sociology
Study: Kids From High Socioeconomic Background More Likely to Rely on Parental Help as Young Adults
A recent study finds that more than 40 percent of young adults no longer live with their parents, but still receive at least some financial support from mom and dad – and this is particularly true for grown children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds.
Tequila, Mezcal and Social Science: Q&A With Sarah Bowen
Sarah Bowen knows a lot about tequila and mezcal. Her new book, Divided Spirits: Tequila, Mezcal, and the Politics of Production, explores the complex web of relationships – from farmers to bartenders – involved in transforming agave grown in Mexico into high-end spirits and cocktails consumed around the world.
Researchers Aim to Understand What Drives School Diversity or Resegregation
Why are some school districts able to maintain economic diversity in their schools, while others have become effectively resegregated in recent decades? That’s a question being explored by a team of researchers led by NC State University under a grant from the National Science Foundation.
Race, Politics, and Neighborhood Schools: What You Can Learn From a School Board Election
Local school board elections can be sleepy affairs, but the past decade saw heated debate over elections to the Wake County Board of Education in North Carolina – a debate that raised issues of race, social ties, and what K-12 schools should do in order to best serve their students.
Fisheries, Society and Sustainability: A Q&A With Stefano Longo
What happens when part of the ecosystem becomes a commodity? Stefano Longo explores this and other questions in his new book on fisheries and environmental sociology.
Mezcal and Markets: One Battle in the War Over Mexico’s Agave Spirits
In 2011 and 2012, Mexico was the site of a battle over precisely how agave-based liquors could be branded or marketed. In the end, as outlined in a new paper in the journal Gastronomica, U.S. bartenders, retailers, and consumers played a key role in the debate – which raises some interesting questions about how to best protect local food customs and producers.
Online Students Give Instructors Higher Marks If They Think Instructors Are Men
A new study shows that college students in online courses give better evaluations to instructors they think are men – even when the instructor is actually a woman.
Childhood Mentors Boost Career Success
Young people who have had mentors are more likely to find work early in their careers, putting them on a path to success.
‘Family Meal’ Ideal Is Stressful, Impossible for Many Families
New research shows that home cooking and family meals place significant stresses on many families – and are simply impossible for others.
What Sociology Can Tell Us About the G.M. Scandal
Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Martha Crowley, an associate professor of sociology at NC State and co-author, with Ohio State’s Randy Hodson, of a recent paper on how an organization’s work practices affect employee behavior and, ultimately, […]