2019 and Prior Years Archives
Sociology alum Dr. Amy Fitzgerald discusses Canada's animal protection policies in new article
December 31, 2019 - Karessa Weir
Now an associate professor at the University of Windsor, Dr. Fitzgerald writes about new dedicated public animal protection force in Ontario and how it can impact lives of animals across Canada for the better.
Christian Ramirez's research to be published in Rio Bravo: A Journal of the Borderlands
December 17, 2019
Sociology PhD student Christian Ramirez explores the biases behind migration sociological research in his latest publication "Decolonizing Migration Studies: A Chicanx Studies Perspective and Critique of Colonial Sociological Origins" which will appear in the upcoming journal Rio Bravo: A Journal of the Borderlands.
Sociology professors are working to overcome barriers to healthcare for LGBTQ people of color
December 16, 2019 - Karessa Weir
Racial minorities as well as sexual minorities both face different but similar barriers to healthcare. But few studies show what happens with both intersect for LGBTQ people of color.
Sociology alumna publishes book on financial therapy
December 16, 2019 - Karessa Weir
Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, Sociology Class of 2008, has published a book on financial therapy.
Sociology PhD student winner of Gallin Award
December 13, 2019
Sociology PhD student Inna Mirzoyan has been selected as the winner of this year's Rita Gallin Award for Best Graduate Paper.
Fall Commencement: Sociology student to represent College
December 11, 2019 - Karessa Weir
Sociology senior Lynnea Miller will be representing the Department of Sociology as the official College of Social Science flag bearer at the fall undergraduate commencement ceremony. The undergraduate ceremonies for College of Social Science take place at 10 a.m. Saturday Dec. 14 at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center.
Sociology PhD Applications are due Dec. 15
December 4, 2019
Applications for the Fall 2020 Sociology PhD Program at Michigan State University will be accepted until Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019.
Using Smartphone Apps to Stop Domestic Violence in India
November 22, 2019 - Karessa Weir
Smart phone apps can help you shop, navigate roads, connect with friends and, for some women, maybe even save your life. This is the idea behind a new research project by Dr. Soma Chaudhuri, MSU Department of Sociology.
Closing the Water Access Gap: MSU sociologists document the challenges of accessing clean water and sanitation
November 18, 2019
In the "most comprehensive analysis of water and sanitation access in the United States to date," Dr. Stephen Gasteyer, together with PhD students Marie Carmen Shingne and WeHau Lai, worked to identify promising, community-centered solutions that can help extend water services to all people.
Dr. Carl Taylor Receives Humanitarian Award from Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion
November 8, 2019
On Nov. 6, Dr. Carl Taylor, Professor of Sociology, was honored at the 72nd Annual Humanitarian Tribute at the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion.
Prevention of Financial Abuse Among Elders Affected by Cognitive Decline Received National Attention
November 1, 2019 - Tony Beyers
Dr. Zhenmei Zhang, Professor of Sociology, and Dr. Fei Sun, Associate Professor of Social Work, are working to prevent financial abuse among elders through a new $590,000 grant from the Department of Justice.
What would Jesus do? Quite possibly, recycle
October 31, 2019 - Sue Nichols, CSIS
Fundamentalist Christians tap into their willingness to sacrifice to conserve water and energy, shop environmentally and protect the Earth, according to a Michigan State University (MSU) study by Sociology University Distinguished Professor Dr. Thomas Dietz.
Sociology PhD candidate on NPR's On Point
October 29, 2019 - Karessa Weir
Sociology PhD candidate Jihan Mohammed discussed "Kurds Speak Out On President Trump's Decisions For Syria" on NPR's On Point radio program, hosted by Meghna Chakrabarti. (with audio)
Latinx students experience isolation at their universities
October 24, 2019 - Liz Schondelmayer
A recent study from Dr. Isabel Ayala, an associate professor of Sociology in the Michigan State University College of Social Science, together with Chicano-Latino Studies and Sociology PhD student Christian Ramirez, has revealed that many Latinx students feel out of place in higher education.
