Contexts Discoveries

White supremacists are often secretive about their beliefs, but their silence can actually make their beliefs stronger.

“Negotiating White Power Activist Stigma”
Pete Simi and Robert Futrell
Social Problems, 56(1)

Dehumanizing racial epithets are a key tactic used in genocides.

“The Colective Dynamics of Racial Dehumanization and Genocidal Victimization in Darfur.”
John Hagan and Wenona Rymond-Richmond
American Sociological Review, December 2008, pp.875-902

Racial stereotypes still play a role in the NFL Draft.

“Race and the NFL Draft: Views from the Auction Block.”
Mikaela J. Durfur and Seth L. Feinberg
Qualitative Sociology, March 2009, pp.53-73.

You might guess that women who play rugby would challenge gender stereotypes, but often their behavior ends up reinforcing gender inequality.

“‘Barbie Dolls’ on the Pitch: Identity Work, Defensive Othering, and Inequality in Women’s Rugby.”
Matthew B. Ezzell
Social Problems, 56(1)

It’s easy to blame the parents when kids get in trouble, but it’s the neighborhood that matters more.

“Neighborhoods and Self-Control: Toward an Expanded Version of Socialization”
Brent Teasdale and Eric Silver
Social Problems, 56(1)

In the United States, your socioeconomic status predicts your likelihood of getting a preventable disease. In Canada, this is not the case.

“‘Fundamental Causes’ of Health Disparities: A Comparative Analysis of Canada and the United States.”
Andrea E. Wilson
International Sociology, 24(1), pp.93-113

If a website mislabels an unpopular song as popular, listeners are more likely to say they like the song. However, there are some truly good songs that people like no matter how they are labeled.

“Leading the Herd Astray: An Experimental Study of Self-fulfilling Prophecies in an Artificial Cultural Market”
Matthew J. Salganik and Duncan J. Watts
Social Psychology Quarterly, 71(4), pp. 338-355

Immigrant labor can be exploitative, but the skill building and control over work can lead to upward mobility.

“Mexican Immigrant Gardeners: Entrepreneurs or Exploited Workers?”
Hernan Ramirez & Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo
Social Problems, February 2009, pp. 70-88

Not only is health associated with one’s age, race, body type and socioeconomic status, but also with their sexual status.

“Health and Sexual Status in an Urban Gay Enclave:An Application of the Stress Process Model”
Adam Isaiah Green
Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 49(4).