Fundamentals Archives - Society Today

Fundamentals, Gone But Not Forgotten, Race/Ethnicity

Gone But Not Forgotten: W.E.B. DuBois

W.E.B. Du Bois, who died on this date (August 27) in 1963, was an American sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, and intellectual whose work and legacy continue to influence discussions…

Fundamentals

A New Era of Inquiry: Emerging Trends in Sociology

Randy Lynn, Ph.D.0 Comments

Sociology will be at the forefront of studies into digital technologies, globalization, environmental change, health, and economic inequalities. New possibilities in data collection and analysis will revolutionize quantitative methods, while…

Consumption, Economy, Fundamentals, Globalization, Gone But Not Forgotten, Inequalities, Labor, Organizations

Gone But Not Forgotten: Karl Marx

Randy Lynn, Ph.D.0 Comments

What?! Karl Marx?! Yes, today, March 14, we commemorate the passing of the most polarizing figures in history: Karl Marx. Though he died on this date in 1883, few can…

Fundamentals, Journalism

How to Read the Polls: A Society Today Ultimate Guide

Randy Lynn, Ph.D.0 Comments

Public opinion polls are now highly technical exercises in modeling rather than direct measurements of the population. As a result, what they mean can be difficult to parse--and the horse-race-obsessed…

Disability, Fundamentals, Gender/Family, Indigenous, LGBTQIA2S+, Race/Ethnicity

How Many Types of Privilege Are There?

Randy Lynn, Ph.D.0 Comments

In sociology, privilege is the array of unearned benefits or advantages bestowed on individuals due to their membership in a social group. Because of the multiple and varied ways privileges…

Criminology, Education, Fundamentals

Sociology Under Siege: Threats to Its Academic Standing

Randy Lynn, Ph.D.0 Comments

Academic sociology is threatened by conservative politicians, natural science elitists, market-driven governance in the academy, and its own insularity. Academic sociology is probably safe for the time being, though there…

Fundamentals, Movements

The Potential for Progress: Can We Truly Alter Society’s Course?

Randy Lynn, Ph.D.0 Comments

Absolutely, yes. But we need to be much smarter and better organized. Introduction Many millions more people would get involved in activism and social justice work if they knew we…

Culture, Fundamentals

What Would Sociology’s Founder Say About 2024’s Culture Wars?

Randy Lynn, Ph.D.0 Comments

Today's culture wars have their roots in conflicts between industrial and pre-industrial ways of life. Emile Durkheim, a founder of modern sociology, referred to them as organic solidarity and mechanical…

Fundamentals, Organizations

Demystifying Sociology: What it is and why you should know

Randy Lynn, Ph.D.0 Comments

Sociology is the study of society and everything in it. Sociology is less about what is studied and more about how. As a discipline, sociology is unmatched in its breadth…

Fundamentals, Inequalities

Unveiling Hidden Structures: How to Activate Your Sociological Imagination

Randy Lynn, Ph.D.0 Comments

The sociological imagination was coined by C. Wright Mills in 1959. Like the James Dean of sociology, Mills was a motorcycle and boxing enthusiast, unafraid to challenge the status quo.…