Podcasts about Sociology

In this episode Chrisley Confessions 2.0, Todd Chrisley is joined by Rick Stover, Special Assistant to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) who has been with the Bureau for nearly 29 years. They dive deep into the First Step Act (FSA) and its implementation within the Bureau of Prisons. He shares insights on the challenges and successes of the FSA since its inception in 2018, including the complexities of good conduct time calculations and the impact of the Second Chance Act.We discuss the growing pains experienced during the rollout of the FSA, the importance of accurate time credit calculations, and the steps being taken to improve the process for inmates. Our guest addresses common misconceptions about home confinement eligibility and the role of case managers in determining release dates.Listen in as we explore the ongoing efforts to streamline the FSA implementation, the establishment of a triage team to address inmate concerns, and the commitment to ensuring that inmates receive the benefits they are entitled to under the law. This episode is packed with valuable information for anyone interested in criminal justice reform and the future of the Bureau of Prisons.THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!- LEAN: Get 20% OFF when you enter code CHRISLEY at https://www.takelean.com!- Just Thrive: Go to https://www.justthrivehealth.com/CONFESSIONS to save 20%! Take the 90-Day Just Thrive Challenge today because when your gut thrives, you thrive!- HOME TITLE LOCK: Go to https://www.hometitlelock.com/chrisley and use promo code CHRISLEY to get a FREE title history report and a FREE TRIAL of their Triple Lock Protection! For details visit https://hometitlelock.com/warranty - BOLL & BRANCH: Get 20% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at https://www.BollAndBranch.com/confessions!- RULA: Use Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that's actually covered by insurance. Visit https://www.rula.com/Chrisley to get started. You deserve mental healthcare that works with you, not against your budget. #rulapod - Genesis Gold Group: Visit https://www.chrisleylovesgold.com today for your FREE Family Wealth Protection Gold Guide and join thousands of Americans who've protected their legacy with real assets!FOLLOW US ON SOCIALS:Todd Chrisley:Insta: (https://www.instagram.com/toddchrisley)Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/toddchrisley)Julie Chrisley:Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/juliechrisley)Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/JulieChrisley)Chrisley Confessions 2.0:Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/chrisleyconfessions2.0)TikTok: (https://www.tiktok.com/@chrisleyconfessions2.0)YouTube: (https://www.youtube.com/@ChrisleyConfessions)Produced and Edited by: The Cast Collective (Nashville, TN)YouTube: (https://www.youtube.com/@TheCastCollective)Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/thecastcollective)TikTok: (https://www.tiktok.com/@castcollective)About Rick Stover:Rick Stover currently serves as the Special Assistant to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He began his career in corrections with the Virginia Department of Corrections, where he worked for several years before joining the Bureau of Prisons in April 1997 as a Case Manager at FCC Forrest City (AR).In his current role, Mr. Stover leads the Bureau's efforts to advance implementation of the First Step Act (FSA). He was selected for this position in recognition of his prior leadership in developing and negotiating the FSA Time Credits policy. His work has included oversight of policy improvements aimed at enhancing inmate outcomes and fostering collaboration across federal, state, and local agencies to support justice system reform.Mr. Stover has also provided expert guidance on policy development and legal interpretation to ensure consistent application of FSA provisions across law enforcement entities. Throughout his tenure in the Correctional Programs Division and as Warden, he actively engaged with advocacy groups, legal professionals, and community stakeholders to promote transparency and trust in the justice system. In his current role, he is prioritizing agency-wide FSA training and advising the Director on significant immigration matters affecting the Bureau.Mr. Stover holds a bachelor's degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Criminal Justice from Duquesne University and a master's degree in the Administration of Criminal Justice from the State University of New York at Albany. He has been a member of the Senior Executive Service since 2024.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sahil Bloom is a writer, investor, and former collegiate athlete who is the author of the New York Times bestseller The 5 Types of Wealth. He earned his undergraduate degree in Economics & Sociology and a master's in public policy from Stanford, where he also played baseball. He also leads SRB Holdings and SRB Ventures, where he invests in early-stage companies. And Sahil has amassed a massive following online, with over 800,000 subscribers to his newsletter and more than 1 million followers on X. In this episode we discuss the following: We can't truly feel successful until we define what success means for ourselves. If we look at the scorecard that is handed to us, which consists of accumulating money, status, titles, and promotions, we will always feel like we need to reach for more, a trap made worse by the arrival fallacy.  Our ability to achieve our goals is influenced by our surroundings. The goal to live a simple life is much easier to accomplish in small town America than New York, where Sahil sees extraordinarily rich people spend their time figuring out ways to impress even more extraordinarily rich people. To help us reveal how much our decisions are influenced by external validation, we can ask ourself some version of the question, “Do I really want this job, or do I want other people to see me having this job?” True success is built on five types of wealth (time, social, mental, physical and financial) rather than chasing society's default measures. 

Today we explore tax cuts as a form of government expenditure and what that means for social inequality, politics, and government services. My guest is Melinda Cooper. Melinda Cooper is a professor in the School of Sociology in the Colelge of Arts & Social Sciences at the Australian National University. Her newest book is Counterrevolution: Extravagance and Austerity in Public Finance (Zone Books/Princeton University Press, 2024) . I spoke with Melinda in front of a live audience at the Manning Clark House in Canberra for the second part of an event called Taxing Times. I'd like to thank Claire Manning and Luciana Todd for organizing and hosting this event. freshedpodcast.com/cooper -- Get in touch! Twitter: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com

