SESSIONS SEEKING PAPERS

1. Criminal Legal System

This session seeks any paper related to crime and the criminal legal system including those that focus on theory and empirical research related to crime, the social construction of crime and social control/responses to crime, and consequences for society.

2. Perspectives on Juvenile Delinquency

The session seeks papers that focus on theories, research, and policy evaluations of youth justice (and related) systems and juveniles defined as delinquent, status offenders, or at-risk. Critical examinations of the social construction of juvenile delinquency, alternative justice responses, and intersectional research are especially welcome.

3. Health and Well-Being of Immigrants in the U.S.

The session will focus on the health and well-being of immigrant populations in the United States. Papers can focus on a variety of topics including (but not limited to): the health and well-being of immigrant young adults, mental health of older immigrant populations, racial and ethnic differences in health and well-being for first generation immigrants, well-being of DACA / undocumented populations etc.

4. Education as empowerment: How can we support immigrant students?

Immigrant students refer to a variety of student bodies, including those who are un(der)documented and those who are international. U.S. education claims to advocate for diversity and global education; however, challenges in terms of (but not limited to) language development, bilingual curriculum, standardized testing, academic socialization, and economic and legal barriers faced by these populations remain under-addressed. This session aims to bring together scholars who are interested in challenges faced by immigrant student populations in educational settings at all levels (from K-12 to higher education) to facilitate an engaging, fruitful, and insightful conversation. Research findings coupled with collective discussion could lead to practices and policy implications that bring about changes and improvements to the historically increased, yet marginalized populations within and beyond the Mid South region.

5. Substance Use and Misuse

This session will focus on issues related to substance use and misuse.

6. AI, Scholarship, and Teaching

The purpose of this roundtable is to discuss the impact AI has upon scholarship and teaching. What are the current advantages and disadvantages regarding AI’s role in scholarship and teaching? What are the ethical implications of AI’s role in scholarship currently and in the future? How might this roundtable’s topic relate back to the larger themes (social change & resistance) of this conference?

7. The Impact of Black Labor Unions for Equality in America’s Work Organizations

Social movements have many different mechanisms working to establish equity in America. For example, The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters was the first successful union controlled by African Americans.

When it was founded in 1925, black workers were barred from membership in many trade unions. Philip Randolph and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. saw unions as essential to the ability of black workers to rise and achieve equality. And progressive labor leaders like John Lewis and Walter Reuther knew the labor movement could not be whole without the participation of black workers. This paper session will explore the history of “black” labor unions and their status in today’s workforce and economy.

8. Immigration

All immigration related topics (e.g. immigrant populations, integration, policies, etc.) are encouraged for this session. Research in progress would be acceptable also.

9. Equitable Faculty Workloads

This session will facilitate how to create equitable faculty workloads using a department equity action plan. This workshop is useful for both administrators and faculty interested in addressing inequities related to teaching, scholarship, and service workloads.

10. Navigating the Dynamic Landscape of Social Interaction in the Digital Age

The rapid expansion of social media platforms has fundamentally reshaped human communication, offering both opportunities and challenges in the realm of social interaction. We extend an invitation for papers that actively contribute to a dynamic exploration of the impact of social media on social interactions. We encourage submissions that examine the role of social media in shaping attitudes, behaviors, and societal norms. Additionally, we welcome investigations into how social media influences the formation, maintenance, and dissolution of relationships. Papers for this session are also encouraged to explore the potential effects of social media use on mental health, addressing facets of well-being and self-esteem. Original research papers, theoretical contributions, and critical literature reviews aligned with the theme are welcomed.

11. Homicide Studies

This session covers various aspects of research and/or policy pertaining to the many dimensions of homicide.

12. Politics, Social Movements, and Social Change

Paper submission can be focused on any of the three areas or any combination of the three. Interdisciplinary papers welcome.

13. Media and Popular Culture

Explores trends and changes in the intersection of media and popular culture.

14. Technology and Society: For Better or Worse

In this session we should have panelists who are engaged in research or teaching about the impact of technology on our social landscape from a Macro/ Meso/Micro sociological perspective.

