For Sociology

For Sociology: Philip N. Cohen

What if academic research — much of it funded by taxpayers — were freely available to anyone who wanted to read it? That's the simple but radical idea behind SocArXiv, the open-access preprint repository that this episode's guest, Philip Cohen, founded in 2016. Philip is a professor of sociology at the University of Maryland and the 2025 Kohli Infrastructure Prize for Sociology Laureate. In this conversation, he takes us behind the scenes of the fight to make social science research open, faster, and more equitable. We later zoom out to tackle a bigger question: What happens to sociology when the government starts treating it as the enemy? Guest Philip Cohen Professor of Sociology, University of Maryland Founder & Director, SocArXiv 2025 Kohli Infrastructure Prize for Sociology Laureate Chapter Markers 00:00 — Podcast Welcome 00:45 — Meet Philip Cohen 02:17 — What Is SocArXiv? 03:23 — How It Started 05:03 — Why Open Access Matters 07:09 — Journals and Preprints 09:02 — Openness and Trust 10:29 — A Personal Origin Story 12:36 — Rethinking Peer Review 14:52 — Building and Funding SocArXiv 16:52 — Adoption and Resistance 17:53 — Who Uses It 20:03 — Pitching It to Researchers 22:36 — Versioning and Retractions 24:30 — Surprises and AI Spam 25:46 — The Flood of AI Papers 26:16 — Plagiarism and Access 27:51 — "Publish Less, Better" 29:15 — Beyond Journals 31:45 — Data and Review 32:50 — Post-Publication Review 33:40 — Rapid-Fire Questions 37:52 — Sociology Under Attack 42:10 — Lessons From Europe 44:26 — Questions for the Next Decade 46:04 — Closing Credits Rapid-Fire with Philip Book he wishes he'd written: The Marriage-Go-Round by Andrew Cherlin If not a sociologist: Rockstar Does his best thinking: Early morning, before the phone wins Sociological concept everyone should know: The sociological imagination Biggest misconception about sociology: That researchers already know the answer before they begin Links & Resources SocArXiv: https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv Center for Open Science: https://www.cos.io/ Kohli Foundation for Sociology: https://kohlifoundation.eu/ The Marriage-Go-Round by Andrew Cherlin

For Sociology: Peter Bearman

In this episode of For Sociology, host Kevin Caners speaks with Peter Bearman, Columbia University professor and recipient of the 2025 Kohli Prize for Sociology, about his landmark work on how social networks reveal the hidden structures shaping everyday life. Bearman traces his path into sociology, from an early childhood moment that sharpened his awareness of different social standpoints to an undergraduate turning point that pulled him away from clinical psychology. He reflects on the influence of mentor Harrison White, and how concepts like "duality" helped him see networks not just as connections between people, but as systems that organize social worlds. The conversation then turns to Add Health and Bearman's landmark work on adolescent networks, including "Chains of Affection." He explains what sexual network structure can teach us about disease transmission, and why "missing ties" can be as important as visible ones. Finally, Bearman zooms out to sociology today: the pros and cons of expanding data, the incentives that reward quantity over depth, and the kinds of reforms that could make room for riskier, more transformative research. Chapters: 00:00 Podcast intro 00:45 Meet Peter Bearman 02:11 Early sociological spark 06:58 From psychology to sociology 08:47 Undergrad turning point 11:11 Graduate school networks 12:27 Seeing the world in duals 15:20 Why networks matter 18:07 Dissertation and Add Health 21:21 Power of missing ties 25:10 Add Health origins 25:51 Chains of Affection 29:43 Rapid-fire questions 33:39 Duality and misconceptions 34:37 Outlook of Sociology today 35:51 Fixing academic incentives 39:16 The Deluge of data 42:31 Final thoughts Links: Find out more about The Kohli Foundation [https://www.kohlifoundation.eu] More about Add Health [https://addhealth.cpc.unc.edu/]

