New Books in Sociology

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.

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

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.

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.

Vani Kant Borooah, author of 'Economics, Religion and Happiness: God, Mammon and the Search for Spiritual and Financial Wealth,' explores the internal and external factors that contribute to happiness. Topics discussed include the impact of societal attitudes on religious observance, the controversy surrounding a Hindu temple on a former Muslim holy site in India, the relationship between income and happiness, and the manifestation of microaggressions in everyday life.

What is the nature of grassroots activism? How and why do individuals get involved or attempt to make change for themselves, others, or their own communities? What motivates activists to maintain momentum when their efforts to redress injustices or paths toward change seem difficult or personally risky to navigate? These questions and more are addressed in Grassroots Activisms: Public Rhetorics in Localized Contexts (Ohio State UP, 2024). Featuring a diverse array of both local activist profiles and original scholarly essays, the collection amplifies and analyzes the tactics of grassroots activists working locally to intervene in a variety of social injustices--from copwatching and policy reform to Indigenous resistance against land colonization to #RageAgainstRape. Attuned to the demanding--and often underappreciated--work of grassroots activism, this book interrogates how such efforts unfold within and against existing historical, cultural, social, and political realities of local communities; are informed by the potentials and constraints of coalition-building; and ultimately shape different facets of society at the local level. This collection acknowledges and celebrates the complexity of grassroots activist work, showing how these less-recognized efforts often effect change where institutions have failed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Conversations about gender equity in the workplace accelerated in the 2010s, with debates inside Hollywood specifically pointing to broader systemic problems of employment disparities and exploitative labor practices. Compounded by the devastating #MeToo revelations, these problems led to a wide-scale call for change. Courtney Brannon Donoghue's book The Value Gap: Female-Driven Films from Pitch to Premiere (U Texas Press, 2023) traces female-driven filmmaking across development, financing, production, film festivals, marketing, and distribution, examining the realities facing women working in the industry during this transformative moment. Drawing from five years of extensive interviews with female producers, writers, and directors at different stages of their careers, Courtney Brannon Donoghue examines how Hollywood business cultures “value" female-driven projects as risky or not bankable. Industry claims that “movies targeting female audiences don’t make money" or “women can't direct big-budget blockbusters" have long circulated to rationalize systemic gender inequities and have served to normalize studios prioritizing the white male–driven status quo. Through a critical media industry studies lens, The Value Gap challenges this pervasive logic with firsthand accounts of women actively navigating the male-dominated and conglomerate-owned industrial landscape.Peter C. Kunze is a visiting assistant professor of communication at Tulane University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology