GUNS ARE NORMAL, NORMAL PEOPLE USE GUNS https://youtu.be/tqkRfCbGtgM We begin with the first two observations James Wright makes in his 1995 essay, “Ten Essential Observations on Guns in America”: Observation 1: Half the households in the country own at least one gun. Observation 2: There are 200 million guns already in circulation in the UnitedContinueContinue reading “Sociology of Guns Webinar Module 1”
Author Archives: David Yamane
List of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels (2024)
The Atlantic magazine recently published its list of “Great American Novels.” It is a great marketing tool for the magazine, no doubt designed to generate controversy and advertising revenue. For anyone interested, I’ve listed all of the 136 books on the list below. You can also access and download a spreadsheet version on my GoogleContinueContinue reading “List of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels (2024)”
Sociology of Guns Webinar Module 3
THE CONCEALED CARRY REVOLUTION https://youtu.be/wK9TG9uuUBk?si=L56FrKa4hpw9tTIY We continue again with the first part of James Wright’s fourth observation in his 1995 essay, “Ten Essential Observations on Guns in America”: Observation 4: Many guns are also owned for self-defense against crime. Central to the rise of Gun Culture 2.0 is a revolution in concealed carry permitting beginningContinueContinue reading “Sociology of Guns Webinar Module 3”
Sociology of Guns Webinar Module 7
CONCLUSIONS REGARDING GUNS AND GUN CULTURE We conclude with the final two of James Wright’s “Ten Essential Observations on Guns in America”: Observation 9: Guns are neither inherently good not inherently evil; guns, that is, do not possess teleology. Observation 10: Guns are important elements in our history and culture. These observations set the stageContinueContinue reading “Sociology of Guns Webinar Module 7”
Sociology of Guns Webinar Module 6
GUN VIOLENCE AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES https://youtu.be/FCsol5Nz-HA?si=4mGghRC3P1XjjXZ5 On to the seventh and eighth of James Wright’s “Ten Essential Observations on Guns in America”: Observation 7: Everything the bad guys do with their guns is already against the law. Observation 8: Demand creates its own supply. These two observations broadly concern the issue of criminal gun violenceContinueContinue reading “Sociology of Guns Webinar Module 6”
Sociology of Guns Webinar Module 5
CRIMINAL DEFENSIVE GUN OWNERSHIP AND ILLEGAL GUN MARKETS https://youtu.be/nj2BCjSDeFA?si=0_6axvlGT1PdncJ- We continue with our consideration of James Wright’s “Ten Essential Observations on Guns in America”, focusing on his fifth and sixth observations: Observation 5: The bad guys do not get their guns through customary retail channels. Observation 6: The bad guys inhabit a violent world; aContinueContinue reading “Sociology of Guns Webinar Module 5”
Sociology of Guns Webinar Module 4
DEFENSIVE GUN USE AND THE STANDARD MODEL OF EXPLAINING THE IRRATIONALITY OF DEFENSIVE GUN OWNERSHIP https://youtu.be/sSrgom8MB_Q?si=Pif36Bxv7xlvdvMB We continue with our consideration of James Wright’s fourth observation in his 1995 essay, “Ten Essential Observations on Guns in America”: Observation 4: Many guns are also owned for self-defense against crime, and some are indeed used for thatContinueContinue reading “Sociology of Guns Webinar Module 4”
Sociology of Guns Webinar Module 2
GUN CULTURE 2.0 https://youtu.be/Z1CuJnHcrVU?si=H9RMNM5uxbkh7Bm- We continue with James Wright’s next two observations in his 1995 essay, “Ten Essential Observations on Guns in America”: Observation 3: Most of those 200 million guns are owned for socially innocuous sport and recreational purposes. Observation 4: Many guns are also owned for self-defense against crime, and some are indeedContinueContinue reading “Sociology of Guns Webinar Module 2”
Policy on Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) by Students
As I noted previously, I noticed for the first time this summer that students were using generative AI in their writing assignments for my class. So, for the first time, I will include a policy statement on student use of AI in my class syllabi this fall. I tried to embrace the reality of AIContinueContinue reading “Policy on Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) by Students”
Using AI to Generate an AI Use Policy for College Student Writing
In my Introduction to Sociology course this summer, I noticed for the first time signs that students were using AI software to generate responses to writing assignments. Having read student writing for over 25 years now, I know the “voice” of AI-generated text differs from the “voice” of undergraduate student-generated text. In the olden times,ContinueContinue reading “Using AI to Generate an AI Use Policy for College Student Writing”