⸻ Podcast: Redefining Society and Technologyhttps://redefiningsocietyandtechnologypodcast.com _____ Newsletter: Musing On Society And Technology https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/musing-on-society-technology-7079849705156870144/_____ Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/nFn6CcXKMM0_____ My Website: https://www.marcociappelli.com_____________________________This Episode's SponsorsBlackCloak provides concierge cybersecurity protection to corporate executives and high-net-worth individuals to protect against hacking, reputational loss, financial loss, and the impacts of a corporate data breach.BlackCloak:  https://itspm.ag/itspbcweb_____________________________A Musing On Society & Technology Newsletter Written By Marco Ciappelli | Read by TAPE3A new transmission from Musing On Society and Technology Newsletter, by Marco CiappelliReflections from Our Hybrid Analog-Digital SocietyFor years on the Redefining Society and Technology Podcast, I've explored a central premise: we live in a hybrid -digital society where the line between physical and virtual has dissolved into something more complex, more nuanced, and infinitely more human than we often acknowledge.Introducing a New Series: Analog Minds in a Digital World:Reflections from Our Hybrid Analog-Digital SocietyPart II: Lo-Fi Music and the Art of Imperfection — When Technical Limitations Become Creative LiberationI've been testing small speakers lately. Nothing fancy—just little desktop units that cost less than a decent dinner. As I cycled through different genres, something unexpected happened. Classical felt lifeless, missing all its dynamic range. Rock came across harsh and tinny. Jazz lost its warmth and depth. But lo-fi? Lo-fi sounded... perfect.Those deliberate imperfections—the vinyl crackle, the muffled highs, the compressed dynamics—suddenly made sense on equipment that couldn't reproduce perfection anyway. The aesthetic limitations of the music matched the technical limitations of the speakers. It was like discovering that some songs were accidentally designed for constraints I never knew existed.This moment sparked a bigger realization about how we navigate our hybrid analog-digital world: sometimes our most profound innovations emerge not from perfection, but from embracing limitations as features.Lo-fi wasn't born in boardrooms or designed by committees. It emerged from bedrooms, garages, and basement studios where young musicians couldn't afford professional equipment. The 4-track cassette recorder—that humble Portastudio that let you layer instruments onto regular cassette tapes for a fraction of what professional studio time cost—became an instrument of democratic creativity. Suddenly, anyone could record music at home. Sure, it would sound "imperfect" by industry standards, but that imperfection carried something the polished recordings lacked: authenticity.The Velvet Underground recorded on cheap equipment and made it sound revolutionary—so revolutionary that, as the saying goes, they didn't sell many records, but everyone who bought one started a band. Pavement turned bedroom recording into art. Beck brought lo-fi to the mainstream with "Mellow Gold." These weren't artists settling for less—they were discovering that constraints could breed creativity in ways unlimited resources never could.Today, in our age of infinite digital possibility, we see a curious phenomenon: young creators deliberately adding analog imperfections to their perfectly digital recordings. They're simulating tape hiss, vinyl scratches, and tube saturation using software plugins. We have the technology to create flawless audio, yet we choose to add flaws back in.What does this tell us about our relationship with technology and authenticity?There's something deeply human about working within constraints. Twitter's original 140-character limit didn't stifle creativity—it created an entirely new form of expression. Instagram's square format—a deliberate homage to Polaroid's instant film—forced photographers to think differently about composition. Think about that for a moment: Polaroid's square format was originally a technical limitation of instant film chemistry and optics, yet it became so aesthetically powerful that decades later, a digital platform with infinite formatting possibilities chose to recreate that constraint. Even more, Instagram added filters that simulated the color shifts, light leaks, and imperfections of analog film. We had achieved perfect digital reproduction, and immediately started adding back the "flaws" of the technology we'd left behind.The same pattern appears in video: Super 8 film gave you exactly 3 minutes and 12 seconds per cartridge at standard speed—grainy, saturated, light-leaked footage that forced filmmakers to be economical with every shot. Today, TikTok recreates that brevity digitally, spawning a generation of micro-storytellers who've mastered the art of the ultra-short form, sometimes even adding Super 8-style filters to their perfect digital video.These platforms succeeded not despite their limitations, but because of them. Constraints force innovation. They make the infinite manageable. They create a shared language of creative problem-solving.Lo-fi music operates on the same principle. When you can't capture perfect clarity, you focus on capturing perfect emotion. When your equipment adds character, you learn to make that character part of your voice. When technical perfection is impossible, artistic authenticity becomes paramount.This is profoundly relevant to how we think about artificial intelligence and human creativity today. As AI becomes capable of generating increasingly "perfect" content—flawless prose, technically superior compositions, aesthetically optimized images—we find ourselves craving the beautiful imperfections that mark something as unmistakably human.Walking through any record store today, you'll see teenagers buying vinyl albums they could stream in perfect digital quality for free. They're choosing the inconvenience of physical media, the surface noise, the ritual of dropping the needle. They're purchasing imperfection at a premium.This isn't nostalgia—most of these kids never lived in the vinyl era. It's something deeper: a recognition that perfect reproduction might not equal perfect experience. The crackle and warmth of analog playback creates what audiophiles call "presence"—a sense that the music exists in the same physical space as the listener.Lo-fi music replicates this phenomenon in digital form. It takes the clinical perfection of digital audio and intentionally degrades it to feel more human. The compression, the limited frequency range, the background noise—these aren't bugs, they're features. They create the sonic equivalent of a warm embrace.In our hyperconnected, always-optimized digital existence, lo-fi offers something precious: permission to be imperfect. It's background music that doesn't demand your attention, ambient sound that acknowledges life's messiness rather than trying to optimize it away.Here's where it gets philosophically interesting: we're using advanced digital technology to simulate the limitations of obsolete analog technology. Young producers spend hours perfecting their "imperfect" sound, carefully curating randomness, precisely engineering spontaneity.This creates a fascinating paradox. Is simulated authenticity still authentic? When we use AI-powered plugins to add "vintage" character to our digital recordings, are we connecting with something real, or just consuming a nostalgic fantasy?I think the answer lies not in the technology itself, but in the intention behind it. Lo-fi creators aren't trying to fool anyone—the artifice is obvious. They're creating a shared aesthetic language that values emotion over technique, atmosphere over precision, humanity over perfection.In a world where algorithms optimize everything for maximum engagement, lo-fi represents a conscious choice to optimize for something else entirely: comfort, focus, emotional resonance. It's a small rebellion against the tyranny of metrics.As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly capable of generating "perfect" content, the value of obviously human imperfection may paradoxically increase. The tremor in a hand-drawn line, the slight awkwardness in authentic conversation, the beautiful inefficiency of analog thinking—these become markers of genuine human presence.The challenge isn't choosing between analog and digital, perfection and imperfection. It's learning to consciously navigate between them, understanding when limitations serve us and when they constrain us, recognizing when optimization helps and when it hurts.My small speakers taught me something important: sometimes the best technology isn't the one with the most capabilities, but the one whose limitations align with our human needs. Lo-fi music sounds perfect on imperfect speakers because both embrace the same truth—that beauty often emerges not from the absence of flaws, but from making peace with them.In our quest to build better systems, smarter algorithms, and more efficient processes, we might occasionally pause to ask: what are we optimizing for? And what might we be losing in the pursuit of digital perfection?The lo-fi phenomenon—and its parallels in photography, video, and every art form we've digitized—reveals something profound about human nature. We are not creatures built for perfection. We are shaped by friction, by constraint, by the beautiful accidents that occur when things don't work exactly as planned. The crackle of vinyl, the grain of film, the compression of cassette tape—these aren't just nostalgic affectations. They're reminders that imperfection is where humanity lives. That the beautiful inefficiency of analog thinking—messy, emotional, unpredictable—is not a bug to be fixed but a feature to be preserved.Sometimes the most profound technology is the one that helps us remember what it means to be beautifully, imperfectly human. And maybe, in our hybrid analog-digital world, that's the most important thing we can carry forward.Let's keep exploring what it means to be human in this Hybrid Analog Digital Society.End of transmission.______________________________________

A cutting-edge volume on current trends in sex work, from sugar relationships and cyber brothels to financial domination, sex worker activism, and feminist porn Sex is for sale in more ways than ever. It can be bought and sold online, in sex clubs, on the street, and around the world. As with many industries, discrimination, exploitation, and inequality persist in sex work. Yet it also offers autonomy, job satisfaction, and even pleasurable experiences for those involved. Sex Work Today: Erotic Labor in the Twenty-First Century by Dr. Bernadette Barton, Dr. Barbara G. Brents, and Dr. Angela N. Jones explores these contradictions, offering an intimate look at the benefits and challenges of sex work across geographic contexts. Featuring thirty-one original essays by sex workers, advocates, researchers, and activists, Sex Work Today is the first compilation of research on new forms of digital sex such as camming, sugar dating, and AI sex dolls. Providing a lens to understand contemporary labor dynamics and the nature of sex work itself, this collection captures formerly ignored aspects of the sex industry including: fatphobia and disability; transmasculine and nonbinary sex workers; racialized emotional labor in the digital sex industry; high job satisfaction among professional dominatrixes; and sex worker scholars. With federal policies ostensibly aimed at combating sex trafficking–affecting all sex workers–understanding this industry is more vital than ever. Decentering Western, white, cisgender voices, Sex Work Today underscores the global repercussions of these misaligned policies, which make sex work more challenging and less safe, and provides valuable insights for those seeking to shape policies, challenge prejudices, and foster a safer and more equitable world for all. Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is the author of The Social Construction of a Cultural Spectacle: Floatzilla (Lexington Books, 2023) and Community Media Representations of Place and Identity at Tug Fest: Reconstructing the Mississippi River (Lexington Books, 2022). His general area of study is at the intersection of space, behavior, and identity. He is currently conducting research about: escape rooms, the use of urban design in downtown historical neighborhoods of rural communities, and what it means for college students to belong in college and university. To learn more about Michael O. Johnston you can go to his personal website, Google Scholar, Bluesky (@professorjohnst.bsky.social), Twitter (@ProfessorJohnst), or by email (johnstonmo@wmpenn.edu). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

A cutting-edge volume on current trends in sex work, from sugar relationships and cyber brothels to financial domination, sex worker activism, and feminist porn Sex is for sale in more ways than ever. It can be bought and sold online, in sex clubs, on the street, and around the world. As with many industries, discrimination, exploitation, and inequality persist in sex work. Yet it also offers autonomy, job satisfaction, and even pleasurable experiences for those involved. Sex Work Today: Erotic Labor in the Twenty-First Century by Dr. Bernadette Barton, Dr. Barbara G. Brents, and Dr. Angela N. Jones explores these contradictions, offering an intimate look at the benefits and challenges of sex work across geographic contexts. Featuring thirty-one original essays by sex workers, advocates, researchers, and activists, Sex Work Today is the first compilation of research on new forms of digital sex such as camming, sugar dating, and AI sex dolls. Providing a lens to understand contemporary labor dynamics and the nature of sex work itself, this collection captures formerly ignored aspects of the sex industry including: fatphobia and disability; transmasculine and nonbinary sex workers; racialized emotional labor in the digital sex industry; high job satisfaction among professional dominatrixes; and sex worker scholars. With federal policies ostensibly aimed at combating sex trafficking–affecting all sex workers–understanding this industry is more vital than ever. Decentering Western, white, cisgender voices, Sex Work Today underscores the global repercussions of these misaligned policies, which make sex work more challenging and less safe, and provides valuable insights for those seeking to shape policies, challenge prejudices, and foster a safer and more equitable world for all. Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is the author of The Social Construction of a Cultural Spectacle: Floatzilla (Lexington Books, 2023) and Community Media Representations of Place and Identity at Tug Fest: Reconstructing the Mississippi River (Lexington Books, 2022). His general area of study is at the intersection of space, behavior, and identity. He is currently conducting research about: escape rooms, the use of urban design in downtown historical neighborhoods of rural communities, and what it means for college students to belong in college and university. To learn more about Michael O. Johnston you can go to his personal website, Google Scholar, Bluesky (@professorjohnst.bsky.social), Twitter (@ProfessorJohnst), or by email (johnstonmo@wmpenn.edu). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Why are BDSM practitioners so happy? It turns out, BDSM isn't just about whips and chains.With engaging stories and a warm, conversational tone, Bound by BDSM: Unexpected Lessons for Building a Happier Life (Bloomsbury Acacdemic, 2025) by Dr. Alicia M. Walker and Dr. Arielle Kuperberg reveals how BDSM practitioners use clear boundaries, enthusiastic consent, open dialogue, and a strong community to create fulfilling relationships and build richer, more intentional lives. Drawing on research from the largest scientific study of BDSM ever conducted, Alicia Walker and Arielle Kuperberg demonstrate that the BDSM community's approach to trust and vulnerability offers a valuable model for building intimacy and fostering authentic connections. BDSM also allows practitioners to exercise their creativity and break the mold - whether it comes to trying out new practices in the bedroom or bending ideas about gender.Whether you're vanilla, kinky, or just here for the life advice, this book -packed with humor and insight-is a refreshingly open-minded guide to building stronger relationships, deeper intimacy, and a more intentional approach to connection. Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is the author of The Social Construction of a Cultural Spectacle: Floatzilla (Lexington Books, 2023) and Community Media Representations of Place and Identity at Tug Fest: Reconstructing the Mississippi River (Lexington Books, 2022). His general area of study is at the intersection of space, behavior, and identity. He is currently conducting research about: escape rooms, the use of urban design in downtown historical neighborhoods of rural communities, and what it means for college students to belong in college and university. To learn more about Michael O. Johnston you can go to his personal website, Google Scholar, Bluesky (@professorjohnst.bsky.social), Twitter (@ProfessorJohnst), or by email (johnstonmo@wmpenn.edu). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Why are BDSM practitioners so happy? It turns out, BDSM isn't just about whips and chains.With engaging stories and a warm, conversational tone, Bound by BDSM: Unexpected Lessons for Building a Happier Life (Bloomsbury Acacdemic, 2025) by Dr. Alicia M. Walker and Dr. Arielle Kuperberg reveals how BDSM practitioners use clear boundaries, enthusiastic consent, open dialogue, and a strong community to create fulfilling relationships and build richer, more intentional lives. Drawing on research from the largest scientific study of BDSM ever conducted, Alicia Walker and Arielle Kuperberg demonstrate that the BDSM community's approach to trust and vulnerability offers a valuable model for building intimacy and fostering authentic connections. BDSM also allows practitioners to exercise their creativity and break the mold - whether it comes to trying out new practices in the bedroom or bending ideas about gender.Whether you're vanilla, kinky, or just here for the life advice, this book -packed with humor and insight-is a refreshingly open-minded guide to building stronger relationships, deeper intimacy, and a more intentional approach to connection. Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is the author of The Social Construction of a Cultural Spectacle: Floatzilla (Lexington Books, 2023) and Community Media Representations of Place and Identity at Tug Fest: Reconstructing the Mississippi River (Lexington Books, 2022). His general area of study is at the intersection of space, behavior, and identity. He is currently conducting research about: escape rooms, the use of urban design in downtown historical neighborhoods of rural communities, and what it means for college students to belong in college and university. To learn more about Michael O. Johnston you can go to his personal website, Google Scholar, Bluesky (@professorjohnst.bsky.social), Twitter (@ProfessorJohnst), or by email (johnstonmo@wmpenn.edu). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Most women think their love life shifts only through inner work or dating more men. But what if the fastest way to attract the right relationship has nothing to do with men and everything to do with the women you surround yourself with? Sociology is more impactful than psychology, so rather than do more work on yourself alone without the results to show for it, learn how you can effortlessly elevate your love life by calibrating your nervous system in a whole new way.

