In my sociological theory class recently, I was teaching about critical theory (i.e., “the Frankfurt School”). Specifically, students were reading excerpts from Theodor Adorno’s and Max Horkheimer’s work on “The Culture Industry,” excerpted from their 1944 book The Dialectic of Enlightenment. We talked about how the production of mass cultural commodities (books, films, TV, music)ContinueContinue reading “Teaching the Frankfurt School on the Culture Industry and Standardization of Cultural Products”
Category Archives: Sociology
Enter to Win a Free Copy of My Book “Becoming Catholic” from Goodreads
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Q&A With My Friend Black Hawk Hancock on His New Theory Book
My friend and I did an on-line Q&A about his new theory text, Social Theory: Continuity and Confrontation. The University of Toronto Press put it on their blog last week. Check it out HERE. I’m looking forward to using the text next spring in my theory classes.
Jennifer Dawn Carlson on Gun Politics in America
As part of my ongoing effort to understand “Gun Culture 2.0,” I was fortunate recently to host a leading sociologist studying American gun culture, Jennifer Dawn Carlson. Dr. Carlson is an assistant professor at the University of Toronto, but despite working north of the border she is an American and primarily studies American society. SheContinueContinue reading “Jennifer Dawn Carlson on Gun Politics in America”
Gun Digest Magazine Shows How NOT to Create a Pie Chart
Thumbing through the February 13, 2014 issue of Gun Digest magazine, I was excited to see data on a recent survey of first-time gun buyers, attributed to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the shooting, hunting and firearms industry. Two pie charts, shown below, describe (1) the percentage of new shootersContinueContinue reading “Gun Digest Magazine Shows How NOT to Create a Pie Chart”
Reflections on My Reflections on Gun Culture Based on Site Statistics
Since November 2012, when I first started working in earnest on a new research project on American gun culture, I have tried to blog regularly at Gun Culture 2.0. I have been averaging about 5 posts a month since then, which is pretty good compared to my previous attempts at blogging (like on this blog).ContinueContinue reading “Reflections on My Reflections on Gun Culture Based on Site Statistics”
US News Rankings of Graduate Programs in Sociology
We’re number 1, we’re number 1!!!!! I got an email to this effect from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s sociology department upon the release of the latest ranking of graduate programs by US News. Of course I checked it out right away and was interested to see my undergraduate alma mater — UC-Berkeley — was alsoContinueContinue reading “US News Rankings of Graduate Programs in Sociology”
Ten Essential Observations on Guns in America by James D. Wright
In my introduction to sociology class this week, I am discussing sociologist James D. Wright’s classic essay, “Ten Essential Observations on Guns in America” (from Society March/April 1995, reprinted in Guns in America: A Reader). Among his points: “There are 200 million guns already in circulation in the United States. . . . firearms areContinueContinue reading “Ten Essential Observations on Guns in America by James D. Wright”
Sociologists are Open Minded Toward the Open Minded
I just came across a review of some interesting work by my fellow sociologist of religion, George Yancey on religious and political bias in American higher education. His book, Compromising Scholarship, was reviewed in a Chronicle of Higher Education Innovations blog post by Peter Wood called “Preferred Colleagues” (back in 2011 — I missed it!).ContinueContinue reading “Sociologists are Open Minded Toward the Open Minded”
The Most Rational Fear According to Michael Glassner: Guns
In a previous post I discussed sociologist Michael Glassner’s argument about the “culture of fear” that pervades America, especially the fear-mongering that takes place around very rare and anomalous events like public mass murders, especially at schools. In his book, Glassner uses the example of the 1997-98 string of school shootings in Pearl (MS), WestContinueContinue reading “The Most Rational Fear According to Michael Glassner: Guns”