Everyday Sociology Blog

Learning to be Human (From My Dog)

By Peter Kaufman

The other day I was out walking my dog, Emma, and we ran into Archie. Archie is a gentle old soul who lives around the corner. He is always eager to see Emma and usually goes out of his way to come over and say hello.

I’ve known Archie for a few years and have come to learn quite a bit about him: his favorite places to walk around town, what he likes to eat, his low tolerance for hot and humid weather, his dislike of cats and squirrels, and even where he likes to take a poop. In case you haven’t realized, Archie is dog, a black lab to be exact. Despite all that I know about Archie there is one thing I’m embarrassed to say I don’t know:  the name of his owner, much less anything about her.

Educational Inequality: From Grade School to Graduation

By Jonathan Wynn

Inequality in education seems to be one of the more counter-intuitive things I can imagine: how can our education system exacerbate existing inequalities?

And yet, we should not be surprised. Last summer I visited Arkansas, stopping by Little Rock Central High School, the location of one of the most powerful moments in American history.

Where do Poor People Live?

By Karen Sternheimer

If someone asked you this question, how might you answer? For many of us living in cities, we might name specific neighborhoods that we associate with high levels of poverty. But that would only give us part of the answer.

On My Honor: The Boy Scouts and Sexual Orientation

By Sally Raskoff

The Boy Scouts of America voted recently to change their membership policy. They passed the resolution to “remove the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation alone.” The resolution actually reads: “No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.”

This is a large change for the organization as they have long denied membership – and leadership positions – based on sexual orientation. They also require members to have particular religious beliefs that are reflected in the oath. 

The last word in the resolution sentence noted above is particularly interesting, as it suggests that sexual orientation may be still used as a reason for denying membership if other factors are present. Alone? Why would they need to keep that word there if they were opening up membership to youth of any sexual orientation?

Six Benches: Public Space and College Town Life

By Jonathan Wynn 

Urbanist William H. Whyte once wrote, “It is difficult to design a space that will not attract people. What is remarkable is how often this has been accomplished.” But, what happens when a place attracts the “wrong kind” of person?

This weekend, in my hometown of Northampton, Massachusetts, a group of 40 people stood in the cold rain to protest the removal of six benches from our downtown sidewalk. The mayor and the Business Improvement District made the decision based upon complaints from business owners over panhandlers using the benches “too much.”

Whither the Good Death?

By Elizabeth Luth

PhD student, Sociology, Rutgers University 

When asked, the majority of Americans say they would like to die at home, free from pain, and having said goodbye to loved ones. Dying peacefully at home and surrounded by loved ones may not seem like a lofty aspiration for the end of one’s life.

Yet, the reality of death in America often does not reflect those expectations. Despite declines in the proportion of Americans dying in hospitals, Americans spend more time than ever before in intensive care units in the months leading up to death, often undergoing invasive and painful procedures that add days to one’s life while compromising quality of life.

Suicide: Data versus Assumptions

By Karen Sternheimer

Back in 2007, I blogged about the many misperceptions about suicide. Many assumptions surround suicide, specifically the notion that suicide is a much bigger problem now than in the past and one that disproportionally affects young people. Both of these assumptions are incorrect.