Contexts Discoveries

When letters to the editor are written about local issues, they’re polite and professional. National issues, however, evoke more anger and outrage.

“Parallel Public Spheres: Distance and Discourse in Letters to the Editor”
Andrew Perrin and Stephen Vaisey
American Journal of Sociology, 114(3), pp.781-810.

Marketing to many genres may seem like a good idea, but targeting one audience is more effective.

“Multiple Category Memberships in Markets: An Integrative Theory and Two Empirical Tests”
Greta Hsu, Michael T. Hannan, and Özgecan Koçak
American Sociological Review, 74(1), pp.150-69.

If selling your life insurance to an investor feels “ghoulish,” why is it a thriving industry?

“The Transformation of Morals in Markets: Death, Benefits, and the Exchange of Life Insurance Policies”
Sarah Quinn
American Journal of Sociology, 114(3), pp738-80.

Mothers who are emotionally connected to their daughters help mitigate the negative side effects of their daughters’ first periods.

“‘A Kotex and a Smile’: Mothers and Daughters at Menarche.”
Janet Lee
Journal of Family Issues, 29:10, pp.1325-1347.

Popular images of Hawaii describe a “aloha spirit” of racial harmony, but under the surface racial tensions abound.

“Disrupting the ‘melting pot’: racial discourse in Hawai’i and the naturalization of haole.”
Judy Rohrer
Ethnic and Racial Studies, September 2008, pp. 1110-1125.

Anti-black hate crimes tend to happen in homogenous white neighborhoods, while anti-white hate crimes happen in mixed-race areas.

“Defending Turf: Racial Demographics and Hate Crime Against Blacks and Whites ”
Christopher J. Lyons
Social Forces, Vol, p.XX