Contexts

sociology for the public

In Brief

News and notes.

status consistency wanted

Status matters, but not in the way we might think. While it may not, for example, be surprising to learn that being attractive helps secure … Read More

whose parents are paying?

Media coverage of race and higher education in the United States often portrays Asian American and White families as competing for limited seats at prestigious … Read More

a woman walks into a brothel…

Sex sells, the old marketing adage goes, but who is buying? Many assume that commercial sex is purchased by men, from women. However, new … Read More

intergenerational costs

Stigmatization is often thought of as an individualized burden. But can this shameful mark be experienced by and shared with others? New work published … Read More

shedding the wealth

Let’s be real: taxes and fees stink. In Venezuela, a nation experiencing an ongoing political and economic crisis, nearly 52% of the workforce depends upon … Read More

rural rainbows

When envisioning the places most conducive to lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) flourishing, we might picture urban hubs like Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, with their … Read More

crossing the cultural line

When does cultural appreciation become appropriation? A recent study published in the American Sociological Review offers a fresh look at this often misunderstood process. Read More

parenting gender, from left to right

In our present era of book bans, challenges to K-12 gender curriculum, and legislative battles over gender-affirming care, it seems the left and right have … Read More

same behavior, different meaning

What does it mean to drive an electric vehicle? For some, it may be a bold act of climate action while for others it may … Read More

paying attention. period.

Menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) are absent from both the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals, which have shaped global and national-level policies … Read More