| Announcements |
Disasters: Understanding the Textures of Loss, Love, and Recovery Amidst Forced Social Change
Globally, in a world of interlocking networks, the likelihood that most residents will experience a major disaster in their lifetimes is increasing significantly. Whether caused by natural, technological, synergistic, social, cyber, or new means, disasters are becoming more complex, frequent, stronger, longer-lasting, and more devastating in their impacts. As each disaster receives only limited national attention, the extended, slow recovery process forces change and transition at all levels of society, reshaping the pathways forward. Disasters force endings and offer new beginnings. Their destruction spotlights human losses, community ties, deep social change, power dynamics, gender inequalities, wealth and poverty disparities, as well as themes of security, insecurity, and civil rights across varied geographies and cyberspaces. For this conference, we encourage you to submit papers around the theme of disaster with a focus on the humanistic impacts, to understand the texture of loss, the emergence of care and love amidst such devastation, and the process of recovery in a myriad of social and cultural contexts. We are also interested in ways disaster concepts and theorization can apply to new social contexts, expanding our understanding of the theories and bridge the gap between disciplines and perspectives.
Save the Date: October 15-18, 2025
Call For Sessions/Papers: Coming Soon
Hotel block rate booking is now available.
| Paine College Donation |
Paine College is a private historically black college (HBCU) founded in 1882 in Augusta, Georgia, that provides a liberal arts education of the highest quality steeped in the tenets of Methodism. MSSA would like to present a donation to the Social Sciences Department at Paine College to be used toward a scholarship for a student in need.
Contributions can be made by navigating to the “Donate” section of our Online Portal. All contributions to this fund will be given to Paine College via check at our annual meeting. Visit https://www.paine.edu/ for more information about the institution.
| Contact Us |
Melencia Johnson, MSSA President
Jessica Pardee, MSSA President-Elect
Marcus Brooks, MSSA Secretary-Treasurer
| Organizational Identity Statement |
The Mid-South Sociological Association Inc. (MSSA), founded in 1975, is a 501-C-(3) non-profit organization providing both professional support to, and a forum for sociologists who teach, conduct research and reside in the Mid-South region of the US. Through its publications, annual conference, academic support and collegial networks, MSSA. promotes the advancement of sociological research, the diffusion of knowledge, innovative service and teaching. From its inception, MSSA, Inc has been and continues to be committed to mentoring and enabling the growth of the next generation of sociologists in the value of high-quality research and engagement, and ethical, professional service.
| Organization Inclusion Statement |
The Mid-South Sociological Association Inc. embraces diversity and promotes inclusion by recruiting, including, and valuing people of all races, genders and gender identities, sexualities, ethnicities, religions, economic and employment statuses, abilities, and other dimensions. The MSSA celebrates all expressions of diversity and identity and strives to provide an environment conducive to free expression of ideas without fear of judgment in any way. Moreover, the MSSA does not tolerate any action from any member or conference participant that encourages or promotes hatred and/or intolerance in any form. Further, to the extent that the Board determines that it is not detrimental to the best interests (financial and otherwise) of the association, the MSSA will use the economic power of the annual conferences and other activities to select locations and enter into agreements with businesses that have policies and practices that reflect the values of the MSSA.