This episode was recorded live at the 2025 Joy & Wholeness Summit in Asheville, North Carolina.Kristen Gradney, MHA, RDN, LDN, is the Chief Wellness Officer and Vice President of Total Rewards for LCMC Health in New Orleans, LA, with over a decade of experience leading healthcare teams and transforming care through innovative, community-based strategies. A graduate of Louisiana State University with degrees in Sociology and Nutritional Science, she completed her dietetic internship at the Medical University of South Carolina and earned a Master of Health Administration from Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University. Kristen has held senior leadership roles in both acute and ambulatory care, developed worksite well-being programs, and served as a care transformation consultant. She serves on the Southeast Region American Heart Association Board and other healthcare and academic boards and is a nationally recognized wellness expert featured in major media outlets. Kristen also speaks nationally on healthcare leadership, nutrition, and wellness and has held leadership positions with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and multiple nonprofit organizations.Thanks for tuning in! Check out more episodes of The Well-Being Connector at www.bethejoy.org/podcast.

A recent Gallup poll found that only 32% of American workers feel engaged in their jobs. How can employers best motivate their workers, particularly in the non-profit sector, to feel engaged and fulfilled? Dick’s guest, Dr. Melinda Weisberg holds a Doctorate in Management, Masters Degree in Education, (with an emphasis in adult education and organizational […]

Episode 156: Dr. Lisa M. Wisniewski & her book, Navigating Education as a Forgotten Immigrant: Perspectives from the Eastern European CommunityABOUT LISADr. Lisa Wiśniewski is Professor of Sociology at Goodwin University. Her research has focused on immigrant students, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and effective teaching practices focused on Universal Design for Learning. Dr. Wiśniewski presents regionally (New England), nationally, and internationally and has consulted on effective teaching practices (pedagogy, curriculum design, course design) at the higher education level. She also has several publications, podcasts, and blog posts featuring her work in teaching and advocacy. She is the host and producer of Community Conversations: From local to global engagement podcast. She is the author of Navigating Education as a Forgotten Immigrant: Perspectives from the Eastern European Community. The results of her research have led to the development of the website Clues for College, a college resource blog. CONVERSATION HIGHLIGHTS• A great breakdown of time management.• How everything in the past is practice for now.• Understanding yourself and what makes you come alive.• The power of mentors.• Breaking generational boundaries.• Feeling loneliness.• The student mindset.• Bringing the human element.• Living your loved ones' legacy.• "I know this is your dream. Let's go."• Navigating different identities as the child of immigrants.• Resilience, perseverance, and "Bóg, Honor, Ojczyzna"The MAIN QUESTION underlying my conversation with Lisa is, Whether related to your family's roots and culture or not, what of who you are and where you've been as been practice for what you're doing today?FIND LISA· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-lisa-m-wisniewski-41974557/· Website: https://cluesforcollege.com/homeLinkedIn – Full Podcast Article: CHAPTERS00:00 - The Book Leads Podcast – Dr. Lisa Wisniewski00:32 - Introduction & Bio01:54 - Who are you today? Can you provide more information about your work?07:21 - How did your path into your career look like, and what did it look like up until now?18:04 - Why teaching clicked for Lisa.19:54 - Understanding and student burnout.32:57 - How does the work you're doing today reconcile to who you were as a child?35:05 - What do you consider your super power?36:13 - What does leadership mean to you?37:55 - Can you introduce us to the book we're discussing?44:02 - Can you provide a general overview of the book?53:29 - What Lisa draws from her Polish ancestry into her work.59:14 - A breakdown of the chapters in the book.59:50 - What's changed in you in the process of writing this book?01:03:50 - What's next for your writing?01:04:56 - What book has inspired you?01:07:14 - What are you up to these days? (A way for guests to share and market their projects and work.)This series has become my Masterclass In Humanity. I'd love for you to join me and see what you take away from these conversations.Learn more about The Book Leads and listen to past episodes:· Watch on YouTube· Listen on Spotify· Listen on Apple Podcasts· Read About The Book Leads – Blog PostFor more great content, subscribe to my newsletter Last Week's LeadershipLessons, if you haven't already!

Greg Stoker gives an update from the Global Sumud Flotilla as it nears the danger zone before we explain the UN's sugar-coated plan of stealing Gaza from the Palestinians to essentially gift it to luxury developers after 2 years of genocide and ethic cleansing as part of a long-term scheme concocted years in advance by the same corporate forces behind the real estate nightmare in the United States.We are joined by Molombo Thillot, who is a Congolese-American artist, activist and creator based in Los Angeles. He is the creator of Zairoo, a groundbreaking project that weaves African mythology and the Black diaspora. He holds degrees in Sociology, Ethnic Studies from CU Boulder and a Masters in Legal Studies from Loyola Law School Los Angeles.https://www.instagram.com/hey_molomboAlong with:Jessica Burbank, an Investigative Journalist and Content Creator. Her recent documentary exposes how Flock, a mass surveillance company, secures local government contracts behind closed doors. Jessica's work focuses on demystifying the economic narrative told by the 1%.https://www.instagram.com/kaburbank#UN #peacedeal #realestate #middleeast

Ikigai, a Japanese concept that translates to "a reason for being" or "a reason to live," focuses on the intersection of what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. Doesn't that sound like a critical consideration for college students and applicants? Amy and Mike invited admissions expert V. Peter Pitts to explore how ikigai can help to choose a college major. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is IKIGAI? How can an Ikigai exercise help in narrowing down your major? Do students really need to choose a major before choosing a college? Do majors really matter? What matters more than choice of a major? What is the biggest mistake students make in choosing a major? MEET OUR GUEST V. Peter Pitts retired after 42 years in the College Admission profession, most recently with Monmouth College of Illinois. Over his 27 years at Monmouth, he recruited over 2,000 students and still keeps in touch with many of them. He is originally from Iowa and holds an undergraduate degree from Wartburg College (IA) and a Master's degree from the University of Iowa, both in Sociology. In his retirement, Peter publishes a website–https://www.lifechangingcolleges.com–that celebrates small private colleges. He also gives presentations to high school classes about a variety of college admission topics.  He is the author of Common Sense Guide to Choosing a College---Making a Case for Small Residential College, and his latest book is Choosing Your College Major: The Ikigai Approach. Peter previously appeared on this podcast in episode 163 to discuss Do College Majors Matter? and in episode 347 to discuss Attending A Small College. Peter can be reached at vpeterpitts@gmail.com. LINKS Choosing Your College Major: The Ikigai Approach Why majors don't matter | Kai Kight Common Sense Guide to Choosing a College---Making a Case for Small Residential College RELATED EPISODES HOW COLLEGES ADMIT BY MAJOR WHY THIS COLLEGE, WHY THIS MAJOR? STRATEGIES FOR SELECTING A COLLEGE MAJOR ON TIME ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