Dr. Hui Liu publishes new book on "Marriage and Health: The Well-Being of Same Sex Couples"
October 24, 2019 - Karessa Weir
Dr. Hui Liu, Professor of Sociology, has edited a collection of essays presenting new perspectives addressing current opportunities and challenges faced by people in same-sex unions entitled "Marriage and Health: The Well-Being of Same Sex Couples."
Now Hiring: Associate Professor in Sociology of Sexual and Gender Minority Health
October 22, 2019
The Department of Sociology at Michigan State University (MSU) seeks candidates for a tenure-system Associate Professor position in sociology of health and medicine. As part of an initiative within the College of Social Science, this position will strengthen leadership in the emerging MSU Consortium for Sexual and Gender Minority Health, which is housed in the School of Social Work. The 9-month academic year position begins on August 16, 2020.
Lower refugee limits are weakening resettlement in the US
October 18, 2019 - Stephanie J. Nawyn
Dr. Stephanie Nawyn, Associate Professor of Sociology, in the Chicago Tribune: "Lower refugee limits are weakening resettlement in the U.S."
Creating the 'Worthy' Patient in Transgender Medicine
October 16, 2019 - Kamryn Romano
Join stef shuster, assistant professor in Lyman Briggs College and Department of Sociology, for a seminar on the ins and outs of transgender medicine and its effect on patients at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18 in room 303 of the International Center. Explore the notions of worth and its connection to administering healthcare to transgender people.
Marriage could be good for your health - unless you're bisexual
October 1, 2019 - Ning Hsieh and Hui Liu
Is marriage good for you? A large number of studies show that married people enjoy better health than unmarried people, such as lower rates of depression and cardiovascular conditions, as well as longer lives. However, these findings have been developed primarily based on data of heterosexual populations and different-sex marriages. Only more recently have a few studies looked into gay and lesbian populations and same-sex marriages to test if marriage is related to better health in these populations – and the evidence is mixed. Our study, published online on Sept. 19, evaluates the advantages of marriage across heterosexual, bisexual, and gay or lesbian adults. We discovered that bisexual adults do not experience better health when married.
How China and India govern their cities
October 1, 2019
Dr. Xuefei Ren, Associate Professor of Sociology, last week gave a seminar at the China-India Studies Center at Jinhal Global University, Delhi, India. The title of her talk was "How China and India govern their cities"
NSF Awards $2.49 Million to MSU to Study Impacts of Autonomous Vehicles on the Workforce
September 16, 2019 - College of Social Science
Led by Principal Investigator Shelia Cotten, Sociology affilated faculty and professor in the Department of Media and Information and a leading expert in studying the use and impacts of emerging technologies, the research team will use a convergent approach, drawing from organizational psychology, economics, sociology, geography, technology, and transportation engineering to analyze the effects of automated vehicles, or AVs. Serving as co-principal investigators on the project are Elizabeth Mack, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences; and Chu-Hsiang “Daisy” Chang, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Psychology.
Sociology Alumnus Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
September 6, 2019 - Karessa E. Weir
Dr. Norbert Wiley (1962 MSU Sociology PhD) received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the ASA’s Section on History of Sociology at the August 2019 Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association in New York City.
Getting Hitched Might Lower Your Odds for Dementia
September 5, 2019 - Deborah DiSesa Hirsch
"There are a lot of theories about why marriage might be good for general health," says Hui Liu, lead investigator and professor of sociology at Michigan State University.
Kayleigh Ward named Fulbright Scholar
August 26, 2019 - Karessa E. Weir
The U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board are pleased to announce that Kayleigh Ward of Michigan State University has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to Japan in sociology.
Dr. Steve Gold receives grant for distinguished scholars
June 28, 2019
Dr. Steve Gold, Professor of Sociology, has received a Grant for Distinguished Scholars from the Fund for the Advancement of the Humanities and Social Sciences in Israel.
MSU Department of Sociology Statement of Solidarity on January 15, 2016
January 15, 2016
We, Faculty in the Department of Sociology, are in solidarity with students, faculty, and staff of color, immigrants, Jews, LGBTQ people, Muslims, people with lives of difference, the undocumented, women, people with disabilities, and all who support justice, inclusion, and equality.