15. Workplace Violence and Toxicity

Addresses various types of violent behaviors and toxicity in the workplace, including bullying, stalking, harassment, verbal outbursts, physical attacks, and other abuse. This session welcomes papers that are completed or in progress, utilizes any research method, and papers that explore how to address this issue (policy driven papers).

16. Diversity, Equality, and Inclusiveness (DEI) Efforts and the Ensuing Backlash

Addresses the trend of some state governments banning DEI Efforts as well as the negative publicity in some media outlets. This session welcomes papers that explore the history and value behind DEI programs and the challenges and pitfalls of such programs, how such programs are received, and papers that suggest ways to maintain the gains/advantages of DEI programs in order to move forward in a hostile climate.

17. What We Know, What We Are Learning, and What We Still Don’t Know: A Discussion on Domestic Violence and

Abuse

This panel will have 3 to 4 scholars/experts on domestic violence and abuse. Panelists should be willing to discuss their research or their expert opinions on issues surrounding domestic violence. Topics can include any form of family violence, teen/college dating violence, violence experienced by minorities, including LGBTQ+ community, and avenues of future research. The panel should elicit discussion amongst the panelists and audience on these issues and ways to inform public policy.

18. Sociology Surviving Between a Rock and a Hard Place: How to Flourish in Turbulent Times This session is dedicated for papers that examine the different ways that sociology programs can demonstrate their usefulness to students, administrations, and the community to garner the support needed to prosper amidst the backlash against liberal arts programs. Papers at any stage of progress are welcome

and can include actual descriptions of what a program initiated to counteract the backlash, applying theoretical and/or research on the topic, and idea papers of what can be done.

19. Living the High-Wire: Balancing the Family-Work Life Act

This session invites papers that examine work and family issues, including but not limited to role conflict, stress, strain, coping, the impact of work agreements (such as working remotely), child care arrangements, and life satisfaction. Papers can be at any stage of the research process, and can also be theoretical in nature.

20. Interdisciplinary Research

This session provides an opportunity for Sociologists to present research projects that integrate techniques, data, theories, or concepts from other disciplines such as anthropology, criminal justice, psychology, social work, history, political science, journalism, international studies, and economics. This session may be valuable to interdisciplinary scholars and those who may have an interest in learning more about interdisciplinary perspectives and approaches to better understand the social world.

21. Navigating Tenure and Promotion in Academia

This roundtable is designed to provide faculty, specifically Assistant Professors and Associate Professors strategies and tips for navigating promotion from Assistant to Associate Professor, and from Associate to Professor. Attendees will also learn about the tenure process and how to negotiate benefits including salary. This session may be beneficial to Black scholars.

22. Beyond the Binary

Despite the evolution of the gender spectrum, the assault on trans rights now playing out in state legislatures, and society’s increasing recognition of non-binary gender identities and expressions, sociological research often still treats gender as a binary category system, focusing on man- woman inequalities. This session seeks to advance the sociology of gender by inviting research that focuses on issues across the gender spectrum, especially those relevant to transgender and non-binary identities. This session is sponsored by the Committee on Women, Gender, and Sexualities.

23. Gender Research in Progress I

This session is sponsored by the Committee on Women, Gender, and Sexualities and focuses on gender research in progress.

24. Sexuality, Gender, and Policy

This session is dedicated to a broad sociological understanding of policy-relevant research at the local, state, national, and/or international levels on issues related sexuality and gender. Paper topics include the application of social theories to policies (e.g., statutes, court opinions), the connection of policy to sexuality and gender, and how policies within our major social institutions impact sexuality and gender. This session highlights how sociologists work to bring the social and political aspects of sexuality and gender into focus to cultivate a more enriched understanding of the world. This session is sponsored by the Committee on Women, Gender, and Sexualities.

25. Motherhood and Career Trajectories

The Committee on Women, Gender, and Sexualities is seeking panelists for a session on motherhood and career trajectories. We wish to have a panel of four members who can provide different perspectives on the challenges navigating academia as a mother, strategies for balancing work and family, and ways sociologists can advocate for better practices and policies.

26. Information Society Class Struggles OR Class Struggle in the Knowledge Economy

This paper session explores AI’s impact on industrial sociology, that is, how human relations grow and operate in the field of industries where technology is preeminent. Specifically, how are human relations mediated by artificial intelligence or other information technologies in the workplace and how do these instruments impact culture and/or groups at work, such as: generational cohorts, those historically underrepresented, military veterans, gender, etc.?

27. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

This session is seeking papers that address topics related to teaching and learning in sociology. Topics include classroom activities, innovative assignments, online learning, pedagogical strategies, integration of technology in teaching practices, assessment approaches, implementation of high-impact practices, and strategies for student engagement.

28. Race, Social Media, and Politics

Papers for this session centers research on race, politics, and social media. Topics will include online radicalization/mainstreaming, online subcultures, and/or online political/racial discourse.

29. Race in Society

This session broadly covers topics of race, racism, racialization, and ethnicity, both globally and in the U.S.

30. Crime and Criminology

Papers in this session will be dedicated to research in the areas of crime and criminology.

31. Research Methods in the Current Era of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges to the ways many sociologists gather data. In Spring 2020, scholars were having to shift course in their research endeavors, and quickly, as new public health information became available. There were regular conversations among sociologists about how to adapt to these changes when we knew little about COVID-19, how it spread, and the broader impacts of this illness on our social life. Four years later, many COVID-19 precautions and discussions have fallen to the wayside. Indeed, some even go so far as to suggest that the pandemic is over, despite data that reveals that COVID-19 is still a prevalent virus impacting thousands of individuals. However, there has been relatively little discussion about how our research is continually impacted by COVID-19 in the later stages of the pandemic. This proposed panel discussion would bring together scholars using multiple types of research methods to discuss how their work is shaped by the present moment we are in vis-à-vis the COVID-19 pandemic.

32. Research on the Links between Health, Crime, and Criminal Justice Involvement

There is a significant overlap between the etiology of criminal behavior and health and well-being concerns, which raises critical and intriguing research questions when these fields are studied together. This session brings together researchers and practitioners interested in exploring the connection between crime, health, and criminal justice system involvement to advance our understanding of crime and social control, and/or to propose potential prevention and intervention strategies along with policy recommendations.

33. Developmental and Life-Course Approaches to Crime and Deviance

The nature and prevalence of crime and deviance significantly change as individuals age. It is widely recognized that these changes are largely shaped by a diverse range of life transitions, experiences, and social factors that individuals encounter at different stages of their lives. It is important to examine and elucidate these factors as they influence when and why individuals initiate, persist, or desist from engaging in criminal and deviant behaviors. This session brings together researchers who investigate the dynamic nature of crime and deviance, as well as legal and societal responses to these behaviors, from developmental and life-course perspectives.

34. Research on Military and Veterans

The military is an important social institution and one of the largest employers in the United States. Despite changes in the nature and characteristics of enlistment over time, military service remains a significant life transition and a key source of socialization for a considerable portion of the U.S. population, shaping individuals’ identities, perceptions, and behavioral outcomes. This session brings together researchers whose research broadly examines the military, service members, and veterans. Potential topics include but are not limited to civil-military relations, war and conflict, military families, health concerns, minority service members, and veterans’ experiences.

35. Environment and Society

This session invites papers that address aspects of the interconnection between society and the natural environment.

36. Animals and Society

This session invites papers that address aspects of the interconnections between animals and society.

37. Reproductive Justice in the Deep South

Many Deep South states have enacted/passed bills that are some of the most restrictive in the country when it comes to access to an abortion. This panel will bring together local activists, scholars, and others who are working on not only to ensure that abortion is safe, legal, and affordable, but also for reproductive justice. This is an incredibly important and timely topic, as Tennessee has arguably the most restrictive ban on abortion in the U.S. while also having one the worst maternal mortality rates for African American women. Indeed, criminalizing and outlawing abortion affects women of color in more extreme ways than white women with intersecting disadvantages of race, gender, and sometimes class. Moreover, in the state of TN, the laws banning abortion are causing and OBGYN-desert.

38. Sociology of Disaster

Any papers that examine natural and man-made disasters are welcome to submit to this paper session. Moreover, if your work examines something that could be conceptualized as a disaster and causes trauma on a community scale, your paper will fit in this session as well.

39. The Role of Institutions in Perpetuating, Creating, and Decreasing Gender Violence

In this session, I welcome papers that are about gender and violence in any capacity. Moreover, I would love to organize this paper session around a focus on how institutions enable abuse, can sometimes themselves create abuse, or conversely, are part of the solution.

40. Outside the Box: New, Creative, or Innovative Approaches to Social Research

This session welcomes papers that exemplify “outside-the-box” approaches and paradigms to understanding social life. We hope to showcase the different ways that researchers seek to investigate social life. Completed and research-in-progress papers are welcome!

41. Social Deviance

This paper session seeks to explore social deviance, broadly defined as people and practices that fall outside “mainstream” societal norms. Topics may include, but are not limited to: deviant behaviors, social responses to deviance, (de)criminalization of deviance, deviance and social change, and contestation of deviance.

42. Digital Sociology

This paper session seeks to explore digital sociology, broadly defined. Topics may include, but are not limited to: online spaces and communities, digital research methods, the internet and social change, and attempts to regulate online spaces and behaviors.

43. Environmental Crime/Harm and Justice Issues

Papers for this session will examine some type of environmental crime/harm (for example, toxic dumping, air pollution, mass deforestation, wildlife poaching, etc.) and the impacts it has had on society and groups within society, or how citizens have mobilized to address a particular environmental problem (such as Flint, MI water crisis, mining operations on reservations, pollution in Cancer Alley, etc.).

44. Creative Sociology as a Tool for Exploring Modern Masculinities

There is growing recognition that creative writing in all forms serves as a medium through which sociologists can effectively demonstrate the sociological imagination. In this session, we will explore the marriage between sociology and creative writing to highlight the importance of a more personal and nuanced understanding of masculinity. As such, we welcome proposals from sociologists who engage in creative writing as a tool for exploring the complexity and intersectionality of social identities for men. Submissions may include a wide range of original works, including short fiction, poetry, or creative non-fiction; however, all should center sociological theory and research regarding the socialization into and performance of gender. In line with this year’s theme, we strongly encourage proposals that highlight resistance to traditional forms of masculinity and the evolution of masculinities over time. Topics may include but are not limited to men’s mental and physical health, parenting styles, interpersonal relationships, spirituality, or violence/aggression.

45. Multi-Initiative Collaboration Between Sociology and Criminal Justice Programs

The academic field of criminal justice in the United States is rooted in sociology, and many universities house criminal justice programs in sociology departments with faculty holding doctoral degrees in sociology. However, more criminal justice programs are moving toward departmental autonomy as the popularity of the major has grown immensely in the past 30 years. Nevertheless, faculty from both disciplines often find themselves working with each other on research initiatives and their work with students. These efforts are especially necessary at smaller, regional universities where faculty in both departments embrace a collaborative approach in efforts to provide the most well-rounded experience for students in both majors. This roundtable serves as a forum for faculty collaborations across criminal justice and sociology departments, or interdepartmental collaborations regarding teaching, research, and/or service.

46. Vaxxers, Preppers, and Immunizers: Where is the dis”pair”ity?

Research on those who do and those who don’t take preventative measures (i.e. Vaxxers, Preppers, and Flu/Covid immunizers) and where the similarities start and end (Also a Potpourri session for any related papers on preventative weapon ownership, living off the grid, homeschooling and/or alternative homestyle’s).

47. Sociology and Film/Television

Although members of modern societies are spending both time and resources on “consuming” visual representations of reality, educational systems for the most part are entirely negligent as far as sensitizing and training individuals to apply a critical mindset to how reality is being visually (and electronically) “mediated,” as part of a vast industry. This session is dedicated to focusing on how film and television presents narratives in ways that warrant scrutiny. Many sociologists tend to view this aspect of modern life as “frivolous” and undeserving of close attention. The purpose of this session is to address and remedy this deficit.

48. Cinematic Sociology as Teaching Tool

In the United States, the sociology of film is a grievously underdeveloped area of research, even though film and television present myriad opportunities to communicate with larger audiences, way beyond the field of sociology. For teaching purposes specifically, and to sensitize students in many different fields to where prevailing ideas and notions about the social world originates and how they are being perpetuated, film and television presents unique opportunities to relay important lessons very effectively. This sessions invites presenters to elaborate how particular examples communicate important sociological insights and “lessons.”