For Sociology: Rory Fitzgerald

Rory Fitzgerald on the European Social Survey: Insights and Innovations In this episode of For Sociology, host Kevin Caners sits down with Professor Rory Fitzgerald, Director of the European Social Survey (ESS) and recipient of the 2024 Kohli Infrastructure Prize, to uncover the story behind one of the most influential social research projects in Europe. Fitzgerald reveals the origins of the ESS, the meticulous methodologies employed, and some of the fascinating findings gleaned from over two decades of data collection across 30 countries. They also discuss crucial societal issues such as public trust, immigration attitudes, and the effects of sociopolitical change. Fitzgerald shares personal insights from his career and reflects on the future of the ESS — including the challenges of maintaining data quality and implementing innovative survey techniques. Tune in to discover how the ESS is shaping our understanding of European societies and beyond. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to For Sociology 00:45 Meet Professor Rory Fitzgerald 02:15 Understanding the European Social Survey (ESS) 03:37 The History and Evolution of the ESS 06:07 Challenges and Compromises in Cross-National Surveys 08:18 Rory Fitzgerald's Journey with the ESS 09:59 Day-to-Day Operations of the ESS 16:21 Adapting the ESS During the Pandemic 22:24 Making Data Popular: Labeling and Accessibility 22:42 ESS Usage Across Academia and Media 23:50 Noteworthy Findings from ESS Data 25:47 Convergence and Stability in European Social Attitudes 27:09 Popular ESS Modules: Attitudes Toward Immigration 28:04 Rapid-Fire Questionnaire: Personal Insights 32:10 Challenges and the Future of Sociology 38:24 Exciting Developments in the ESS 40:37 Conclusion and Farewell Kohli Foundation's Website [https://kohlifoundation.eu/] Website of the European Social Survey [https://www.europeansocialsurvey.org/]

For Sociology: Michèle Lamont

In this episode of For Sociology, host Kevin Caners sits down with Michèle Lamont, the 2024 Kohli Prize Laureate and one of the most influential sociologists of our time. A professor at Harvard University and former president of the American Sociological Association, Lamont has spent her career exploring how we define worth, dignity, and belonging in an increasingly divided world. Through a wide-ranging conversation, Lamont reflects on her intellectual journey from Quebec to the top ranks of global sociology. She shares the inspiration behind her landmark books—Money, Morals, and Manners and The Dignity of Working Men—and explains how her work on symbolic boundaries helps us understand everything from class conflict to cultural inclusion. We also dive into her latest research on young workers, the role of social movements, and how cultural narratives can reduce stigma and foster greater inclusivity. Finally, Lamont offers powerful insights—and a few surprises—on how sociology can rise to meet the moment. Episode Guide: 00:00 Introduction to For Sociology 00:44 Meet Michèle Lamont: 2024 Kohli Prize Winner 01:51 From Quebec to Harvard: Michèle's Academic Journey 04:14 How Local Politics Shaped a Global Sociologist 08:51 Rethinking Social Worth and Inequality 10:28 Class Consciousness Across Cultures 14:39 Trump, Populism, and the Language of Belonging 22:04 Fighting Stigma: What Actually Works? 30:20 Rapid-Fire Reflections 43:20 Final Thoughts and Farewell Podcast Illustration by Adam Matak

For Sociology: Kathleen Mullan Harris

In this episode of For Sociology, host Kevin Caners speaks with Kathleen Mullan Harris, recipient of the 2023 Kohli Infrastructure Prize for Sociology. Harris discusses her pivotal role in Add Health, a groundbreaking, nationally representative longitudinal study launched in the mid-1990s that has tracked over 20,000 individuals from adolescence to adulthood. The conversation delves into the study's origins, methodologies, and major contributions, highlighting how Add Health has advanced our understanding of the intersections between social, biological, and health factors across the life course. Harris also shares insights into the challenges of managing such a large-scale study and her vision for its future—aiming to follow participants throughout the entire course of their lives. Episode Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction 00:44 – Meet Kathleen Mullan Harris: 2023 Kohli Infrastructure Prize Winner 02:33 – The Origins and Evolution of Add Health 05:12 – Challenges and Innovations in Add Health 06:26 – The Scale and Scope of the Study 08:49 – Data Collection and Participant Involvement 11:55 – Genetic Sampling and Oversampling 16:53 – Data Accessibility and Impact 20:49 – The Unexpected Success of Add Health 21:40 – Transition to a Longitudinal Study 22:03 – Innovations in Wave 4 23:57 – Integrating Biological and Social Factors 26:19 – Wave 5 and Future Directions 26:46 – Challenges in Longitudinal Research 29:09 – Significant Findings from Add Health 31:30 – Health Trajectories and Socioeconomic Factors 33:17 – Race, Ethnicity, and Social Mobility 34:41 – Personal Reflections and Sociological Insights 40:00 – The Future of Add Health and Sociology 41:29 – Conclusion and Farewell