Sociologically Speaking

Follow Sociologically Speaking
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

In each episode of the podcast, I summarize one sociological theory and talk about ways that we can apply it to better understand both important social issues and events in our everyday lives. You don’t need to know much about sociology – in fact, you don’t really need to even be able to distinguish…

Katherine McFarland Bruce


    • May 10, 2015 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 10 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from Sociologically Speaking with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Sociologically Speaking

    Careers 2: Minor League Baseball with Nick Bavin

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2015


    We’re talking sports again on the podcast!  This time, building community through minor league baseball.  Where major league sports focus on winning and making money, minor league teams play a greater role in bringing together different aspects of the local … Continue reading →

    Conspicuous Consumption

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2015


    BMW, Louis Vuitton, Vineyard Vines – what makes these products so expensive, and why do people pay so much for them? Part of it may be their quality, but more importantly there is a certain cache to the labels themselves. … Continue reading →

    Careers 1: Transportation Planning with Michael Ousdahl

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2015


    Sociology is interesting, but how do you make a career out of it?  One way, of course, is to get a PhD and become a professor, but that doesn’t suit everyone.  There are a lot of careers out there that … Continue reading →

    Interaction Ritual Chains

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2015


    Classical theorist Emile Durkheim (my personal favorite!) came up with the concept of collective effervescence to describe the way we feed of each others’ emotions when in a group.  But how exactly does that happen in practice?  And how does … Continue reading →

    Super Bowl Special!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2015


    The long football season (okay, not as long as baseball) is coming to a close with the Super Bowl.  The best players of America’s game square off in a grand show of strength, athleticism, hyper-masculinity, and commercialism.  In this episode … Continue reading →

    The Self, George Herbert Mead

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2015


    Why does following social norms so often feel natural?  And how is it that so many different people stay in line even without authoritarian controls?  In this episode we’re going micro with George Herbert Mead’s concept of the self.  I look … Continue reading →

    Social Construction

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2014


    Are snails slimy critters or a gourmet food item?  The answer depends on where you live, a factor which shapes your perception of reality.  In this episode I tackle the social construction of reality, which is what we consider real or … Continue reading →

    Panopticism, with Guest Ian Conlon

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2014


    Between GPS-enabled smartphones, ubiquitous surveillance cameras, and the NSA’s monitoring of phone and internet traffic, we are constantly being watched.  In many ways, this can make for a safer society, but it also raises grave questions of what give up … Continue reading →

    Rationalization, with Guest Ian Conlon

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2014


    How do you make decisions in your life?  Do you write an exhaustive pro/con list and ask friends to weigh in, or do you go with your gut?  In this episode guest Ian Conlon and I discuss Weber’s concept of rationalization. … Continue reading →

    The Public Sphere, with Guest Dr. Andrew Perrin

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2014


    Does all that chatter on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook serve a useful purpose?  I certainly hope so, since I’m on all of them (well, except Pinterest)! In another first for the podcast, this week I interview Dr. Andrew Perrin, … Continue reading →

    Claim Sociologically Speaking

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel