New Books in Sociology

New Books Network

Episodes

Mentioned books

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Nov 16, 2025 • 1h 3min

Nayma Qayum, "Village Ties: Women, NGOs, and Informal Institutions in Rural Bangladesh" (Rutgers UP, 2021)

Nayma Qayum, an Associate Professor and author, dives into her book focused on women's collective mobilization in rural Bangladesh. She discusses how grassroots programs like BRAC's Polli Shomaj empower women to navigate and alter informal institutions. Qayum reveals the complex interplay of formal and informal norms and the successes women have had against issues like dowry and child marriage. She emphasizes the importance of understanding local practices to challenge existing narratives about poor Muslim women.
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Nov 10, 2025 • 1h 2min

Jason A. Higgins, "Prisoners After War: Veterans in the Age of Mass Incarceration" (U Massachusetts Press, 2024)

Jason A. Higgins, a historian and Digital Scholarship Coordinator at Virginia Tech Publishing, explores the profound ties between military service and mass incarceration in his groundbreaking work. He unveils eye-opening oral histories of veterans who became entangled in the criminal justice system post-service. Highlighting the impacts of government policies rooted in racism and patriarchal values, he discusses the rise of Veterans Treatment Courts and the importance of acknowledging veterans' complex realities. His research also emphasizes the need for thoughtful commemoration on Veterans Day.
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Nov 9, 2025 • 59min

Michelle Christine Smith, "Utopian Genderscapes: Rhetorics of Women's Work in the Early Industrial Age" (Southern Illinois UP, 2021)

Michelle C. Smith, an author and scholar of rhetoric and gender studies, explores women's labor in 19th-century intentional communities. She highlights the unique dynamics at Brook Farm, Harmony Society, and Oneida Community, discussing how these spaces addressed the value of women's work amidst industrialization. Smith challenges conventional notions of 'failure' in utopian communities and reveals their lasting impact on labor practices, childcare, and birth control. She also previews her upcoming research on the myths surrounding Rosie the Riveter, aiming to reshape historical narratives.
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14 snips
Nov 9, 2025 • 52min

Christopher Ali, "Farm Fresh Broadband: The Politics of Rural Connectivity" (MIT, 2021)

Christopher Ali, an Associate Professor at the University of Virginia, dives into the challenges of rural broadband in America. He highlights the urban-rural digital divide and critiques current policies favoring big telecom companies over local providers. Ali suggests a model for rural broadband based on historical electrification efforts, advocating for democratic, community-driven solutions. He also discusses the implications of broadband on economic growth, education, and the shift toward seeing internet access as a potential human right.
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Nov 7, 2025 • 47min

Birgit Abels and Patrick Eisenlohr, "Atmospheric Knowledge: Environmentality, Latency, and Sonic Multimodality" (U California Press, 2025)

Join Patrick Eisenlohr, an expert in sonic practices and ethnography, and Birgit Abels, an anthropologist with deep ties to Pacific cultures, as they dive into the concept of atmospheric knowledge. They explore how nonverbal and sonic experiences shape our connection to places. The duo discusses the significance of latency in understanding atmospheres, the role of sound in oceanic belonging, and how music serves as a medium for indigenous wisdom. Their insights bridge phenomenology, environment, and the emotive power of atmospheres.
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Nov 6, 2025 • 53min

Russell T. McCutcheon, "Our Primary Expertise: A Future for the Study of Religion" (Rutgers UP, 2025)

Our Primary Expertise argues counter to the longstanding trend in the field by seeing religion as mundane and not unique, which means that the field's research and teaching can have relevance all across human culture, and well beyond academia. Russell McCutcheon offers a timely argument by taking seriously threats to the humanities now happening all across higher education. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology
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Nov 5, 2025 • 1h 8min

Christopher Nelson, "When the Bones Speak: The Living, the Dead, and the Sacrifice of Contemporary Okinawa" (Duke UP, 2025)

Christopher T. Nelson, an anthropologist and author, dives into the haunting effects of war memory and sacrifice in Okinawa. He explores how local Okinawans are intertwined with the legacies of colonialism and military occupation. Nelson discusses the complexities of life and death through Okinawan concepts like inochi and mabui. Artistic representations and community practices highlight the ongoing struggle for identity and historical remembrance. He shares insights into the ethical implications of his research and the powerful voices of those affected by past traumas.
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Oct 31, 2025 • 1h 17min

Pablo Meninato and Gregory Marinic, "Urban Labyrinths: Informal Settlements, Architecture, and Social Change in Latin America" (Routledge, 2025)

Pablo Meninato, an Associate Professor at Temple University, explores informal settlements in Latin America through his insights on urban architecture and social change. He discusses innovative initiatives like Rio's Favela-Bairro program and Medellín's phased Social Urbanism strategy, emphasizing community involvement and cultural sensitivity. Meninato also addresses the challenges of violence and maintenance post-intervention, along with the importance of tenure security. His work illustrates how thoughtful urban design can transform marginalized areas while respecting existing cultures.
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Oct 31, 2025 • 58min

Claudia Gastrow, "The Aesthetics of Belonging: Indigenous Urbanism and City Building in Oil-Boom Luanda" (UNC Press Books, 2024)

Claudia Gastrow, an anthropologist and assistant professor at North Carolina State University, delves into the urban transformation of Luanda, Angola, after the civil war. She discusses how the post-war rebuilding efforts, fueled by oil wealth, often neglected the intrinsic value of informal neighborhoods, or musseques. Gastrow highlights the aesthetic dissent that emerged in response to government designs, framing local urbanism as a form of political critique. As she reflects on the impact of halted development projects, she raises questions about the future of these communities.
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Oct 31, 2025 • 45min

Tamar Mitts, "Safe Havens for Hate: The Challenge of Moderating Online Extremism" (Princeton UP, 2025)

Tamar Mitts is an Associate Professor at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs, specializing in online extremism. She discusses the urgent challenge of content moderation in combating hate online. Mitts reveals how varying platform standards create safe havens for extremist groups like the Islamic State and QAnon. She explains the tactics these groups use to evade bans and choose platforms strategically, such as Telegram. Mitts also explores the implications of centralized moderation efforts and the risks of losing free speech in the fight against extremism.

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