Episode 14. Lean Semesters: How Higher Education Reproduces Inequality

Episode 19. Black American Refugee by Tiffanie Drayton

In this overview of the book Black American Refugee, written by Tiffanie Drayton, I provide a close reading of the chapters of the book (spoiler alert). Tiffanie Drayton was born in Trinidad and Tobago but arrived to NYC as a small child, making her a 1.5 generation immigrant along with her brother. The live in New Jersey, Texas, Florida, and she lives in Hawaii for a stint as well, thus experiencing many different parts of the United States. She learns through this coming-of-age story what it means to be Black in America, and what a confinement that becomes for personal development. As a sociology professor, I most appreciate the historical and sociological context she provides to each chapter, setting the context of the larger national happenings in which her personal life is evolving. She also immerses herself in Black history and provides the parallels of those lessons alongside her own learning. With trips back to the motherland, she debates where she belongs and if the U.S. can ever live up to its ideals of equality, or if a return to the motherland is the freest option for her family. video link [https://youtu.be/ZDskBKm8PDc] Get full access to Dr. Beverly Yuen Thompson at snakegrrlsociology.substack.com/subscribe [https://snakegrrlsociology.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode 18. A Conversation on Teaching

In this episode, three teachers at three different levels of the educational institution discuss the sociological context of education in the U.S. and the profession of teaching. These three co-authors recently wrote an academic article on the topic of the teaching profession and this conversation reflects on the topics covered in the academic journal article. Morgan Craig is an art teacher in a Philadelphia public high school; Akello Stone is an adjunct sociology professor at a community college in California; and Beverly Thompson is a sociology professor at a small private, liberal arts college in upstate New York. Video link [https://youtube.com/shorts/AKlNOioLMpI] Get full access to Dr. Beverly Yuen Thompson at snakegrrlsociology.substack.com/subscribe [https://snakegrrlsociology.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode 17. Blood and Lightning: On Becoming A Tattooer, by Dustin Kiskaddon (Author interview)

Co-hosts Akello Stone and Beverly Yuen Thompson interview Dustin Kiskaddon, author of the book Blood and Lightning: On Becoming a Tattooer. Published in 2024 by Stanford University Press, Dr. Kiskaddon takes us on his journey from tattoo apprentice to tattooer, via a sociological memoir journey through the main social concepts that arose during this professional development process. Using a sociological perspective on this unique world of tattooing as body work, we learn about the approach to working with skin, engaging with clients, advertising on Instagram, and creating body art that will last a lifetime. Dustin Kiskaddon: https://www.dustinkiskaddon.com/Blood and Lightning: https://www.sup.org/books/title/?bottom_ref=subject&id=35524 bottom_ref=subject&id=35524ChaptersIntro 0:00Beverly Intro 0:27-0:59Akello intro 0:60-1:34Dustin intro 1:35-3:28 Dustin background 3:29-6:39Sociology of Professions 6:40-8:22Entering the ethnographic field 8:23-9:16Writing notes in the field 9:17-14:51Academic advisors 14:52-20:35Corporate jobs with sociology degree or “al-careers” for PhDs 20:36-22:52Tattooing side hustles. 22:53- 25:45Tattoos in the professional workplace 25:46-26:39Adding to the tattoo literature 26:40-34:30Writing from the perspective of a tattoo artist 34:31-37:59Beholden to clients for income 38:00-39:59 Apprenticeship 44:00-46:23Intimacy and economics 46:24-50:42Race 50:43-1:01:25Tattooing as an occupation 1:01:25-1:07:27Bullet list of random thoughts 1:07:28-1:08:54Sensorial aspects of tattoos and smell 1:08:55-1:10:47User experience of the tattoo shop 1:10:48-1:17:02Concluding thoughts 1:17:03-1:22:00 Get full access to Dr. Beverly Yuen Thompson at snakegrrlsociology.substack.com/subscribe [https://snakegrrlsociology.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode 16. Changing Family Choices: a Sociological Conversation with Akello Stone

In this sociological conversation, two sociologists-- @AkelloStone [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCm9-gfi3hbJdhrcbL5wSTEg] and Dr. Beverly Yuen Thompson-- as long-time instructors of Sociology of the Family Course, talk about the global changes in marriage, divorce and procreation trends. Globally, people are getting married later (if at all), having children later, and having fewer children. Divorce is also a frequent choice, with subsequent marriages ending in ever increasing percentages of divorce. Some people even choose the option of sologamy—marrying one’s self. Overall, the professors hope that students and public sociologists will become informed on these larger trends and social pressures so that they can understand the context in which they make their own life choices. Timeline: 00:00-01:48 Introduction01:49-04:39 Sologamy 04:40-10:57 Divorce10:58-20:40 Marriage 20:41-33:08 Procreation33:09-36:41 Gender roles36:42-54:20 Modern family alternative forms54:21-57:59 ConclusionVideo link [https://youtu.be/k95PzXUiugw] Get full access to Dr. Beverly Yuen Thompson at snakegrrlsociology.substack.com/subscribe [https://snakegrrlsociology.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode 15. Tattoos in the Workplace: Dr. Alyssa Grocutt interview

Dr. Alyssa Grocutt recently graduated from Smith School of Business, at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, with a PhD. She is currently a Postdoctoral Scholar at Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary. Her PhD was in management, concentrating in organizational behavior. Her dissertation studied employees’ perceptions of tattooed coworkers and leaders. It also looks at how tattoo content plays a role in perceptions of tattooed coworkers. Alyssa’s website: https://www.alyssagrocutt.com/Alyssa’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/dr.alyssagrocutt/ Video link [https://youtu.be/RHo1PQW2ZZI] Get full access to Dr. Beverly Yuen Thompson at snakegrrlsociology.substack.com/subscribe [https://snakegrrlsociology.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]