49. Sociological Theory Mini Conference: Critical Theory vs. Sociological Theory?

While sociological theorists are focused on providing sociology with rigorous tools for research that is intended to build on contributions from sociologists working in many areas, critical theory highlights the fact that society is prone to imprinting itself on the work sociologists are doing, meaning that the latter are in danger of replicating and amplifying the features of specific societies we are charged to illuminate.

50. Sociological Theory Mini Conference: Social Theory and History

Given this year’s conference theme, and drawing on C. Wright Mills’ proposition that the sociological imagination is concerned with links between biography and history, this session is dedicated to illuminating how exactly theorizing modern societies (including American society) in the 21st century presents opportunities to reflect on socio-historical change and its possible directions.

51. Sociological Theory Mini Conference: Theorizing the Apocalypse: Constructive Approaches to Crises “Never let a crisis go to waste” is the sort of trope sociologists should take to heart. In the foreseeable future, we must expect the proliferation of a series of unfolding crises which sociologists ought to be especially well-equipped to address and illuminate, especially with regard to how they are directly tied to and a function of especially regressive aspects of existing social structures. Rather than being stunned by crises, especially theoretically oriented sociologists are called upon to conceive of constructive responses to crises that point beyond the status quo at the level of society and global civilization, and connections between both.
52. Sociological Theory Mini Conference: Critical Theory of Film/Television

Representations of social reality through film and television serve an array of explicit and implicit purposes that are tied directly to the challenge of “maintaining order” in society. The purpose of this session is to apply critical scrutiny to established patterns of how specific instances of film and television are intended to disrupt or reinforce structures of inequality and diverse types of ideology.

53. Sociological Theory Mini Conference: Critical Social Theory and Politics

The relationship between critical social theory and politics has been a theme since the tradition began during the 1930s in New York. The session encourages presenters to focus on whether there is an intrinsic link between critical social theory or not, and how this link may change over time, including in the present socio-historical environment.

54. Sociological Theory Mini Conference: Adorno as a Sociologist

Among early critical theorists, Adorno was most explicitly, consistently, and rigorously concerned with the role, potential contributions, and over responsibility of sociology among the social sciences. Yet, both his efforts to advance critical sociology and appreciation of his sociological work are almost non-existent in sociology. This session is dedicated to highlight specific contributions of Adorno and how they suggest blind-spots in sociology as a discipline and in 21st century sociology.

55. Sociological Theory Mini Conference: Planetary Sociology

As a professional discipline, sociology largely evolved as a “national” social science, focusing on phenomena and issues within specific societies. Yet, the processes, patterns, and features sociologists identified, tracked, and analyzed for specific societies today apply at the planetary level, and to human civilization as a whole. What implications does this shift for how we ask questions, design research agendas, and devise and deploy particular theories and methods?

56. Beyond the Bridge: Honoring the Life and Legacy of Selected Civil Rights Giants

Be inspired by the courageous men and women of the American Civil Rights Movement. Each of the legacies and histories presented in this session serves as a window into the lives and contributions of these momentous individuals.

57. Discrimination and Mental Health

Scholars who study race often maintain that racism has largely shifted from overt, blatant forms of discrimination to more subtle and indirect biases (Bonilla-Silva 2018; Pierce 1995). These subtleties take on many forms, such as assumptions of lower intelligence, beliefs that people of color are more likely to commit crimes, and being ignored due to one’s marginalized identity (Williams, Skinta, and Martin-Willet 2021). While these actions are usually covert, they can exact a toll on the mental health/well-being of people of color (Williams 2019). This paper session seeks to highlight the research of scholars who study discrimination and mental health/well-being in various contexts, including (but not limited to) colleges and universities, the workplace, health care settings, and the criminal justice system.

58. Teaching Survey Courses to Freshman and Sophomores

This session provides a two-fold opportunity for faculty who teach freshman and sophomore-level introductory sociology courses at colleges in MSSA’s region: First, faculty can engage in a pedagogical dialogue by sharing an assignment, project, or activity that has been shown to be especially helpful for student engagement at the freshman/sophomore level. Second, faculty can present on a trend, problem, or current issue in teaching within the small college or community college context.