Contexts

Features

Uncertain Knowledge

Rumors are best understood as knowledge—true or false—filtered through social process. How we learn which to trust and act upon is its own mysterious operation.

Voices of the Darfur Genocide

In Darfur and on the witness stand, social scientists are going beyond body counts to provide the foundation for prosecutorial theories and judicial decision-making in international genocide cases.

The BP Disaster as an Exxon Valdez Rerun

The aftermath of the BP oil spill bears eerie resemblances to the environmental and social damage seen after the Exxon Valdez disaster of the late 1980s. The stress is affecting every aspect of social life— financial, political, natural, and cultural.

The Waning of American Apartheid?

It’s been almost twenty years since Douglas Massey and Nancy Denton released their classic American Apartheid. Reynolds Farley takes a look at the slow progress of residential integration since. In a companion piece, Maria Krysan explores the underlying reasons why segregation is so stubborn.

Race and Residence from the Telescope to the Microscope

In a companion piece to 'The Waning of American Apartheid?,' Maria Krysan explores the underlying reasons why segregation is so stubborn.

Enduring Dilemmas of Female Celebrity

Fan magazines from Hollywood’s Golden Age reveal that today’s starlets face the same troubles as actresses in the past; they, too, must walk a tightrope between celebration and condemnation.

Inside the Wisconsin Occupation

University of Wisconsin sociology students and Teaching Assistants Association members share their experiences creating community and making waves at their state Capitol.