In the article, "Survey finds 19% without religious affiliation" in USA Today, Mark Chaves is cited as saying "Americans famously say they believe in some variation of God. Over 90% do," Chaves says. "But it used to be 99% decades ago. The change is slow, but we can see it coming." read more about Chaves Cited about "unbelief trend" in USA Today »
Kieran Healy's data visualizations of death rates from assault in the United States and other countries were featured in The New York Times, the Washington Post, and on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show this week, as commentators discussed the tragic shootings in Aurora, CO. You can see the data and read more about it in posts on Healy's blog (http://www.kieranhealy.org/blog/archives/2012/07/20/america-is-a-violent-country/) and (http://www.kieranhealy.org/blog/archives/2012/07/20/america-is-a-violent-country/). read more about Healy on Assault Deaths in the U.S. »
On July 16, 2012, Lane Destro successfully defended her dissertation: “Up the Down Escalator? How Nonmetropolitan Low-Income Families Experience Work, Poverty and Immobility” Her Committee consisted of: David Brady (Co-Chair), Linda Burton(Co-Chair), Angela O'Rand, and Christina Gibson-Davis read more about Destro Awarded Ph.D. »
Eduardo Bonilla-Silva will start his tenure as Chair of the Duke Sociology Department on July 1st 2012. Dr. Bonilla-Silva’s research areas include racial stratification, social theory, critical race methods, political sociology, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Epistemology. read more about Bonilla-Silva, New Sociology Chair »
Rebecca Bach received a site exploration grant from Duke Engage to travel to Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Bach will visit the Oglala Lakota reservation in July to explore the potential for a Duke Engage program to begin summer 2013. Duke Engage programs typically operate for 8 weeks and include cultural immersion and community service. To learn more about Duke Engage and its programs select this link: http://dukeengage.duke.edu/about-dukeengage Pine Ridge reservation faces a number of serious… read more about Bach visits Badlands for DukeEngage »
The 2012 winners of the Vorsanger-Smith Scholar Award are Victor Ray and Megan Reynolds. “The Vorsanger-Smith Scholar Award is presented annually to recognize overall excellence in the graduate program. Excellence is assessed for all areas of performance in the programs, including coursework, examinations, professional presentations, publications and awards, evaluated contributions as teaching and/or research assistants and departmental citizenship. Graduate students in the third, fourth and fifth years who have passed… read more about Ray, Reynolds win Vorsanger-Smith Award »
Kimberly B. Rogers is this year's recipient of the Graduate Teaching Award. This award is presented each year to a Sociology graduate student selected for excellence in teaching as an individual instructor or teaching assistant. read more about Rogers Wins Grad Teaching Award »
Elizabeth Hordge-Freeman has agreed to join the faculty at the University of South Florida (USF) as a tenure track Assistant Professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Sociology and the Institute for the Study of Latin America & the Caribbean. read more about Hordge-Freeman accepts position at The University of South Florida »
Victor Ray has been selected as a 2012-2013 ASA Minority Fellow. This prestigious fellowship is aimed at increasing the diversity of the discipline. In addition to a year of funding, the fellowship provides training and networking opportunities at the Association’s annual meeting. read more about Ray Wins ASA Fellowship »
Steve Vaisey has been promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Sociology at Duke University. read more about Vaisey Tenured »
Rebecca Bach has won the Southern Sociological Society's Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award. This award, not only recognizes outstanding classroom teaching, but is intended to honor individuals whose contributions go beyond their institutions to benefit the discipline as a whole. This award includes the opportunity for the recipient to arrange a session at the next annual meeting. read more about Bach wins Southern Sociological Society's Teaching Award »
Note from the Chair The past year was one of stability, continued accomplishment, and prospective growth for the Department. The University’s financial situation continued to stabilize and even improve, and there were no further major cuts in the Arts & Sciences. Our faculty, staff and graduate students have all adjusted well---heroically in the case of our staff---to the cuts and reorganization of two years age. read more about Sociology Spring Newsletter 2011 »