Why blog? An excellent question. It seems to me on the surface to be such a vanity enterprise. My instinct is to resist it. However, “in the parlance of our times” this appears to be a common channel in which to share one’s thoughts and insights about the world around them.
Listening to Back to Black, I’m struck by how little Amy Winehouse asks the listener to sympathize with her. She doesn’t justify her choices. Instead, she documents emotional states with remarkable honesty, sharing vulnerability, regret, and resilience. Nearly twenty years after its release, the album still feels contemporary because its emotional truths are timeless. It isn’t simply a collection of songs about heartbreak, it is a portrait of someone trying to understand herself. She did this while the world watched.
Experiencing and reflecting on the British Cask Ale Brewing Tradition and the Oxford Pub
I recently spoke with Real Simple magazine about an emerging Gen Z social trend known as “soft socializing,” a growing preference for low-pressure, activity-based social interaction over traditional nightlife, party culture, and constant social performance. From a sociological perspective, soft socializing reflects larger cultural and structural changes shaping young adults today. Rather than centering social... Continue Reading →
George Herbert Mead argued that the self develops through social interaction. He divided the self into the spontaneous “I” and the socialized “Me.” As we learn to take the role of others and understand the expectations of the generalized other, we gain the ability to navigate multiple social roles in everyday life.
When sociological analysis enters public conversations about policy, governance, and lived experience, it helps move debate beyond slogans toward less biased understanding. #PublicSociology I was recently cited in a national political analysis published by Washington Examiner examining how Gavin Newsom’s response to homelessness may shape broader debates connected to the governing legacy of President Barack... Continue Reading →
Frankie Frisch’s time with the St. Louis Cardinals defined one of baseball’s most chaotic and successful eras. As both a productive player and steady player-manager during the Gashouse Gang years, Frisch blended speed, intelligence, and leadership to anchor an unruly roster and guide the Cardinals to a World Series title. His legacy in St. Louis is less about flash and more about structure, smart, aggressive baseball held together by calm authority.
Discover Miller Huggins’ journey from young St. Louis Cardinals player to Hall of Fame Yankees manager, featuring rare photographs capturing his athletic skill, leadership, and enduring impact on early 20th-century baseball.
Every generation grows up believing the next one is making the world worse — but the real story is far more revealing. Boomers, Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z are all shaped by the cultural, economic, and technological shocks of their youth, creating shared patterns that repeat across history. Despite the noise of “generational wars,” the underlying forces shaping our identities are remarkably similar. Understanding these patterns doesn’t just explain why tensions flare up — it shows how social change actually happens.
Extreme wealth at the scale of a trillion dollars is a moral and social crisis. Such wealth concentrate power and influence while billions remain in precarity. Drawing on Marx, Smith, and Christian ethics, this essay argues that unbounded accumulation undermines justice, civic equality, and human flourishing, revealing the moral absurdity of extreme inequality.
The Mirror US News recently asked me how the Trump administration’s portrayal of Antifa reflects a broader sociological pattern of moral panic and political framing.For my contribution, I explained how labeling Antifa as a “shadowy and violent enemy” serves as a strategic political tool undermining left-wing critics, discouraging protest, and legitimizing aggressive law enforcement tactics.... Continue Reading →
Earlier this week, I was quoted in a Truthout (a not-for-profit news organization) for article examining the upcoming “No Kings” protests and the political framing around so-called antifa activity. You can read it here: https://truthout.org/articles/no-kings-protests-set-to-sweep-us-even-as-trump-increases-attacks-on-activists/ In my comments, I tried to draw attention to how political actors use labels to shape the public imagination long... Continue Reading →
When Duke Ellington first composed Mood Indigo in 1930, he described the piece as “a musical statement of depression without words.” It is a song that drifts and soothes all at once. The muted horn lines hang in the air like a lingering fog, a reminder that emotions often come in shades. https://youtu.be/O9jHgGDKDkU?si=3J2HDLO5Pf2BIqIN That same... Continue Reading →
In this article I share with the writer that conspiracy theories and moral panics surge during social change, fueling collective fear, spreading misinformation, fracturing culture, eroding trust, and ultimately threatening democracy and public health worldwide.
Discover the unique interiors of British pubs through photography, from the nooks of Oxford’s Lamb & Flag to the Thatch Tavern in Stratford-upon-Avon and the cellar door at the Cape of Good Hope. Explore pub heritage, culture, and atmosphere through intimate architectural details.
In contributing to Map Reveals States Where Youth Are Most At Risk, I explained how youth risk factors, poverty, education inequality, crime, and limited healthcare access are rooted in structural inequalities, emphasizing the urgent need for policies supporting vulnerable children and communities nationwide.
