Contexts

sociology for the public

Guest posts

Michael Burawoy: An Absolute Gem

“Dr Burawoy was one of the few senior sociologists who stood unequivocally against the genocide. He did so loudly and eloquently, never declining a request … Read More

Is Authentic Dating Possible?

In a recent New York Times article, journalist Eli Tan shared his experiences using AI clones to improve his dating life. After programming these … Read More

Youth Migrants and Long-Delayed Family Reunification

Since the mid-2010s, there has been a notable rise in media attention toward so-called unaccompanied minors migrating to the United States from Central America without … Read More

The Gender of Inheritance: The curious case of the early 20th-century Dallas elite

We are on the verge of one of the biggest wealth transfers in world history—what some social scientists have called “The Great Wealth Transfer.” … Read More

From Carbon Paper to Code: Crafting Sociology in an Age of AI

A Silicone Cage? generated with DALL.E2 Since ChatGPT launched in 2022, AI has become inescapable. Sociologists warn an “algorithmic society” risks deepening inequalities … Read More

Career Choices at a Crossroads

“I’m like a safety net for my family,” Amanda told me, explaining her decision to accept a job at Amazon. Her voice weighed heavy with … Read More

That Tiny, Tiny Little Fish

During a recent interview with conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt, former president Donald Trump weighed in on California water policy. Trump lamented that the state … Read More

The Problem with Social Problems

Social problems—issues that negatively affect social groups, like poverty and racial discrimination—drive sociological inquiry. Sociologists trade in stories of the downtrodden, inequities between … Read More

Who’s Your Safety Net?

COVID-19 campus closures in March 2020 led many—but not all—college students to move back in with their parents. Why did some students return home while … Read More

Stranded: The Gendered Shortcomings of the CROWN Act

On February 22, 2024, Darryl George received the verdict that his barrel-rolled locs were not protected by the CROWN Act. A high school … Read More