Episode 20 Scott and Michael are joined by Casey Davis, Broadcasting from the gorgeous Portola Paints Showroom in the North Hollywood area of Los Angeles. Scott and Michael are invited to tour the Singer Vehicle Design facility. Porsche News, Current and upcoming Happenings in the lives of Scott, Michael and Casey. Michael and Casey share their Formula 1 vacation to Spa and Hungary!   Thank you to all of our listeners, we appreciate each and every one of you. We do this for fun and appreciate you joining us. Please follow us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Amazon Music, I Heart Radio, Podbean or wherever you listen to podcasts   Rennstreet Podcast Instagram: @rennstreetpodcast Tik Tok: @rennstreetpodcast   Scott Kelly @scottkelly911tt   Michael Kriskovic @the.targa.chronicles   Casey Davis @casey_c2 Please visit these important Contributors and Sponsors websites and instagram pages. Without them episode 20 would not be possible:   House Automotive www.houseautogroup.com @houseautomotive   CP-Carrillo www.cp-carrillo.com @cpcarrillo_   Paulaner Sunset Soft Drinks www.paulaner-sunset.com @paulaner.sunset   Portola Paints www.portolapaints.com @portolapaints   Meisterwerk Racing Wheels www.meisterwerkracing.com @meisterwerkracing   Sociology of Cars Podcast @sociology_of_cars_podcast   Singer Vehicle Design www.singervehicledesign.com @singervehicledesign   Robert Combs, Keep Hot Wheelin www.keephotwheelin.com @keephotwheelin_   Onyx Auto Detailing www.onyx-detail.com @onyxauto_detailing

This is the first solo episode of Scaling Theory, where I take a deep dive into the literature. Building on a working paper titled “Adaptive Regulation,” I explore why “future-proof” laws so often fail in the face of rapid technological change, and how complexity science can guide us toward rules that adapt to the things they regulate. Drawing on recent EU digital acts and voices from law, economics, and complexity theory, I sketch the contours of a regulatory system that scales.You can follow me on X (@⁠⁠ProfSchrepel⁠⁠) and BlueSky (@⁠⁠ProfSchrepel⁠⁠).References:Schrepel, T., Adaptive Regulation (2025) https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5416454Ranchordás, S., & Van‘t Schip, M. (2020). Future-Proofing Legislation for the Digital Age. In Time, Law, and Change: An Interdisciplinary Study.Colomo, P. I. (2022). Future-Proof Regulation against the Test of Time: The Evolution of European Telecommunications Regulation. Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, 42(4).Chander, A. (2017). Future-proofing law. UC Davis Law Review.Powell, W. W., & Snellman, K. (2004). The Knowledge Economy. Annual Review of Sociology, 30.Perez, C. (2009). The Double Bubble at the Turn of the Century: Technological Roots and Structural Implications. Cambridge Journal of Economics, 33(4), 779–805.Allen, D. W., Berg, C., & Potts, J. (2025). Institutional Acceleration: The Consequences of Technological Change in a Digital Economy. Cambridge University Press.Colander, D., Holt, R. P. F., & Rosser, J. B. (2004). The Changing Face of Mainstream Economics. Review of Political Economy, 16(4).Arthur, W. B. (2009). The Nature of Technology: What It Is and How It Evolves. New York: Free Press.Buchanan, J. M., & Tullock, G. (1962). The Calculus of Consent: Logical Foundations of Constitutional Democracy. University of Michigan Press.Sowell, T. (2007). A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles.West, G. (2017). Scale: The Universal Laws of Growth, Innovation, Sustainability, and the Pace of Life in Organisms, Cities, Economies, and Companies. Penguin Press.

This week we have a conversation with creative, Gary Jones, the creator of Divergent Comics. We talk about his relatively late start into the fandom AND the business of comics. We also talk about vetting artists and the upcoming football season.Where would you like to be found on the Internet? Threads https://www.threads.com/@gmtj2kFacebook https://www.facebook.com/GMTJ4gIG https://www.instagram.com/gmtj2k/Divergent ComicsIG https://www.instagram.com/divergent_comicsFacebook https://www.facebook.com/ComicsDivergentYoutube https://www.youtube.com/@divergentcomics2:50 When did you know you wanted to get into comics?Late to the comic spaceOrigin of a Name6:54 What do you wish you had known when you had started out?Vetting Artists8:52 What's your go-to order at your favorite hometown restaurant?Japanese Fusion10:31 What are you curious about?Psychology and Sociology for writing14:59 What should I ask you that I didn't know enough to ask?Football Nerd too?!18:59 If you could create a new holiday what would it commemorate?A Celebration of Black Love21:09 Why Create?The Love of Family Tradition

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Ching Kwan Lee joins us to discuss her newly released book Forever Hong Kong: A Global City's Decolonization Struggle. She reframes the 2019 Hong Kong protests not merely as a fight for democracy, but as the culmination of a two-decade decolonization struggle that sought to redefine the city's identity, economy, and society. Dr. Lee first explains how Hong Kong experienced double colonization - first under Britain, then under Beijing - each system of rule justified through race, from colonial difference to China's coercive sameness. Dr. Lee also explores Beijing's contradictory impulses toward Hong Kong—wanting the city open enough to serve as a global hub yet controlled enough to prevent it from inspiring resistance on the mainland. She explains how this tension led to the imposition of the National Security Law and draws parallels to China's approaches in Tibet and Xinjiang, while reflecting on what Hong Kong's experience means for Taiwan and the fading credibility of “One Country, Two Systems.” Her insights in the book challenge familiar narratives and place Hong Kong's struggle within the wider global conversations about authoritarianism, resistance, and decolonization in the 21st century.  Dr. Ching Kwan Lee is a professor in the department of Sociology at UCLA. She is a sociologist working at the intersection of global and comparative issues, including labor, political sociology, global development, decolonization, comparative ethnography, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and Africa. She has published three multiple award-winning monographs on contemporary China, including Gender and the South China Miracle, Against the Law, and The Specter of Global China. The trilogy of Chinese capitalism was written through the lens of labor and working-class experiences. Her most recent publications include a short format book titled Hong Kong: Global China's Restive Frontier, and two co-edited volumes — Take Back Our Future: an Eventful Sociology of the Hong Kong Umbrella Movement and The Social Question in the 21st Century: A Global View. Forever Hong Kong: A Global City's Struggle for Decolonization is her newest monograph. 

Christy Glass, Professor of Sociology at Utah State University joins Greg and Holly for an open conversation about battling the critic within and addressing what's really behind imposter syndrome… and what you can do to address it.

Our second scholar in the series is Sunny Rai, who is a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Computer and Information Science University of Pennsylvania. She received her Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from University of Delhi. Her research focuses on misinformation, mental health and cross-cultural variations in human language. We spoke about her co-authored job market paper titled, Social Norms in Cinema: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Shame, Pride and Prejudice. We talked about depictions of shame and pride and heroism in Indian versus American films, the challenges with textual analysis of a visual medium, and much more. Recorded September 5th, 2025. Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links. Connect with Ideas of India Follow us on X Follow Shruti on X Click here for the latest Ideas of India episodes sent straight to your inbox. Timestamps (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:44) - Shame and Pride in Film (00:12:31) - Teaching Machines Norms (00:16:52) - Textual Analysis in a Visual Medium (00:18:26) - The Trouble with Subtitles and Scripts (00:27:41) - Self-Shaming vs. Other-Shaming (00:30:33) - LLM Alignment Needs a Culture Check (00:36:20) - Looking Ahead: A Final Reflection (00:37:01) - Outro

Our host, LUL President & CEO Lyndon Pryor, is joined by Eric King, Digital Communications Strategist for the ACLU of Kentucky. With more than two decades of experience as a classically trained broadcast journalist covering some of the country's biggest news events, he's using that same storytelling power to modernize and digitize the ACLU's communications across all platforms.Our duo discusses the changing media landscape, how to identify a trusted new source, the politics of the media, and the emergence of podcasts as news sources.King graduated with a BS in Sociology from UofL and a certification from the Diversity Executive Leadership Academy.Check out his book, "Breaking News: Confessions of a Disruptive News Anchor" and follow his reporting on Substack.

