Contexts

sociology for the public

Winter 2011

Volume: 10 | Number: 1

Volume 10, Issue 1

Putting America’s international power in historical context, building—and measuring—community in the Ozarks and nationwide, how sleeping is social, and a closer look at teen parents and low-wage women workers.

The Roots of American Decline

Using historical comparisons, the author analyzes America’s faltering international power and argues that it will take more than good will and high hopes to save the empire. Read More

People Like Health Reform When They Learn What It Does

Theda Skocpol explains the basics of the Affordable Care Act, arguing that Americans embrace the reform when they understand its core provisions. Read More

Grounded Thought

At the end of Voltaire’s great satire of the Enlightenment, his erstwhile “hero” Candide asks his profoundly naïve and misguided teacher, Pangloss, whether he still … Read More

Kids Today!

Cyber Bullying and The We Generation lament youth incivility in the Internet age. Reviewer Katherine Brown Rosier puts these critiques into historical context and suggests paying attention to privilege--for adults and youth alike. Read More

No News Is Not Good News

In their respective books, Alex Jones and Jack Fuller examine what news is, how traditional journalism has been threatened, and how it can sustain its mission in the future. Lee Konstantinou’s novel brings these theories to life, painting a picture of the “mediasphere" in the not-so-distant future. Read More

Families Facing Untenable Choices

Inflexible employment undermines mothers’ ability to provide family care. Playing by the rules of middle class institutions poses particular challenges for low-income moms. Read More

“Children” Having Children

Putting a face on teenage pregnancy helps us to look past stereotypes to understand the challenges of teen parenthood. Read More

Our Hard Days’ Night

Sleep on this: sleep is a highly social endeavor, posing a puzzle and a prism through which to view life in the wired era. Read More

Measuring Social Capital and Building Community in the Ozarks

Collaborative efforts in the Ozarks develop and apply knowledge about social capital to bolster civic engagement. Read More

A National Ceremony

U.S. Census Director Bob Groves sheds light on the scope, mechanics, and mission of his bureau and its most famous project. Also: working as a Census enumerator, Colby King learned firsthand the challenges and importance of accurate counting. Read More