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Sociology Ruins Everything

Sociology Ruins Everything

By Matt Sedlar

The sociological imagination is great, but really, it ruins all your favorite things. This podcast, hosted by Matt Sedlar, takes a topic each month and explores it from a sociological perspective.
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Sociology Goes on Strike

Sociology Ruins EverythingJul 28, 2023

00:00
01:03:28
Sociology Goes on Strike
Jul 28, 202301:03:28
Sociology Ruins Reality TV
Jan 20, 202331:35
Sociology Ruins Silence
Nov 08, 202237:21
Sociology Ruins Conspiracy Theories
Sep 15, 202236:05
Sociology Ruins Improv
May 21, 202230:38
Sociology Ruins Bullying

Sociology Ruins Bullying

How do we identify bullying and how do sociologists in particular study this phenomenon? This episode looks at the infamous Slap to examine whether bullying goes unrecognized among adults or whether we are applying the term too broadly. Sociologist Chris Donoghue, editor of the upcoming book The Sociology of Bullying, joins me to talk about definitions and how experiences in adolescents are guided by social structures.


Show notes

The Sociology of Bullying
https://nyupress.org/9781479803873/the-sociology-of-bullying/
Promo: DONOGHUE30-FM

Black Girl Nerds Podcast - The 2022 Oscars
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bgn-podcast-extra-the-2022-oscars/id1056793768?i=1000555521908

Apr 18, 202222:52
Sociology Ruins Trauma
Mar 10, 202216:50
Sociology Ruins Don't Look Up
Feb 04, 202230:56
Sociology Ruins Marriage

Sociology Ruins Marriage

What is marriage? What are the origins of marriage? What does it mean today? For this episode, I'm joined by Shannon Davis, associate dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs at George Mason University, Korea, and PhD student Courtney Bell in the podcast's first ever roundtable discussion. 

Show notes

Davis, Shannon N. and Theodore N. Greenstein. 2020. Why Who Cleans Counts: What Housework Tells Us About American Family Life. Bristol, United Kingdom: Policy Press. https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/why-who-cleans-counts

Stephanie Coontz
https://www.stephaniecoontz.com/books

Nock, S. L. 1998. Marriage in men's lives. New York: Oxford University Press.
https://www.worldcat.org/title/marriage-in-mens-lives/oclc/39157563

Jan 10, 202249:33
Sociology Ruins Housing

Sociology Ruins Housing

In this episode, I head to California to explore why there isn't enough housing and what the state and activists are doing about it. Joining me are New York Times reporter Conor Dougherty and YIMBY Law Executive Director Sonja Trauss. There might be some meditation and revelations along the way. 

Show notes

Golden Gates: The Housing Crisis and a Reckoning for the American Dream
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/585765/golden-gates-by-conor-dougherty/

YIMBY Law
https://www.yimbylaw.org/

The Hidden History of Culver City Racism
https://la.streetsblog.org/2019/04/05/the-hidden-history-of-culver-city-racism/


Dec 11, 202142:60
Sociology Ruins Private Equity

Sociology Ruins Private Equity

You've probably heard the term private equity, but you might not know what it does. This episode looks at how private equity is embedded in our everyday lives, funded by the institutions that surround us, and what kind of impact that has on us. It also explores how sociologists can study that impact. To learn more, I'm joined by economist Eileen Appelbaum, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, and Dylan Nelson, a PhD Sociology student at the University of Michigan.

Show notes:

Private Equity at Work: When Wall Street Manages Main Street by Eileen Appelbaum and Rosemary Batt
https://www.russellsage.org/publications/private-equity-work

Center for Economic and Policy Research:
https://cepr.net

Dylan Nelson:
https://www.dylanknelson.com/

Nov 01, 202131:24
Sociology Ruins Witchcraft
Oct 01, 202136:43
Sociology Ruins "Normal"

Sociology Ruins "Normal"

We're hearing a lot about the return to "normal" after the COVID-19 pandemic, but what is "normal"? And should we return to "normal" when that's what got us in trouble in the first place? This episode is a deep dive into the idea of normality and the origins of sociology, itself -- with only a little bit of (censored) swearing thrown in. I also talk with Joseph Scimecca, professor of sociology at George Mason University, about how sociology has changed over time as normality has shifted. All of that in less than 18 minutes!

Sep 01, 202117:53
Sociology Ruins Roller Skating

Sociology Ruins Roller Skating

In this episode, I explore roller skating -- its history and the role of the rink as a cultural institution. To explore this topic, I am joined by Alan Bacon, a trustee at the National Museum of Roller Skating and rink owner, and Jocelyn Marie Goode, founding director of the African-American Roller-Skate Museum. If you enjoyed this episode, below are some links worth checking out.

National Museum of Roller Skating
https://www.rollerskatingmuseum.org/

African-American Roller-Skate Museum
https://www.afamrollerskatemuseum.org

"Once Upon A Roller Skate" a narrative of roller skate history and black culture
https://www.afamrollerskatemuseum.org/learn

A Tribute to West Covina's Skate Junction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsbzI7a_xIY

Aug 01, 202131:01
Sociology Ruins Action Movies

Sociology Ruins Action Movies

How are action movies shaped by our national identity and do they, in turn, reshape our personal identity? I'm joined by pop culture critic Chris Klimek as we talk about muscles and masculinity. In this episode, sociology ruins your favorite action blockbusters. Sorry.

Jul 01, 202135:48
Sociology Ruins Objectivity

Sociology Ruins Objectivity

Is the media part of civil society? Have political actors weaponized objectivity? Does anyone actually get Soylent Green references these days? All this and more when I'm joined by Liz Bent at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. There's also music by me and Lobo Loco.  

Jun 10, 202124:06