How street vendors tangle with the law in São Paulo, Brazil. With a little initiative and very little startup money, an outgoing individual might sell you a number of delights and conveniences familiar to city dwellers—from cold water bottles while you're sitting in traffic to a popsicle from a cart on a summer afternoon in the park. Such vendors form a significant share of the workforce in São Paulo, Brazil, but their ubiquity belies perpetual struggle. Some have the right to practice their trade; others do not. All of them strive to make it—or stay afloat.In The Edge of the Law: Street Vendors and the Erosion of Citizenship in São Paulo, (U Chicago Press, 2025) Jacinto Cuvi introduces us to the world of street vendors and teases out the relationship between the construction of legality and the experience of citizenship. As São Paulo's city government undertakes a large-scale plan to cancel street vending licenses and evict street vendors, Cuvi reveals how the rights of informal workers can be revoked or withheld and how the lines can be redrawn between work that is “legal” and work that takes place under constant fear of law enforcement. Alongside the mechanics of disenfranchisement, Cuvi captures the lived experience of criminalization, dissecting the distribution of (shallow) rights among vendors who continually reinvent strategies to eke out a living while dealing with the constraints and pressures of informal citizenship at the edge of the law. Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is the author of The Social Construction of a Cultural Spectacle: Floatzilla (Lexington Books, 2023) and Community Media Representations of Place and Identity at Tug Fest: Reconstructing the Mississippi River (Lexington Books, 2022). His general area of study is at the intersection of space, behavior, and identity. He is currently conducting research about: escape rooms, the use of urban design in downtown historical neighborhoods of rural communities, and a study on belongingness in college and university. To learn more about Michael O. Johnston you can go to his personal website, Google Scholar, Bluesky (@professorjohnst.bsky.social), Twitter (@ProfessorJohnst), or by email Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

How street vendors tangle with the law in São Paulo, Brazil. With a little initiative and very little startup money, an outgoing individual might sell you a number of delights and conveniences familiar to city dwellers—from cold water bottles while you're sitting in traffic to a popsicle from a cart on a summer afternoon in the park. Such vendors form a significant share of the workforce in São Paulo, Brazil, but their ubiquity belies perpetual struggle. Some have the right to practice their trade; others do not. All of them strive to make it—or stay afloat.In The Edge of the Law: Street Vendors and the Erosion of Citizenship in São Paulo, (U Chicago Press, 2025) Jacinto Cuvi introduces us to the world of street vendors and teases out the relationship between the construction of legality and the experience of citizenship. As São Paulo's city government undertakes a large-scale plan to cancel street vending licenses and evict street vendors, Cuvi reveals how the rights of informal workers can be revoked or withheld and how the lines can be redrawn between work that is “legal” and work that takes place under constant fear of law enforcement. Alongside the mechanics of disenfranchisement, Cuvi captures the lived experience of criminalization, dissecting the distribution of (shallow) rights among vendors who continually reinvent strategies to eke out a living while dealing with the constraints and pressures of informal citizenship at the edge of the law. Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is the author of The Social Construction of a Cultural Spectacle: Floatzilla (Lexington Books, 2023) and Community Media Representations of Place and Identity at Tug Fest: Reconstructing the Mississippi River (Lexington Books, 2022). His general area of study is at the intersection of space, behavior, and identity. He is currently conducting research about: escape rooms, the use of urban design in downtown historical neighborhoods of rural communities, and a study on belongingness in college and university. To learn more about Michael O. Johnston you can go to his personal website, Google Scholar, Bluesky (@professorjohnst.bsky.social), Twitter (@ProfessorJohnst), or by email Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/latin-american-studies

How street vendors tangle with the law in São Paulo, Brazil. With a little initiative and very little startup money, an outgoing individual might sell you a number of delights and conveniences familiar to city dwellers—from cold water bottles while you're sitting in traffic to a popsicle from a cart on a summer afternoon in the park. Such vendors form a significant share of the workforce in São Paulo, Brazil, but their ubiquity belies perpetual struggle. Some have the right to practice their trade; others do not. All of them strive to make it—or stay afloat.In The Edge of the Law: Street Vendors and the Erosion of Citizenship in São Paulo, (U Chicago Press, 2025) Jacinto Cuvi introduces us to the world of street vendors and teases out the relationship between the construction of legality and the experience of citizenship. As São Paulo's city government undertakes a large-scale plan to cancel street vending licenses and evict street vendors, Cuvi reveals how the rights of informal workers can be revoked or withheld and how the lines can be redrawn between work that is “legal” and work that takes place under constant fear of law enforcement. Alongside the mechanics of disenfranchisement, Cuvi captures the lived experience of criminalization, dissecting the distribution of (shallow) rights among vendors who continually reinvent strategies to eke out a living while dealing with the constraints and pressures of informal citizenship at the edge of the law. Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is the author of The Social Construction of a Cultural Spectacle: Floatzilla (Lexington Books, 2023) and Community Media Representations of Place and Identity at Tug Fest: Reconstructing the Mississippi River (Lexington Books, 2022). His general area of study is at the intersection of space, behavior, and identity. He is currently conducting research about: escape rooms, the use of urban design in downtown historical neighborhoods of rural communities, and a study on belongingness in college and university. To learn more about Michael O. Johnston you can go to his personal website, Google Scholar, Bluesky (@professorjohnst.bsky.social), Twitter (@ProfessorJohnst), or by email Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Let's talk about empathy! Do we really want to understand each other? As we wrap up Suicide Prevention Month, we welcome back Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Clifton Bright, Jr. for an honest dive into the challenges people face with their feelings in today's world. Clifton unpacks three distinct types of empathy to emphasize their value, especially in times of crisis, and guides us through the art of listening to understand rather than simply respond. Don't miss the unforgettable story he shares about a survivor who jumped off a bridge and lived, illuminating what it truly takes to show up for someone in pain. We'll explore the ways to recognize healthy and safe relationships that foster healing from trauma, and Clifton also shares how our podcast has impacted his practice over the past five years! Clifton completed his MS in Mental Health Counseling and Human Services at Capella University in Minneapolis, Minnesota and received his Bachelor of Science in Sociology at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. As an author, mentor, life coach, consultant and owner of Bright House Counseling, a private practice located in Harford County Maryland, he has worked with men from all walks of life and discovered that God has a specific purpose for every man. His passion is to help men strengthen their knowledge of their identity so they can function in their purpose. Clifton has been married for over 20 years and is a member of Spirit of Faith Christian Center in Baltimore Maryland. To learn more about Clifton and his work, connect with him on IG @clifton_bright_lcpc or email him at cliftonbrightjr@gmail.com.

How street vendors tangle with the law in São Paulo, Brazil. With a little initiative and very little startup money, an outgoing individual might sell you a number of delights and conveniences familiar to city dwellers—from cold water bottles while you're sitting in traffic to a popsicle from a cart on a summer afternoon in the park. Such vendors form a significant share of the workforce in São Paulo, Brazil, but their ubiquity belies perpetual struggle. Some have the right to practice their trade; others do not. All of them strive to make it—or stay afloat.In The Edge of the Law: Street Vendors and the Erosion of Citizenship in São Paulo, (U Chicago Press, 2025) Jacinto Cuvi introduces us to the world of street vendors and teases out the relationship between the construction of legality and the experience of citizenship. As São Paulo's city government undertakes a large-scale plan to cancel street vending licenses and evict street vendors, Cuvi reveals how the rights of informal workers can be revoked or withheld and how the lines can be redrawn between work that is “legal” and work that takes place under constant fear of law enforcement. Alongside the mechanics of disenfranchisement, Cuvi captures the lived experience of criminalization, dissecting the distribution of (shallow) rights among vendors who continually reinvent strategies to eke out a living while dealing with the constraints and pressures of informal citizenship at the edge of the law. Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is the author of The Social Construction of a Cultural Spectacle: Floatzilla (Lexington Books, 2023) and Community Media Representations of Place and Identity at Tug Fest: Reconstructing the Mississippi River (Lexington Books, 2022). His general area of study is at the intersection of space, behavior, and identity. He is currently conducting research about: escape rooms, the use of urban design in downtown historical neighborhoods of rural communities, and a study on belongingness in college and university. To learn more about Michael O. Johnston you can go to his personal website, Google Scholar, Bluesky (@professorjohnst.bsky.social), Twitter (@ProfessorJohnst), or by email Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/public-policy

How street vendors tangle with the law in São Paulo, Brazil. With a little initiative and very little startup money, an outgoing individual might sell you a number of delights and conveniences familiar to city dwellers—from cold water bottles while you're sitting in traffic to a popsicle from a cart on a summer afternoon in the park. Such vendors form a significant share of the workforce in São Paulo, Brazil, but their ubiquity belies perpetual struggle. Some have the right to practice their trade; others do not. All of them strive to make it—or stay afloat.In The Edge of the Law: Street Vendors and the Erosion of Citizenship in São Paulo, (U Chicago Press, 2025) Jacinto Cuvi introduces us to the world of street vendors and teases out the relationship between the construction of legality and the experience of citizenship. As São Paulo's city government undertakes a large-scale plan to cancel street vending licenses and evict street vendors, Cuvi reveals how the rights of informal workers can be revoked or withheld and how the lines can be redrawn between work that is “legal” and work that takes place under constant fear of law enforcement. Alongside the mechanics of disenfranchisement, Cuvi captures the lived experience of criminalization, dissecting the distribution of (shallow) rights among vendors who continually reinvent strategies to eke out a living while dealing with the constraints and pressures of informal citizenship at the edge of the law. Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is the author of The Social Construction of a Cultural Spectacle: Floatzilla (Lexington Books, 2023) and Community Media Representations of Place and Identity at Tug Fest: Reconstructing the Mississippi River (Lexington Books, 2022). His general area of study is at the intersection of space, behavior, and identity. He is currently conducting research about: escape rooms, the use of urban design in downtown historical neighborhoods of rural communities, and a study on belongingness in college and university. To learn more about Michael O. Johnston you can go to his personal website, Google Scholar, Bluesky (@professorjohnst.bsky.social), Twitter (@ProfessorJohnst), or by email Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/law

