General Sociology – Page 5

This perhaps the most haunting part of our tale when Scrooge, who by now we have come to sympathize with, learns what a mess he has made of his life and what his impact on others has been.…

Of the Passing of the First-Born by W. E. B. DuBois

Posted on February 21, 2015February 21, 2015 by Tony Waters

Editor’s Note: W. E. B. DuBois (1868-1963) published The Souls of Black Folk in 1903. It is a classic with respect to both general social theory, and race relations. Here is reposted one of the most important of the stories in that book “Of the Passing of the First-Born” about the death of DuBois infant son Burghardt. We of course recommend you read the whole book–it is in the public domain, and readily available on-line. …

Ethnography, Stigma, and Protecting a Potentially Spoiled Identity

Posted on February 20, 2015February 18, 2015 by Tony Waters

Originally published here at e.com in April 2007. It’s one of my favorites and still makes me laugh out loud, I hope you enjoy it too. -Julie

This blog is about why ethnographer Erving Goffman’s observation of stigma are important not just to ex-cons, but also to professors like me on foreign exchange programs. Goffman, as many sociologists and anthropologists know, observed the maneuvers of the marginalized and stigmatized in society, and then wrote about how they thought about their disability.…

Why Community College is Still the Best Bet for Working Class Students

Posted on February 19, 2015February 19, 2015 by Julie Garza-Withers

This originally appeared on the Working-Class perspectives blog at this link. Given the continuing stigma of community college education, it’s important we support community college students. You can read more about the community college/real college divide here.

Recently, a friend asked me whether I’d encourage my own children (if I had them) to attend a community college, the system where I teach sociology. I said “yes” immediately, but I know what thoughts lay behind her question.…

Mother Hens and Nice Girls: How Gender and Class Show Up at Work

Posted on February 18, 2015November 2, 2015 by Julie Garza-Withers

“My own sex, I hope, will excuse me, if I treat them like rational creatures, instead of flattering their fascinating graces, and viewing them as if they were in a perpetual state of childhood, unable to stand alone.” -Mary Wollstonecraft

Since writing about class and feminism here a couple of weeks ago, I’ve been booked to present at a couple of places about conflict between women co-workers, which was the topic of my thesis research way back when.…

The Order of the Eternal Social Conscience, Part 3

Posted on February 16, 2015February 23, 2015 by Tony Waters

The Order of the Eternal Social Conscience, Part 3

A Ghostly Play in Five Acts

Featuring

Karl Marx, of London, England

Max Weber, of Heidelberg, Germany

Emile Durkheim of Paris, France

W.E.B. DuBois of Atlanta, USA

Special Guest Appearance

Charles Dickens of London

As Narrated to Jerri Bedwell of California, USA

Act 3

Fatherly Reminisces

or

If These Shadows Persist… (The Ghost of Christmas Present)

“Before we begin again, Charles, Mr.…

Sweet Salvation

Posted on February 12, 2015February 12, 2015 by Marianne Paiva

Sweet Salvation was originally published at www.norcalblogs.com.

December 2006, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

There are three facts that exist on the southern tip of Baja Mexico: 1) this is a desert, 2) until very recently, even though the entire area is surrounded by ocean, there was very little drinking water here, and 3) it is desperately cut off from the rest of the world.

We arrive at Los Cabos International airport early in the afternoon.…

The Order of the Eternal Social Conscience, Part 2

Posted on February 9, 2015February 23, 2015 by Tony Waters

The Order of the Eternal Social Conscience, Part 2

A Ghostly Play in Five Acts

Featuring

Karl Marx, of London, England

Max Weber, of Heidelberg, Germany

Emile Durkheim of Paris, France

W.E.B. DuBois of Atlanta, USA

Special Guest Appearance

Charles Dickens of London

As Narrated to Jerri Bedwell of California, USA

Act 2

This Matter of Love, Money, and Class

or

“These are but shadows of things that have been.”…

Teaching Ferguson

Posted on February 8, 2015February 9, 2015 by Julie Garza-Withers

To me, a professor that effectively teaches about race and ethnic relations (as they play out in the U.S.) is as valuable as any Physics or History prof. We aren’t always seen that way (by White administrators, conservative White students, and many of our White communities), but after teaching this topic every semester for six years, I know that it takes more than patience and courage, which I was often told is something I had.…

Conversations with My Son: on Death and Becoming an Angel

Posted on February 5, 2015February 4, 2015 by Marianne Paiva

“Mommy, why do people die?” he asks me as he snuggles next to me just before falling asleep.

“Well,” I tell him, “people get sick and they get hurt, and sometimes that causes them to die.”

His body starts to hitch with tears, so I pull him closer.

“My grandpa died!” he sobs, and I try to shoosh him as I wipe tears from his face.

“Yes, Grandpa got sick and died.”…

Trauma Culture: Who’s a “Normal” Now?

Posted on February 3, 2015October 27, 2015 by Julie Garza-Withers

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was unheard of when Erving Goffman published Stigma in 1963. It was first identified as shell shock (WWI) and later as combat stress reaction (WWII), always associated with the trauma of battle. Now, we know that PTSD can arise from experiencing a natural disaster, rape, child abuse, racism, a serious car accident, and exposure to a violent event. Trauma, as they say in the lit., is a normal response to an abnormal event.…

The Order of the Eternal Social Conscience, Part I

Posted on February 2, 2015February 9, 2015 by Tony Waters

The Order of the Eternal Social Conscience

Part 2 is here

A Ghostly Play in Five Acts

Featuring

Karl Marx, of London, England

Max Weber, of Heidelberg, Germany

Emile Durkheim of Paris, France

W.E.B. DuBois of Atlanta, USA

Special Guest Appearance

Charles Dickens of London

As Narrated to Jerri Bedwell of California, USA

Welcome to the Parlor of the Ghosts of The Order of the Eternal Social Conscience

We have entered a world separate from Earth — a world where time is irrelevant, and philosophers mingle with writers and poets, with each made the wiser for it.…