Over the last several decades, theories on where the poverty trap stems from have circulated. What is the poverty trap? According to market expert James Chen, “a poverty trap is a self-reinforcing mechanism that makes it extremely challenging for communities to escape poverty.” If one really thinks about what that means, they will notice the […]
Education and the Poverty Trap Read More »
On April 15, 2013, at approximately 2:49 PM, tragedy struck the 117th Annual Boston Marathon when two homemade pressure cooker bombs filled with nails and other metal shards exploded near the finish line of the marathon in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, as thousands of runners were finishing the race. The explosions resulted in a total of
Routine activities and critical victimology: The Boston Marathon Bombing Read More »
For decades, South Park has been more than just a crude cartoon; it’s arguably the most resonant piece of social commentary in America. Its staying power doesn’t just come from reflecting the latest news cycle — it often seems to preempt or even define the broader cultural conversation. A critical shift occurred around Seasons 25 and 26. The
How South Park’s Seasons 27 and 28 Became a Sociology Textbook Read More »
Racial battle fatigue (RBF) is often framed as an individual problem, something to be managed through mindfulness, rest, or self-care. Yet the “fatigue” is not the result of personal shortcomings but of social structures that continually demand racial endurance. While self-care remains important, addressing racial battle fatigue requires a sociological perspective that examines how institutions,
Beyond Self-Care: Sociological Call to Address Racial Battle Fatigue Read More »
On June 20, 2025, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed the Texas House Bill 1481 into law. A bill that restricts the use of personal communication devices by students in public and charter schools, publicly funded independent schools established by teachers and community groups under the terms of a charter with a local or national authority, and
The Texas Phone Ban from a Sociological Perspective Read More »
Religion has been a big part of many Americans’ lives since the first Europeans’ arrival in the New World. This is evident in the Pledge of Allegiance, many of us grew up repeating daily in school, “…one nation, under God…” and seeing “In god we trust” on our currency. From a sociological perspective, religion can
Religion as a Weapon and a Shield Read More »
In the 21st century, social media and digital spaces have started to blur the line between the concepts of influence and indoctrination. In Netflix’s limited series Adolescence, writers have managed to morph the viewer’s experience from just a teen drama to a more criminological insight into the developing minds of young teens. As per
Netflix’s Adolescence: Theories Behind Teen Turmoil and Crime Read More »
Comics can be easier to access than dry text alone. The use of visuals and humor can help get an idea across more effectively than content without visuals. Comics can also be a source of inspiration. It can be empowering for someone to see characters who struggle with the same issues as they do. One
Comics: An Unlikely Vehicle for Autistic Representation Read More »
Aging is a universal journey, but for the millions of people who are neurodivergent— including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) — it is an uncharted path filled with unique challenges for which clear support systems are often absent. This perspective is rooted in the neurodiversity paradigm, which recognizes the wide
The Uncharted Journey: Navigating Neurodiversity as We Age Read More »
In our current day and age, the role of technology is as intertwined in our everyday lives as our daily cup of coffee or tea. The need for a steady supply of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) graduates from colleges in this country is an absolute necessity to stay competitive in this technology-driven world.