How street vendors tangle with the law in São Paulo, Brazil. With a little initiative and very little startup money, an outgoing individual might sell you a number of delights and conveniences familiar to city dwellers—from cold water bottles while you're sitting in traffic to a popsicle from a cart on a summer afternoon in the park. Such vendors form a significant share of the workforce in São Paulo, Brazil, but their ubiquity belies perpetual struggle. Some have the right to practice their trade; others do not. All of them strive to make it—or stay afloat.In The Edge of the Law: Street Vendors and the Erosion of Citizenship in São Paulo, (U Chicago Press, 2025) Jacinto Cuvi introduces us to the world of street vendors and teases out the relationship between the construction of legality and the experience of citizenship. As São Paulo's city government undertakes a large-scale plan to cancel street vending licenses and evict street vendors, Cuvi reveals how the rights of informal workers can be revoked or withheld and how the lines can be redrawn between work that is “legal” and work that takes place under constant fear of law enforcement. Alongside the mechanics of disenfranchisement, Cuvi captures the lived experience of criminalization, dissecting the distribution of (shallow) rights among vendors who continually reinvent strategies to eke out a living while dealing with the constraints and pressures of informal citizenship at the edge of the law. Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is the author of The Social Construction of a Cultural Spectacle: Floatzilla (Lexington Books, 2023) and Community Media Representations of Place and Identity at Tug Fest: Reconstructing the Mississippi River (Lexington Books, 2022). His general area of study is at the intersection of space, behavior, and identity. He is currently conducting research about: escape rooms, the use of urban design in downtown historical neighborhoods of rural communities, and a study on belongingness in college and university. To learn more about Michael O. Johnston you can go to his personal website, Google Scholar, Bluesky (@professorjohnst.bsky.social), Twitter (@ProfessorJohnst), or by email Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While scholars of social and political movements tend to analyze tactics in terms of their effectiveness in achieving specific outcomes, Robert F. Carley argues by contrast that tactics are, above all, what social movements do. They are not mere means to an end so much as they are a public form of expression pointing out injustices and making just demands. Rooted in a highly original analysis of the tactically mediated relationship between race and mobilization in the work of Italian philosopher and revolutionary Antonio Gramsci, Culture and Tactics: Gramsci, Race, and the Politics of Practice (SUNY Press, 2019) demonstrates how tactics impact the organizational structures of social movements and expand the affinities of political communities. Carley looks at how Gramsci used innovative tactics to bridge perceptions of racial differences between factory workers and subaltern groups, the latter having been denigrated to the point of subhumanity by a complex Italian national racial economy. Newly envisioning Gramsci as a theorist of race within a broader context of social struggle, Carley connects Gramsci's insights into the political mobilizations of racialized subaltern groups to contemporary critical race theory and cultural studies of racialization and racism. Speaking across disciplines and drawing on a number of empirical examples, Carley offers a battery of original concepts to assist scholars and activists in analyzing the tactical practices of protests in which race is a central factor. Author info - Robert F. Carley is Associate Professor of International Studies at Texas A&M University, College Station. Host info – Michael L. Rosino is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Molloy University, whose work focuses on racial politics, media, and democracy. He recently published the book Democracy is Awkward: Grappling with Racism inside Grassroots Political Organizing and an essay in Time on the importance of cross-racial coalitions in social movements. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

While scholars of social and political movements tend to analyze tactics in terms of their effectiveness in achieving specific outcomes, Robert F. Carley argues by contrast that tactics are, above all, what social movements do. They are not mere means to an end so much as they are a public form of expression pointing out injustices and making just demands. Rooted in a highly original analysis of the tactically mediated relationship between race and mobilization in the work of Italian philosopher and revolutionary Antonio Gramsci, Culture and Tactics: Gramsci, Race, and the Politics of Practice (SUNY Press, 2019) demonstrates how tactics impact the organizational structures of social movements and expand the affinities of political communities. Carley looks at how Gramsci used innovative tactics to bridge perceptions of racial differences between factory workers and subaltern groups, the latter having been denigrated to the point of subhumanity by a complex Italian national racial economy. Newly envisioning Gramsci as a theorist of race within a broader context of social struggle, Carley connects Gramsci's insights into the political mobilizations of racialized subaltern groups to contemporary critical race theory and cultural studies of racialization and racism. Speaking across disciplines and drawing on a number of empirical examples, Carley offers a battery of original concepts to assist scholars and activists in analyzing the tactical practices of protests in which race is a central factor. Author info - Robert F. Carley is Associate Professor of International Studies at Texas A&M University, College Station. Host info – Michael L. Rosino is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Molloy University, whose work focuses on racial politics, media, and democracy. He recently published the book Democracy is Awkward: Grappling with Racism inside Grassroots Political Organizing and an essay in Time on the importance of cross-racial coalitions in social movements. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

While scholars of social and political movements tend to analyze tactics in terms of their effectiveness in achieving specific outcomes, Robert F. Carley argues by contrast that tactics are, above all, what social movements do. They are not mere means to an end so much as they are a public form of expression pointing out injustices and making just demands. Rooted in a highly original analysis of the tactically mediated relationship between race and mobilization in the work of Italian philosopher and revolutionary Antonio Gramsci, Culture and Tactics: Gramsci, Race, and the Politics of Practice (SUNY Press, 2019) demonstrates how tactics impact the organizational structures of social movements and expand the affinities of political communities. Carley looks at how Gramsci used innovative tactics to bridge perceptions of racial differences between factory workers and subaltern groups, the latter having been denigrated to the point of subhumanity by a complex Italian national racial economy. Newly envisioning Gramsci as a theorist of race within a broader context of social struggle, Carley connects Gramsci's insights into the political mobilizations of racialized subaltern groups to contemporary critical race theory and cultural studies of racialization and racism. Speaking across disciplines and drawing on a number of empirical examples, Carley offers a battery of original concepts to assist scholars and activists in analyzing the tactical practices of protests in which race is a central factor. Author info - Robert F. Carley is Associate Professor of International Studies at Texas A&M University, College Station. Host info – Michael L. Rosino is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Molloy University, whose work focuses on racial politics, media, and democracy. He recently published the book Democracy is Awkward: Grappling with Racism inside Grassroots Political Organizing and an essay in Time on the importance of cross-racial coalitions in social movements. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

While scholars of social and political movements tend to analyze tactics in terms of their effectiveness in achieving specific outcomes, Robert F. Carley argues by contrast that tactics are, above all, what social movements do. They are not mere means to an end so much as they are a public form of expression pointing out injustices and making just demands. Rooted in a highly original analysis of the tactically mediated relationship between race and mobilization in the work of Italian philosopher and revolutionary Antonio Gramsci, Culture and Tactics: Gramsci, Race, and the Politics of Practice (SUNY Press, 2019) demonstrates how tactics impact the organizational structures of social movements and expand the affinities of political communities. Carley looks at how Gramsci used innovative tactics to bridge perceptions of racial differences between factory workers and subaltern groups, the latter having been denigrated to the point of subhumanity by a complex Italian national racial economy. Newly envisioning Gramsci as a theorist of race within a broader context of social struggle, Carley connects Gramsci's insights into the political mobilizations of racialized subaltern groups to contemporary critical race theory and cultural studies of racialization and racism. Speaking across disciplines and drawing on a number of empirical examples, Carley offers a battery of original concepts to assist scholars and activists in analyzing the tactical practices of protests in which race is a central factor. Author info - Robert F. Carley is Associate Professor of International Studies at Texas A&M University, College Station. Host info – Michael L. Rosino is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Molloy University, whose work focuses on racial politics, media, and democracy. He recently published the book Democracy is Awkward: Grappling with Racism inside Grassroots Political Organizing and an essay in Time on the importance of cross-racial coalitions in social movements. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Brooke's Bio: Brooke N. Collins is a strategy and operations leader with 15+ years of experience driving change management initiatives that strengthen organizational culture, optimize systems, and deliver measurable results. As Founder of HumanBn Strategies and a Fractional Chief Wellbeing Officer, she partners with Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and healthcare organizations to translate vision into action, designing scalable programs and solutions that elevate workforce performance and employee experience.Her work has supported global brands including Chevron, MGM, Blue Cross Blue Shield, American Express, and Berkshire Hathaway, where she has led initiatives that align strategy, streamline operations, and drive enterprise-wide adoption of wellbeing and employee engagement programs.Brooke also serves as Wellbeing Chair for Ignite MED, where she applies her expertise to support women in medicine through mentorship, resilience training, and community-building efforts.Raised in the coastal town of Steilacoom, Washington, Brooke enjoys exploring local art scenes,  admiring architecture, and sharing deep-belly laughs with friends and family.Connect with Brooke: Website:  Visit Experience Encanto: Art Stroll to learn more and explore how you can get involved.(https://encanto.sistercitiesproject.org/)Email: brooke.collins@humanbnstrategies.comInstagram:  (@experience.encanto)Follow us on Instagram for updates   Dasean Bio: Originally from San Diego. I went to University City High School. I am married with three kids. Elina 6, Eden 3 and Kebru 1.In 2004, I received a full scholarship to the University of Southern California where I competed on both the football and track teams and later earned the title of NCAA Track All American. I tore my ACL in 2005. Track coach took my scholarship while I was rehabbing. Had to move out of my apartment and get a job all on crutches. Lost a girlfriend and was told that I should think about transferring because the coach thought I would not make it back. That same coach decided not to redshirt me because he didn't think that I could make it back.2006 was the one of the best years of my life. Fought to get my scholarship back and started my college promotions company Trojan Man Entertainment.  Trojan Man Entertainment or  TME (www.TeamTME.com), an entertainment company that  managed, promoted, and produced large private events for college campuses and other  organizations. By acquiring and building relationships with music industry executives and campus leaders, I expanded the company network to over five universities in three states.In 2008, I graduated from USC with a bachelor's degree  in Sociology and a minor in Business Advertisement and went on to work in the sales and marketing sector. After returning  to San Diego in 2009 to work as a Financial Planner for Strategic Wealth Associates, I noticed a gap in the availability of meaningful networking opportunities, especially for young professionals and new entrepreneurs in the area. To bridge this gap, I founded and led Tasteful Tuesdays (http:/www.tastefultuesday.com), a monthly networking group and mixer that enables participants to connect with other professionals  and increase their business through a structured, positive and professional word-of-mouth event. Dasean is now a commercial real estate developer.Connect with Dasean: Instagram: TheImperialHussleCenter 

