New Books in Sociology

For better or worse, democracy and epistemology are intertwined. For one thing, politics is partly a matter of gathering, assessing, and applying information. And this can be done responsibly or incompetently. At least since Plato, a leading critique of democracy has focused on the ignorance of ordinary citizens. Historically, this kind of critique has supplied the basis for several nondemocratic proposals. Yet it has also worked in the background of a range of views within democratic theory. Among these are views that have relied on markets as mechanisms for sharing and distributing information.But there are hazards to market-based thinking about democracy. In Citizen Knowledge: Markets, Experts, and the Infrastructure of Democracy (Oxford UP, 2023), Lisa Herzog explores three conceptually distinct sites where democracy interfaces with epistemology: markets, expert communities, and public deliberation. The result is an integrated political epistemology for democracy.Robert Talisse is the W. Alton Jones Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

In this episode, Elizabeth and John talk with Derron Wallace, sociologist of education and Brandeis colleague, about his new book The Culture Trap, which explores "ethnic expectations" for Caribbean schoolchildren in New York and London. His work starts with the basic puzzle that while black Caribbean schoolchildren in New York are often considered as "high-achieving," in London, they have been, conversely thought to be "chronically underachieving." Yet in each case the main cause -- of high achievement in New York and low achievement in London -- is said to be cultural. We discuss the concept of "ethnic expectations" and the ways it can have negative effects even when the expectations themselves are positive, and the dense intertwining of race, class, nation, colonial status, and gender, and the travels of the concept of culture in the 20th and 21st centuries.Mentioned in the episode: The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities Report [the Sewell Report] (2021) The Moynihan Report (1965) Georg Lukacs, "Reification and the Consciousness of the Proletariat" (1923) Diane Reay, "What Would a Socially Just Educational System Look Like?" (2012) Bernard Coard, How the Caribbean Child is made Educationally Subnormal in the British School System Steve McQueen, Small Axe, "Education," (2020) Bernardine Evaristo, Girl, Woman, Other (2019) B. Brian Forster, I Don't Like the Blues: Race, Place, and the Backbeat of Black Life (2020) Michel-Rolph Trouillot, "Adieu Culture: A New Duty Arises" (2003) David Simon's TV show The Wire (and also Lean on Me, and To Sir, with Love and with major props from Derron, Top Boy) Stuart Hall, The Fateful Triangle (1994) Listen and Read Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Eviane Leidig, expert on the role of women in far-right extremism, discusses the world of far-right women influencers who spread a hateful ideology on social media. She reveals their strategic content creation, the weaponization of technology, and the irony in their lifestyle. Leidig also highlights the challenges in combating the far-right movement online and the use of seemingly innocent content as a disguise for extreme beliefs.

Natalie Aviles, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia, discusses how organizations shape people, and how people shape science. Topics include the influence of culture on scientific knowledge, changing attitudes towards sexuality in research, ecological pragmatism in scientific practice, studying formal organizations, the importance of meaning in scientific work, and exploring inspiration and creativity in science.

In this podcast, William Jankowiak discusses his book on a fundamentalist Mormon community where polygamy is common. They explore emotional monogamy, the history of Mormon polygamy, naming practices, and the struggles faced by polygamous males. They also discuss intermarriage in Inner Mongolia and future research projects.

Paul Franke, author of Feeling Lucky: The Production of Gambling Experiences in Monte Carlo and Las Vegas, explores the history, architecture, and experiences of gambling in these iconic cities. He discusses the intentional design of urban spaces, the role of casinos in shaping consumer behavior, and the integration of gambling into modern consumer capitalism.

David M. Henkin investigates the evolution of the seven-day week and its influence on our lives. Topics explored include the artificial construction of the week, its role as an organizational principle of modern society, the relationship between industrialization and the week, the impact of technology on our perception of time, and the interviewee's upcoming book projects on baseball history and political partisanship.

Sociologist Sarah Diefendorf explores how the evangelical church is growing in the face of cultural shifts. Topics include revisiting feminism, gender equality, racial inclusivity, and queer life; upholding privileged identities while appearing more welcoming; and the origins of white evangelical understandings about sex and families. The podcast also discusses the impact of social movements on white evangelicals and how their theology avoids addressing racial inequality effectively.

Cosmetic surgery and its impact on racial beauty standards are explored in this podcast. The interview focuses on Dr. Alka Menon's book 'Refashioning Race: How Global Cosmetic Surgery Crafts New Beauty Standards.' The podcast discusses the role of cosmetic surgeons in shaping race, the global phenomenon of cosmetic surgery, the concept of Asian cosmetic surgery, the history and cultural influences in Asian cosmetic surgery, and the potential of GLP1 receptor agonists in changing perceptions of the body.

Author Judith Fathallah discusses her book on serial killer fandom and fan studies, highlighting the intersection of this taboo fandom with mainstream fan culture. Topics include the history of fans, textual poaching, affective community, subcultural capital, and the complex stance of fans toward their objects. The chapter also explores the myth-making of Jack the Ripper, the celebrity status of serial killers, fan adaptation and textual poaching, cultural capital in fan spaces, and ongoing interest in dead celebrities.