Positive Sociology

I'm teaching Ethan Brown's "Queens Reigns Supreme" tomorrow.  For those who haven't read the book, QRS is a rich book that chronicles Southside Queens in the 1980s--an area that has long been an iconic home to many of Hip Hop's elite (e.g. Run DMC, Nas, 50 Cent, Mobb Deep). While many know of the area from songs that describe the neighborhood, Brown's book describes the rise and fall of various drug organizations in Southside Queens.  Much of his narrative focuses on Lorenzo "Fat Cat" Nichol s, a notorious drug lord who ran an organization that controlled large areas of Southside Queens and was one of--if not the biggest--distributors of heroin, cocaine, and later crack in the area.  Using a mix of media reports, police wire taps, and other data, Brown reconstructs a complex history of Nichols and various other drug crews from the area. In QRS, Brown also introduces us to Fat Cat's longtime friend/enforcer/and high-ranking lieutenant, Ho...

I caught the tail end of the presidential debates tonight.  As a gun violence researcher, I enjoyed that someone in the town hall crowd asked both candidates about their position on gun control.  Although the debates have focused heavily on the economy and foreign policy matters, I believe that gun violence in our cities is a critically important domestic issue. All smiles Here's a quick recap of my reactions: I liked Obama's response.  He talked about how gun violence prevention could begin in schools, and how faith-based organizations and law enforcement could help curb this problem.  We didn't get to hear specifics about how he would do this, but if this is what he plans on doing, I think he's right on the money. Romney's response puzzled me a little.  He seemed to tow the conservative line of not wanting to scare away the powerful gun lobby and made sure to say that he wouldn't introduce new gun legislation.  This was predictable.  But, w...