In this episode, we are joined by friend of the show and scholar, Rasul Mowatt, to challenge the myth that the Ku Klux Klan began in Indiana, exploring the 1st wave of the Ku Klux Klan, known then as the “KuKlux.” We analyse the post-Civil War context that led to the rise of white supremacist groups, vigilantism, and the Klan's origins, spread, and eventual decline. We also delve into the role of other white supremacist groups in picking up the Klan's mantle, such as the Red Shirts. This is a part of a series covering each historical wave of the Klan. Join us as we uncover the true history of the Klan and its enduring impact.   Rasul A. Mowatt is a son of Chicago and a subject of empire, while dwelling within notions of statelessness, settler colonial mentality, and anti-capitalism. Rasul also functions in the State as a Department Head in the College of Natural Resources, as an Interim Department Head in the Division of Academic and Student Affairs, and as an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at North Carolina State University. He is the author of the book The Geographies of Threat and the Production of Violence: The City and State Between Us.   Some sources White Terror: The Ku Klux Klan Conspiracy and Southern Reconstruction https://lsupress.org/9780807178744/white-terror/ Hooded Americanism: The History of the Ku Klux Klan https://www.dukeupress.edu/hooded-americanism patreon.com/blackmyths   00:04:22 - Monologue 00:08:15 - Opening Thoughts 00:35:45 - War & Vigilantism 01:08:13 - Kuklux Origins 01:42:26 - Red Shirts & Them 01:57:51 - Compromise Inevitable 02:01:59 - The Clansman & Psychology  

On this episode, I had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Ellen Chiocca and Dr. Esaa Mohammad Sabti Samarah about ending corporal punishment in schools. The mission of Arkansans Against School Paddling is to achieve a statewide ban on the use of corporal punishment in Arkansas schools by educating school personnel, board members, and legislators, encouraging lawmakers to sponsor a legislative ban, and promoting alternative, evidence-based disciplinary strategies rooted in respect and positive relationships rather than fear and pain. They also advocate for the protection of all students, not just those with severe disabilities, from this outdated practiceDr. Esaa Mohammad SamarahDr. Esaa Mohammad Sabti Samarah is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Florida and an MSW from Florida State University. His doctoral work focuses on child welfare accountability, policy implementation, displacement, and the experiences of religious minorities within the foster care system. Before academia, Dr. Samarah worked as a Child Protective Investigator in Florida and served as a Research Coordinator in university labs. His work is informed by both field experience and empirical research. He has earned recognition for academic achievement, including a Medal of Honor from the University of Florida. Dr. Ellen M. Chiocca, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Sinclair School of Nursing at the University of Missouri. Dr. Chiocca completed her PhD in December 2018, and she has over two decades of experience as a primary care pediatric nurse practitioner, serving vulnerable children and families.Her teaching and research interests include pediatric primary care, family health, cultural and developmental aspects of child assessment, and serving populations that may face barriers to health and wellness. Dr. Chiocca is known for her commitment to mentoring, educational excellence, and for integrating clinical practice with scholarship in child health.

The compulsory service for young men in the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) created bonds across ethnic, religious, and social lines. These bonds persisted even after the horrific violence of the 1990s, in which many of these men found themselves on opposite sides of the front lines. In Utopia of the Uniform: Affective Afterlives of the Yugoslav People's Army (Duke UP, 2024), Tanja Petrović draws on memories and material effects of dozens of JNA conscripts to show how their experience of military service points to futures, forms of collectivity, and relations between the state and the individual different from those that prevailed in the post-Yugoslav reality. Petrović argues that the power of repetitive, ritualized, and performative practices that constituted military service in the JNA provided a framework for drastically different men to live together and befriend each other. While Petrović and her interlocutors do not idealize the JNA, they acknowledge its capacity to create interpersonal relationships and affective bonds that brought the key political ideas of collectivity, solidarity, egalitarianism, education, and comradeship into being. Dragana Prvulović is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the University of Ottawa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

The compulsory service for young men in the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) created bonds across ethnic, religious, and social lines. These bonds persisted even after the horrific violence of the 1990s, in which many of these men found themselves on opposite sides of the front lines. In Utopia of the Uniform: Affective Afterlives of the Yugoslav People's Army (Duke UP, 2024), Tanja Petrović draws on memories and material effects of dozens of JNA conscripts to show how their experience of military service points to futures, forms of collectivity, and relations between the state and the individual different from those that prevailed in the post-Yugoslav reality. Petrović argues that the power of repetitive, ritualized, and performative practices that constituted military service in the JNA provided a framework for drastically different men to live together and befriend each other. While Petrović and her interlocutors do not idealize the JNA, they acknowledge its capacity to create interpersonal relationships and affective bonds that brought the key political ideas of collectivity, solidarity, egalitarianism, education, and comradeship into being. Dragana Prvulović is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the University of Ottawa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

The compulsory service for young men in the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) created bonds across ethnic, religious, and social lines. These bonds persisted even after the horrific violence of the 1990s, in which many of these men found themselves on opposite sides of the front lines. In Utopia of the Uniform: Affective Afterlives of the Yugoslav People's Army (Duke UP, 2024), Tanja Petrović draws on memories and material effects of dozens of JNA conscripts to show how their experience of military service points to futures, forms of collectivity, and relations between the state and the individual different from those that prevailed in the post-Yugoslav reality. Petrović argues that the power of repetitive, ritualized, and performative practices that constituted military service in the JNA provided a framework for drastically different men to live together and befriend each other. While Petrović and her interlocutors do not idealize the JNA, they acknowledge its capacity to create interpersonal relationships and affective bonds that brought the key political ideas of collectivity, solidarity, egalitarianism, education, and comradeship into being. Dragana Prvulović is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the University of Ottawa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

The compulsory service for young men in the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) created bonds across ethnic, religious, and social lines. These bonds persisted even after the horrific violence of the 1990s, in which many of these men found themselves on opposite sides of the front lines. In Utopia of the Uniform: Affective Afterlives of the Yugoslav People's Army (Duke UP, 2024), Tanja Petrović draws on memories and material effects of dozens of JNA conscripts to show how their experience of military service points to futures, forms of collectivity, and relations between the state and the individual different from those that prevailed in the post-Yugoslav reality. Petrović argues that the power of repetitive, ritualized, and performative practices that constituted military service in the JNA provided a framework for drastically different men to live together and befriend each other. While Petrović and her interlocutors do not idealize the JNA, they acknowledge its capacity to create interpersonal relationships and affective bonds that brought the key political ideas of collectivity, solidarity, egalitarianism, education, and comradeship into being. Dragana Prvulović is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the University of Ottawa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Existing portrayals of women who drink typically fall into two categories: disturbing stories of women hitting “rock bottom,” resulting in ruined careers, families, and futures, or amusing stories of fun and harmless “girls' nights out,” with women drinking and overindulging as a temporary escape from a never-ending list of work and family demands. Drawing on original research and extensive interviews with a diverse group of women, author Susan Stewart challenges these stereotypes, revealing women's complex relationships with alcohol and factors associated with its use. In On the Rocks: Straight Talk about Women and Drinking (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022), Susan Stewart asks a question others might prefer stay buried: what about women's lives have changed such that they drink more alcohol? Stewart's participants share stories of the many social forces that encourage women to drink: increased marketing of alcohol to women, the growing presence of alcohol in the workplace, pressure to drink from friends and family, and that drinking provides an easy “time-out” from children and housework. Stewarts' unvarnished examination of women and drinking challenges readers to think through its implications to individuals, families, and society. Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is the author of The Social Construction of a Cultural Spectacle: Floatzilla (Lexington Books, 2023) and Community Media Representations of Place and Identity at Tug Fest: Reconstructing the Mississippi River (Lexington Books, 2022). His general area of study is at the intersection of space, behavior, and identity. He is currently conducting research about: escape rooms, the use of urban design in downtown historical neighborhoods of rural communities, and a study on belongingness in college and university. To learn more about Michael O. Johnston you can go to his personal website, Google Scholar, Bluesky (@professorjohnst.bsky.social), Twitter (@ProfessorJohnst), or by email. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Why can't we seem to agree on facts? In this succinct volume, sociologist Joel Best turns his inimitable eye toward the social construction of what we think is true. He evaluates how facts emerge from our social worlds—including our beliefs, values, tastes, and norms—and how they align with those worlds' standards. He argues that by developing a sociological perspective toward what we think we know, we can better parse the use of facts and untruths around us.Just the Facts: Untangling Contradictory Claims (U California Press, 2025) by Joel Best examines how facts are created and supported through science, government, law, and journalism, revealing that facts are actually claims. These claims are malleable and can change over time through fact-checking, revision, and sometimes rejection. Best guides us through these processes so that we can question our assumptions and understand why disputes happen in the first place. In a time of increasing social and political divide, Just the Facts urges us to resist defensiveness over our facts and approach disputes in critical new ways. Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is the author of The Social Construction of a Cultural Spectacle: Floatzilla (Lexington Books, 2023) and Community Media Representations of Place and Identity at Tug Fest: Reconstructing the Mississippi River (Lexington Books, 2022). His general area of study is at the intersection of space, behavior, and identity. He is currently conducting research about: escape rooms, the use of urban design in downtown historical neighborhoods of rural communities, and a study on belongingness in college and university. To learn more about Michael O. Johnston you can go to his personal website, Google Scholar, Bluesky (@professorjohnst.bsky.social), Twitter (@ProfessorJohnst), or by email. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Existing portrayals of women who drink typically fall into two categories: disturbing stories of women hitting “rock bottom,” resulting in ruined careers, families, and futures, or amusing stories of fun and harmless “girls' nights out,” with women drinking and overindulging as a temporary escape from a never-ending list of work and family demands. Drawing on original research and extensive interviews with a diverse group of women, author Susan Stewart challenges these stereotypes, revealing women's complex relationships with alcohol and factors associated with its use. In On the Rocks: Straight Talk about Women and Drinking (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022), Susan Stewart asks a question others might prefer stay buried: what about women's lives have changed such that they drink more alcohol? Stewart's participants share stories of the many social forces that encourage women to drink: increased marketing of alcohol to women, the growing presence of alcohol in the workplace, pressure to drink from friends and family, and that drinking provides an easy “time-out” from children and housework. Stewarts' unvarnished examination of women and drinking challenges readers to think through its implications to individuals, families, and society. Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is the author of The Social Construction of a Cultural Spectacle: Floatzilla (Lexington Books, 2023) and Community Media Representations of Place and Identity at Tug Fest: Reconstructing the Mississippi River (Lexington Books, 2022). His general area of study is at the intersection of space, behavior, and identity. He is currently conducting research about: escape rooms, the use of urban design in downtown historical neighborhoods of rural communities, and a study on belongingness in college and university. To learn more about Michael O. Johnston you can go to his personal website, Google Scholar, Bluesky (@professorjohnst.bsky.social), Twitter (@ProfessorJohnst), or by email. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

