New Books in Sociology

Yamini Narayanan, a multispecies politics of dairy researcher, discusses the exploitation of bovines in India's milk and beef industries. She explores the contradictions in India's cow protectionism and the hierarchical relations between humans and animals. Narayanan exposes the violence inflicted upon buffaloes, cows, bulls, and calves in dairying and the intersection between dairy production, religion, and slaughter in India. She also examines the dynamics of cow transportation, vigilantes, and the interconnectedness of butchers and vigilantes in India.

Richard Detweiler discusses his book on the benefits of liberal arts education, including interviews with over 1,000 college graduates. He explores the challenges of defining and gathering data on the liberal arts and highlights the importance of individual institutions in the context of liberal arts education. The podcast also covers the speaker's personal journey with a liberal arts education and their advocacy for technology adoption.

Dr. Joshua Paul Dale, author of 'Irresistible: How Cuteness Wired our Brains and Conquered the World,' discusses the global appeal of cuteness and its origins in Japan. This podcast explores the influence of cuteness on our psychology, evolutionary history, and the spread of the cute aesthetic from Hello Kitty to Western culture. It also explores the future of cuteness in robotics and AI, with insights into Japan's cute robot creations.

Anru Lee, professor of anthropology, discusses her book 'Haunted Modernities: Gender, Memory, and Placemaking in Postindustrial Taiwan' which explores the tragic death of unwed women in a ferry accident. It delves into the politics of memory, the transformation of the city, the significance of women workers, transitioning through different stages, the motivation behind preserving the memory of the victims, the transformation of a burial site into a memorial park, tensions between families and the government, and the importance of empathy and ethnography.

Leading expert on the psychology of terrorism, John Horgan, discusses the motivations behind becoming a terrorist, the evolution of terrorism research, the differences between violent extremists and mass killers, and the diverse individuals involved in terrorism. They explore factors influencing extremist group joining, including the role of friends and family, desire for hero status, and sense of community. The podcast provides an up-to-date understanding of the patterns and mentalities of violent extremists, offering crucial insights into extremist behavior.

Calvin John Smiley, Associate Professor of Sociology at Hunter College, City University of New York, explores the challenges faced by formerly incarcerated individuals in their reentry process. Topics discussed include high recidivism rates, hidden realities in reentry centers, the importance of centering voices in reentry studies, the concept of underdevelopment in communities, and the challenges of purgatory citizenship. The podcast also advocates for a shift from retribution to care in the criminal justice system.

Point Saint-Charles, a historically white working-class neighborhood with a strong Irish and French presence, and Little Burgundy, a multiracial neighborhood that is home to the city’s English-speaking Black community, face each other across Montreal’s Lachine Canal, once an artery around which work and industry in Montreal were clustered and by which these two communities were formed and divided. In Deindustrializing Montreal: Entangled Histories of Race, Residence, and Class (McGill-Queen's UP, 2022), Steven High challenges the deepening divergence of class and race analysis by recognizing the intimate relationship between capitalism, class struggles, and racial inequality. Drawing extensive interviews, a massive and varied archive of imagery, and original photography by David Lewis into a complex chorus, Steven High brings the two communities to life, tracing their history from their earliest years to their decline and their current reality. He extends the analysis of deindustrialization, often focused on single-industry towns, to cities that have seemingly made the post-industrial transition.Steven High is an interdisciplinary oral and public historian with a strong interest in transnational approaches to working-class studies, forced migration, community-engaged research, oral history methodology and ethics, and living archives. He is a professor of History and founding member of the Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling at Concordia University.Yadong Li is a PhD student in anthropology at Tulane University. His research interests lie at the intersection of the anthropology of state, the anthropology of time, hope studies, and post-structuralist philosophy. More details about his scholarship and research interests can be found here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Bryce Henson, an expert in Black Life and Hip-Hop in Brazil, discusses how Black hip-hop artists in Salvador da Bahia contest anti-Black racism through song, aesthetics, media, visual art, and community action. The podcast explores the concept of quilombos in Brazil, the association between quilombos and hip hop in Salvador, and the significance of vulnerability and friendship among black men in Brazil. The speaker also delves into research methods and the importance of dismantling oppressive systems while centering the humanity and dignity of black people.

This podcast discusses the economic transition in Mongolia from socialism to a market-based economy, focusing on the impact on rural communities. It explores the parallel economy and moral dichotomization in the Mongolian borderlands, challenges of implementing a credit system, and the exceptionalism of the Magtach region. The podcast also delves into smuggling networks, the fungi trade, and the potential of Mongolia in the traditional medicinal plant market.

Expert on gender politics and land deals in Tanzania, Youjin Chung, discusses the complexities of a high-profile land deal in coastal Tanzania, examining the historical context, gendered power structures, and social control. The podcast delves into the implications of incremental change, violence, and resistance. It also explores the moral politics surrounding activities in Tanzania, the contested nature of meaning-making, and the flaws in the international arbitration system. The guest highlights the sense of resignation and exclusion felt by the people affected by the land deal.