New Books in Sociology

Dr. Kieran File discusses how language shapes relationships in a New Zealand rugby team, exploring power dynamics and communication strategies. The podcast delves into language dynamics in high-performance sports teams, the impact of language choices on power dynamics, communication dynamics, the power of linguistic practices in team unity, surprising hierarchical structures in rugby teams, and the significance of language in sports and broader applications.

Tina Sikka discusses the impact of health apps, genetic diets, and superfoods on gender, race, and class. She criticizes the dietary-genomic-functional food industrial complex and advocates for a community-based, food-secure health culture. The podcast explores the intersection of science, climate change, and health, challenges hegemonic health ideals, and delves into the political economy of personalized diets. It also examines superfoods' cultural implications and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding health and bodies.

Loren D. Lybarger discusses the shift from secular nationalism to Islamic activism in the Palestinian community of Chicago. Topics include the impact of Hamas, identity formation, storytelling in community studies, secularism vs. religion, historical evolution of the community, navigating religious identity, and activism post-9/11.

Paul Hansen discusses his book 'Hokkaido Dairy Farm' focusing on the industrialization of the dairy industry in Japan. Topics include shifts in farming practices, human-animal relationships, and the search for security in a changing industry. The podcast explores the complexities of Japanese identity, the transition to mega farms, and the challenges of balancing individual relationships with broader social categories.

Author Naomi Cahn discusses the hurdles women face in a winner-take-all economy, leading to gender disparities and hostile work climates. Topics include wage gaps, harassment, challenges in the corporate world, balancing work and parenting, standing up against scapegoating, and the impact of the Me Too movement on gender equality.

Evangelical Christians and members of the global LGBTQI human rights movement have vied for influence in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake. Each side accuses the other of serving foreign interests. Yet each proposes future foreign interventions on behalf of their respective causes despite the country’s traumatic past with European colonialism and American imperialism. In The Sexual Politics of the Empire: Postcolonial Homophobia in Haiti (University of Illinois Press, 2023), author Erin L. Durban shows two discourses dominate discussions of intervention. One maintains imperialist notions of a backward Haiti so riddled with cultural deficiencies that foreign supervision is necessary to overcome Haitians’ resistance to progress. The other sees Haiti as a modern but failed state that exists only through its capacity for violence, including homophobia. In the context of these competing claims, the book explores the creative ways that same-sex desiring and gender creative Haitians contend with anti-LGBTQI violence and ongoing foreign intervention.As the episode neared its conclusion, Erin took a moment to shine a spotlight on the vital efforts of various organizations operating within Haiti, emphasizing the significance of their work and expressing a keen interest in bringing their endeavors to the forefront. The aim was not only to acknowledge these organizations but also to explore avenues through which individuals could offer their support, be it through donations, volunteering, or simply by raising awareness about their commendable efforts. These entities represent just a fraction of the many groups making a difference in Haiti, and include: 1. The Haitian Studies Association: An organization dedicated to scholarly research and academic excellence concerning Haiti and its diaspora. 2. The Lambi Fund of Haiti: A group focused on supporting economic justice, democracy, and sustainable development in Haiti through grassroots initiatives. 3. Partners In Health (PIH) in Haiti: A healthcare organization committed to bringing high-quality health care to some of Haiti's most remote areas. 4. Association of Haitian Women in Boston: An organization aimed at empowering Haitian women by providing them with resources to achieve social and economic stability. Erin L. Durban is an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, affiliated with American Studies; Gender, Women, Sexuality Studies; and the Center for Race, Indigeneity, Disability, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Their scholarship works at the intersections of interdisciplinary feminist and queer studies, transnational American studies, critical disability studies, and critical ecologies.Aleem Mahabir is a PhD candidate in Geography at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. His research interests lie at the intersection of Urban Geography, Social Exclusion, and Psychology. His dissertation research focuses on the link among negative psychosocial dispositions, exclusion, and under-development among marginalized communities in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. You can find him on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Researcher Alexandrina Vanke discusses the urban life of workers in post-Soviet Russia, challenging stereotypes and highlighting the everyday struggles of working-class communities. The podcast explores topics such as gentrification, social inequalities, resistance to neoliberalism, and the impact of immigration and political conflicts on everyday life in post-Soviet Russia.

Robert Bruno, a labor and employment relations professor, dives into workers' perspectives on work. He explores the impact of past jobs on present attitudes, the multifaceted effects of work on individuals and society, and the need to redefine work for a better future with improved job quality and conditions.

Ben Highmore, author of 'Lifestyle Revolution: How Taste Changed Class in Late 20th-Century Britain', discusses how consumer culture reshaped class dynamics in postwar Britain. Topics include the impact of mass consumption on class culture, the evolution of symbolic goods, and the intimate environment shaped by new feelings and attitudes. The podcast explores the influence of consumerism on personal identity, the democratization of modern furniture through Habitat shops, and the role of magazines in shaping consumer culture in the 1960s. Additionally, it delves into the changes in class definitions, sociology's role in understanding class dynamics, and the interrelation between race, class, and taste in Britain.

Robert Willim, author of 'Mundania: How and Where Technologies Are Made Ordinary', and Jeff Adler discuss the concept of Mundania, where extraordinary technologies become ordinary fixtures of life. They explore the integration of technology into daily routines, the design aspects of opacity and transparency, and the sociocultural meanings of mundane technologies. The conversation also touches on technologists' obsession with shaping the future and the interplay between mundane and complex technologies.