Existing portrayals of women who drink typically fall into two categories: disturbing stories of women hitting “rock bottom,” resulting in ruined careers, families, and futures, or amusing stories of fun and harmless “girls' nights out,” with women drinking and overindulging as a temporary escape from a never-ending list of work and family demands. Drawing on original research and extensive interviews with a diverse group of women, author Susan Stewart challenges these stereotypes, revealing women's complex relationships with alcohol and factors associated with its use. In On the Rocks: Straight Talk about Women and Drinking (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022), Susan Stewart asks a question others might prefer stay buried: what about women's lives have changed such that they drink more alcohol? Stewart's participants share stories of the many social forces that encourage women to drink: increased marketing of alcohol to women, the growing presence of alcohol in the workplace, pressure to drink from friends and family, and that drinking provides an easy “time-out” from children and housework. Stewarts' unvarnished examination of women and drinking challenges readers to think through its implications to individuals, families, and society. Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is the author of The Social Construction of a Cultural Spectacle: Floatzilla (Lexington Books, 2023) and Community Media Representations of Place and Identity at Tug Fest: Reconstructing the Mississippi River (Lexington Books, 2022). His general area of study is at the intersection of space, behavior, and identity. He is currently conducting research about: escape rooms, the use of urban design in downtown historical neighborhoods of rural communities, and a study on belongingness in college and university. To learn more about Michael O. Johnston you can go to his personal website, Google Scholar, Bluesky (@professorjohnst.bsky.social), Twitter (@ProfessorJohnst), or by email. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Why can't we seem to agree on facts? In this succinct volume, sociologist Joel Best turns his inimitable eye toward the social construction of what we think is true. He evaluates how facts emerge from our social worlds—including our beliefs, values, tastes, and norms—and how they align with those worlds' standards. He argues that by developing a sociological perspective toward what we think we know, we can better parse the use of facts and untruths around us.Just the Facts: Untangling Contradictory Claims (U California Press, 2025) by Joel Best examines how facts are created and supported through science, government, law, and journalism, revealing that facts are actually claims. These claims are malleable and can change over time through fact-checking, revision, and sometimes rejection. Best guides us through these processes so that we can question our assumptions and understand why disputes happen in the first place. In a time of increasing social and political divide, Just the Facts urges us to resist defensiveness over our facts and approach disputes in critical new ways. Michael O. Johnston, Ph.D. is a Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is the author of The Social Construction of a Cultural Spectacle: Floatzilla (Lexington Books, 2023) and Community Media Representations of Place and Identity at Tug Fest: Reconstructing the Mississippi River (Lexington Books, 2022). His general area of study is at the intersection of space, behavior, and identity. He is currently conducting research about: escape rooms, the use of urban design in downtown historical neighborhoods of rural communities, and a study on belongingness in college and university. To learn more about Michael O. Johnston you can go to his personal website, Google Scholar, Bluesky (@professorjohnst.bsky.social), Twitter (@ProfessorJohnst), or by email. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Today's international system is made up of states: Territorial entities with defined borders, with exclusive control within those borders, diplomatic recognition by other states outside of them and usually (though not always) tied to some idea of the “nation.” But how many states have existed throughout history, such as during the nineteenth century? Some early counts put the number at just a few dozen–a measure that international relations professors Charles R. Butcher and Ryan D. Griffiths thought was far too low, missing polities throughout the non-Western world. Together, they put together their own count of independent states in the nineteenth century, as published in their latest work Before Colonization: Non-Western States and Systems in the Nineteenth Century (Columbia UP, 2025). Charles joins us today to talk about his work. He is a professor in the Department of Sociology and Political Science at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. His research focuses on the legacies of historical states and state systems, democratization, and civil resistance. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Before Colonization. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Today's international system is made up of states: Territorial entities with defined borders, with exclusive control within those borders, diplomatic recognition by other states outside of them and usually (though not always) tied to some idea of the “nation.” But how many states have existed throughout history, such as during the nineteenth century? Some early counts put the number at just a few dozen–a measure that international relations professors Charles R. Butcher and Ryan D. Griffiths thought was far too low, missing polities throughout the non-Western world. Together, they put together their own count of independent states in the nineteenth century, as published in their latest work Before Colonization: Non-Western States and Systems in the Nineteenth Century (Columbia UP, 2025). Charles joins us today to talk about his work. He is a professor in the Department of Sociology and Political Science at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. His research focuses on the legacies of historical states and state systems, democratization, and civil resistance. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Before Colonization. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

In his literary biography, Philip Roth: Stung by Life (Yale UP, 2025), Steven J. Zipperstein captures the complex life and astonishing work of Philip Roth (1933–2018), one of America's most celebrated writers. Born in Newark, New Jersey—where his short stories and books were often set—Roth wrote with ambition and awareness of what was required to produce great literature. No writer was more dedicated to his craft, even as he was rubbing shoulders with the Kennedys and engaging in a spate of famous and infamous romances. And yet, as much as Roth wrote about sex and self, he viewed himself as socially withdrawn, living much like an “unchaste monk” (his words). Zipperstein explores the unprecedented range of Roth's work—from “Goodbye, Columbus” and Portnoy's Complaint to the Pulitzer Prize–winning American Pastoral and The Plot Against America. Drawing on extensive archival materials and over one hundred interviews, including conversations with Roth about his life and work, Zipperstein provides an intimate and insightful look at one of the twentieth century's most influential writers, placing his work in the context of his obsessions, as well as American Jewishness, freedom, and sexuality. Interviewee: Steven J. Zipperstein is the Daniel E. Koshland Professor in Jewish Culture and History at Stanford University. Host: Schneur Zalman Newfield is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Jewish Studies at Hunter College, City University of New York, and the author of Degrees of Separation: Identity Formation While Leaving Ultra-Orthodox Judaism (Temple University Press). Visit him online at ZalmanNewfield.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Yahya Muhammad. Topic: Entrepreneurship, legacy, and community impact through his ice cream business, Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream Yahya Muhammad shares his journey from tasting unforgettable homemade ice cream as a child to founding one of Chicago’s most beloved ice cream brands. His story is one of perseverance, cultural pride, and community service, rooted in faith and inspired by family and fraternity.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Yahya Muhammad. Topic: Entrepreneurship, legacy, and community impact through his ice cream business, Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream Yahya Muhammad shares his journey from tasting unforgettable homemade ice cream as a child to founding one of Chicago’s most beloved ice cream brands. His story is one of perseverance, cultural pride, and community service, rooted in faith and inspired by family and fraternity.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Yahya Muhammad. Topic: Entrepreneurship, legacy, and community impact through his ice cream business, Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream Yahya Muhammad shares his journey from tasting unforgettable homemade ice cream as a child to founding one of Chicago’s most beloved ice cream brands. His story is one of perseverance, cultural pride, and community service, rooted in faith and inspired by family and fraternity.