Positive Sociology

In recent weeks, I've come across a number of stories on Asians and bullying.  I felt heartbroken while reading about Private Danny Chen, a young Chinese American soldier who committed suicide after enduring months of hazing and abuse from his fellow soldiers in Afghanistan.   RIP Danny Chen The reports of his physical and mental abuse are deeply saddening; in addition to being teased and humiliated because of his racial-ethnic identity, Chen was also forced to walk on all fours while fellow soldiers chucked rocks at him.  Other reports suggest that he was made to do pull-ups while holding water in his mouth.   I can only hope that his family is able to find some peace in the wake of his death.  It is a tragic loss and I hope that the military uses this event to take a serious look at bullying and hazing within its ranks.  I also hope that his tormenters get what is surely coming to them.   Chen's story reminds me of the story of Vincent Chin, a ...

A new study shows that 40% of all surveyed police officers suffer from sleep disorders.  The study is headed by Dr. Charles A. Czeisler, chief of the division of sleep medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.   In a recent New York Times article Czeisler says that the findings point to "...[A]n underrecognized and important public health problem." Cops taking a siesta Awhile back, I blogged about another study that showed links between sleep deprivation and bullying amongst kids.  It seems that Czeisler and his associates are making some of the same empirical links between sleep deprivation and various health outcomes.  In addition to showing that cops reporting sleep disorders are at greater risks for heart disease and depression, Czeisler et al. also show that cops who self-report some kind of sleep disorder also report higher rates of aggression while doing police work. As an on-again, off-again insomniac, I find sleep studies fascinating. ...

What do army veterans and crack dealers have in common?  More than you might expect.  Let me explain... Employers are worried that vets may go AWOL This morning, I read an interesting New York Times article about the dim job prospects facing many young veterans returning from Iraq.  Apparently, there will be an estimated 1 million new veterans looking for work in an already struggling US economy. Employers aren't exactly rushing to hire veterans, either.  In addition to fears that they have PTSD or other mental health issues after serving, employers are turned away from veterans because many haven't accumulated very much work experience outside of the military.  The idea is that veterans haven't developed skills in the military that are transferrable into the more mundane white collar and service world. What makes someone a good job candidate?  What are skills that can be transferred? This question is strikingly similar to some of the sociologic...

I was browsing Youtube tonight and found a recent news report about an LAPD raid on the Neighborhood Rollin' 40s Crip gang. Something like 47 members of the 40s were arrested on charges ranging from drug possession/distribution, guns, and conspiracy.  Reports on the 40s always catch my eye because I used to do fieldwork in the area and knew some of the members through my research. Maybe it's just me, but I'm always skeptical about the long-term efficacy of these kinds of programs.  Can you win a war on terror with terror?  In the short term, I'm sure that raids and other aggressive policing strategies will cause a dip in crime rates (something that is widely publicized after said raids).  This is perhaps why they are preferred methods; they produce immediately useable data for politicians, city attorneys, and others running on a "get tough on crime" ticket. For example, I remember when the LAPD aggressively rolled out civil gang injunctions throughout...

A few months ago, I saw the music video for "Man Down," a newish song by Rihanna.  In the song (which was released not too long after she came out about getting beaten by Chris Brown), Rihanna tells the story of a woman who is sexually assaulted by a man.  In anger, this woman gets a gun (which in the video is a hammerless .38 special snubnose revolver) and shoots said man in broad daylight. Rihanna seems to like guns In addition to enjoying the reggae-inspired beat and melody of "Man Down," I also found the song compelling for other reasons.  Namely, as a gun violence researcher, I find myself drawn to popular representations of guns and gun violence. Lately, I've been thinking more and more about the different ways in which musical artists talk about guns.  While rap songs commonly talk about guns as a powerful and symbolic extension of the self (see "My Buddy" by G-Unit), or refer to gun violence as part of one's lived reality (see "...

R.I.P. Lakessha Johnson ABC news is reporting that a young woman named Lakessha Johnson has died from complications sustained in a shooting.  I'm always saddened by reports of gun violence, but this story has a particularly unique twist: Lakessha was originally shot in 1998.  The story goes on to say that her shooter, Ronnie Brown, served two years in prison for accidentally shooting Lakessha in the back.  Apparently, Brown was sitting in the backseat of a car and picked up a bag containing a loaded firearm, which went off.  The bullet hit Lakessha in the back, leaving her paralyzed.  During the next 13 years of her life, Lakessha suffered through a long list of health complications.  3 years ago, Lakessha had to have her legs amputated.  She leaves behind three children and now Ronnie Brown may face murder charges. This is a tragic story on so many levels.  My condolences go out to Lakessha's family.  I can't imagine how difficult this ...

It's crazy to think that we'll be in Toronto on Friday.  Our time in Philadelphia has flown by so quickly!   Just over two years ago, I can still vividly remember my first drive into Philadelphia.  That day, I flew into Baltimore, picked up my dog (who flew on Pet Airways into Baltimore), and rented a car for the 2-hour drive into Philly.  Sarah was still in LA and would visit Tokyo before moving to Philly in the late fall;  my first couple months in Philadelphia without her were rough!  I'm so happy that we're moving together this time around! Anyways, one of the things that was most challenging about my move to Philadelphia was my radical change in lifestyle.  I've basically always been a swimmer.  I started swimming when I was 6.  I started competitively swimming when I was 7.  In high school, I attended an elite prep school in Jacksonville, FL known as The Bolles School.  I competed and trained year-round at Bolles.  I th...