Category: Political & Economic Sociology

Political & Economic Sociology / Sociology of Culture

The Paradoxical Invocation of Humanity

nmccoy1 This week, Republican Congressman Terry Franks invoked humanist philosophy to simultaneously defend pro-life (anti-abortion) and question President Obama’s humanity and citizenship.  It would be laughable logic if this trend were not so prevalent and effective.  Franks called Obama an “enemy of humanity” referring to Obama’s decision to support international aid to organizations that perform abortions.  This invocation of humanist arguments in every abortion debate is particularly interesting when it is juxtaposed against almost uniform rejection by Republicans of public...

Political & Economic Sociology / Social Movements / Social Change / Social Psychology & Lifecourse / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Law, Crime and Deviance

Case Closure

by ChristinaBlunt On September 23, the Chicago Tribune reported that Christopher M. Stevens, the convicted killer of Zachary Snider, has been re-sentenced to life in prison without parole after his death sentence was overturned. Stevens was charged with sexually molesting and murdering 10-year old Snider in 1993. However, in 2007, a federal appeals court set aside the death penalty citing the defense’s insufficient presentation of Stevens’ mental illness. Although it is likely that Stevens would again be sentenced to death,...

Political & Economic Sociology / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Media & Communication

The Future of American Television Part 2

by bmckernan A few weeks ago, I wrote a post on Sociology Lens entitled “Is Jay Leno the future of television?”  Using Leno’s new prime time variety show as a backdrop, the post examined some of the current issues facing the television industry in America, particularly the decline in network ratings and the increased segmentation of the American television audience. Last week, many of these themes were visible at the industry’s own annual awards show, the Emmys.

Political & Economic Sociology / Social Movements / Social Change / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Media & Communication

Rhetorical Presidency

by ChristinaBlunt The Washington Post announced on Tuesday that between 2,000 and 4,000 military trainers would be required for the growth of the Afghan army in the coming years. This estimate comes from Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. According to the report, Mullen also suggested that additional troops would be needed in the short term to provide security while Afghan forces are being developed. This testimony was given before the Senate Armed Services Committee; a...

Political & Economic Sociology / Science & Technology / Sociology of Organizations & Work

The Salience of Political and Financial Climate in Policy Frames

by NickieWild Politics often guides the course of technological development. One of the most obvious places that this has occurred, and continues to occur, is the United States’ NASA program. With the US essentially still fighting two wars, the looming health care, Medicare, and Social Security crises, and the general poor state of the economy, many question the relevance of space exploration in the world today. In order to keep NASA going, scientists and administrators are increasingly switching NASA’s mission...

Political & Economic Sociology / Sociology of Organizations & Work

Unemployed in America

by smteixeirapoit In 1962, economist Arthur Okun stated that when the economy expands, employment rises at a predictable rate and when the economy contracts, employment declines at a similar rate. Recently, Lawrence Summers, Director of President Barack Obama’s National Economic Council, commented that “Okun’s Law” may be incorrect. In the United States, employment rates decreased faster than Okun’s law predicted. Although Okun’s law suggested that the unemployment rate should be around 8.5 percent, it is around 10.0 percent. A recent...

Political & Economic Sociology / Science & Technology / Social Movements / Social Change / Social Psychology & Lifecourse / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Law, Crime and Deviance / Sociology of Organizations & Work

Comparing the role of government in self-control problems from behavioural and neoclassical economic perspectives

This post has moved to http://williampaulbell.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/comparing-the-role-of-government-in-self-control-problems-from-behavioural-and-neoclassical-economic-perspectives/ <About>  <Portfolio>  <Academia>  <LinkedIn>  <Twitter>  <Blog> Member of the World Economics Association – promoting ethics, openness, diversity of thought and democracy within the economics profession

Political & Economic Sociology / Social Psychology & Lifecourse

$221,190 Dollar Baby

U.S. department of agriculture has released a report about expected expenditures for raising a child from birth to age 17 in U.S. . Several news sites refer this news as “quarter-million dollar baby” – about a quarter of a million dollar is spent for a child born in 2008 through birth to age 17 (the expenditures vary across family income, region, or household structure- See the report ). The amount of money has been increasing in since 1960 when the...

Political & Economic Sociology / Sociology of Culture

Money as a Form of Social Interaction

A recent New York Times blog (see below) asks the question: What is money?  Money is a promise, a secular faith in the intangible as the article articulates.  But money is also inherently about social interaction as Georg Simmel reminds us.  Everything that can be purchased through the medium of money, the blind faith in its value is at its core a window into social relations. Money is always on some end of an exchange yet money is only the...

Political & Economic Sociology / Sociology of Media & Communication

To the left, to the left; everything you know in a box to the left… Bias in the media?

by enteringthewhirlpool The tendency of people to perceive media sources as biased against their own viewpoints has been well documented. The bias can take the form of omission, where relevant facts, perspectives and arguments are not conveyed to the viewer. An example of this would be the Daily Show. A typical reaction of a social democrat (I refuse to use the word ‘liberal’ in this context, as it has a perfectly good alternative, distinct and historical meaning) to the show...

Political & Economic Sociology / Social Movements / Social Change / Sociology of Media & Communication

The Prescription for Change

Flawed policy networks and health care reform by christinablunt The Washington Post announced President Obama will address a joint session of Congress on September 9 regarding the current heath care system and the administration’s push for reform. The August recess has given an already complex conversation the opportunity to unleash chaos and fear in many parts of the country. Assembly, President Obama will be using this opportunity to reel in the debate. According to the Washington Post it is unlikely...

Political & Economic Sociology / Social Movements / Social Change / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Media & Communication

Fake-Booking, Astroturfing, and Other Social Movement Hazards

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpM5e6lFzkY ] by NickieWild What makes social movement activity “authentic”? Recently in American politics, there has been a lot of discussion about “astroturfing”: protests at and disruptions of town hall meetings held by members of Congress that appear to be grassroots activity, but which are sponsored and organized by corporations and PACs (Political Action Committees). Two of the recent major players in this controversy are FreedomWorks, conservative anti-taxation PAC chaired by former U.S. Republican House Majority Leader Dick Armey, and...

Political & Economic Sociology / Social Movements / Social Change / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Media & Communication / Sociology of Organizations & Work

Light capitalism, prize economics, and the prosumer

by bmckernan A few months ago, Sociology Lens news editor Nathan Jurgenson posted an intriguing article entitled “Facebook, the transumer, and liquid capitalism.” Among the interesting concepts that Jurgenson addresses and illuminates include Bauman’s notion of “light” or “weightless” capitalism as well as “prosumers.” Some recent events in American mass media and popular culture further illustrate these significant insights.

Political & Economic Sociology

The Hidden Costs of Cheap Foods

by smteixeirapoit In the United States, the agricultural industry produces massive quantities of cheap foods such as meats and grains. Although meats and grains are monetarily inexpensive, they have hidden costs to the environment, animals, and humans. Americans spend less money per calorie than ever before. But, what’s wrong with purchasing and consuming cheap foods? Although farmers are producing more calories than in the past, they are tending to produce more unhealthy calories because of the types of foods that...

Class & Stratification / Political & Economic Sociology / Social Movements / Social Change / Sociology of Organizations & Work

The G8 protests and the logically inconsistent foundations of neoclassical economics

This post has moved to http://williampaulbell.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/the-g8-protests-and-the-logically-inconsistent-foundations-of-neoclassical-economics/ <About>  <Portfolio>  <Academia>  <LinkedIn>  <Twitter>  <Blog> Member of the World Economics Association – promoting ethics, openness, diversity of thought and democracy within the economics profession