.asanet.org/footnotes/septoct13/index.html> 1 American Sociological Association footnotes.asanet.org from the executive officer Sally Hillsman was on vacation at the time of publication and was therefore unable to write a Vantage Point column for the September/October issue of Footnotes. In her absence we are running a column focusing on non academic careers from the November 2010 issue of Footnotes, which remains relevant today even though the sociology job market has recovered from the recent recession. (See www.asanet.org/documents/research/pdfs/2012_2013_ASA_Job_Bank_Survey.pdf.) Sociological Careers – Can Graduate Training Meet the Challenge? ccording to a recent American own sake. He may be aware of, or Deep Roots in Sociological The ASA mission statement also ASociological Association (ASA) even concerned with, the practical Practice directs us to advance sociology as a Research Brief, there was a 35 applicability and consequences of As the national disciplinary “scientific discipline and profession percent decline in the number of his findings, but at that point he association, the ASA mission serving the public good.” When we jobs advertised in the leaves the sociological statement (www.asanet.org/about/ undervalue our discipline’s deep ASA Job Bank between frame of reference.” mission.cfm) explicitly states that roots and current engagement in 2008 and 2009, and a 32 This perspective the Association serves researchers sociological practice, we impede the percent decline in the reflected what most and practitioners (such as soci- growth of sociology as a profession number of academic students and faculty I ologists working in government, with careers that span many sectors departments posting those jobs, yet knew felt about graduate training industry, and non-profit sectors), where meaningful sociological work there was an increase in the number and it continues today (albeit in a as well as faculty working in col- is accomplished. When we overlook of applied jobs during the time more gender-neutral formulation). lege and university settings. The an array of immensely satisfying period (Spalter-Roth, Jacobs, Scelza Yet even back then there was an statement reflects a long-standing career opportunities for PhD gradu- 2010). While not the first time our unsettling undercurrent in this for- interest in what is sometimes called ates, we encourage a sense of alien- departments and doctoral students mulation of “the sociologist.” Is an sociological practice or applied ation among some accomplished have faced a serious academic job academic job devoted to theoretical sociology among PhD sociologists, sociologists who feel that without decline, these findings reflect not work the only professionally mean- as demonstrated by the establish- an academic affiliation they do not only the realities of the current ingful conclusion to PhD graduate ment of Columbia’s Bureau of have an acknowledged place or role Great Recession, but also the longer preparation? Are sociologists in Applied Social Research (1937) with in the discipline. trend of state and federal disinvest- the professoriate, as well as those Paul Lazersfeld as its first director Taking a Broader Disciplinary ment in higher education that is in other economic sectors, working and Robert K. Merton as his key View now contributing to fewer full-time outside “the sociological frame of intellectual partner. Former ASA Academic sociologists view tenure track opening in many U.S. reference” when their sociological presidents Peter Rossi (1980) and expanding sociological knowledge, colleges and universities. training and imagination is focused William Foote Whyte (1981) led a methods, and theory as their top The possibility that there may be on non-theoretical work? series of initiatives to promote soci- priority as scholars, along with fewer academic jobs in the coming These are not merely hypothetical ological practice within the ASA, teaching the next generation of soci- years is a serious problem that the concerns, especially as the decades and Michael Buroway (2004) made ologists to do the same. Sociologists discipline must vigorously con- have passed and sociology PhDs, the concept of “Public Sociologies” in practice take sociological knowl- front. The ASA is doing so through higher education leaders, and the focus of his presidency and edge, methods, and theory into the advocacy efforts of our Public society in general have faced new the 2004 Annual Meeting. Yet, the research, business, government, and