NESA News

The Newsletter of the New England Sociological Association

June, 2005

Volume 2, Number 1

This E-mail Newsletter was sent to Member:

Web Editor

New England Sociological Association

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We will look to some new venues, including New Hampshire, and to continuing with NESA's Gemeinchaft spirit...

Inside this Issue

From the President's Desk... 1

Publishing Opportunity! 2

2005 Fall Conference: Call for Participation.. 2

Review: The 2005 Spring Conference. 3

New England Undergraduate Sociology Research Collaborative. 4

News from AHS. 6

Be the First on your Campus to Wear a NESA t-shirt! 7

Sociology Conferences in Philadelphia in August.. 7

2005 Sociology Conferences from June to December.. 9

NESA Supports Unity RI at Bryant University.. 11

Kozol to Speak at Endicott College Conference. 11

Klotz Goes Hawaiian! 12

Spotlight On...Dylan L. Brown.. 14

Sites for Surfing Sociologists. 15

NESA OnLine now optimized for Netscape and Firefox.. 15

Photo Gallery: The 2004 Fall Conference. 16

New England Employment Opportunities. 16

For More Information.. 17

From the President's Desk...

Pawtucket, RI. May 2005.

Greetings fellow NESA members! It’s been quite a strong, intellectually stimulating, and intriguing year overall. Some of the highlights - Both conferences were held in greater Boston this year, @ Endicott and Regis. Endicott's seaside manor, with its spiral staircase and ballroom, has to be one of the most elegant settings we've seen in recent memory. Handling local arrangements at Endicott was NESA President-Elect, Mel Manson, and capably doing the same at Endicott was New England Sociologist of the Year, Alex Liazos. Never again will we have a 'liaison' with such an appropriate surname: Liazos the liaison! J

Continuing a theme from earlier conferences, the President of each institution delivered opening welcoming remarks, a nice touch. We've also seen increased undergraduate student involvement, something that the Executive Council has actively worked to bring about. And we have welcomed scholars and students from as far afield as NYC and NJ in addition to our usual 6-state region.

Next year, we will look to some new venues, including New Hampshire, and to continuing with NESA's Gemeinschaft spirit, as Michael Fraleigh is often wont to note, even as we grow the organization.

We look to continue what I have been calling 'cross-pollination' - collaboration with other, like-minded organizations such as AHS, ESS, and ASA. Having ASA representatives and brochures at the spring conference, as well as listing NESA conferences and awards in ASA publications such as Footnotes, is just one such example. NESA offered public support to UNITY RI in February, an annual public celebration of multiculturalism and diversity.

Remember always, NESA is YOUR organization; make it so by voicing your opinion to me or any of the other Executive Council members.

Major thanks are due to all the Executive Council members, to all NESA members, presenters, and conveners, without whom this successful year would not have been possible.

And don't forget - be sure to pick up your NESA t-shirt, the first ever in our 35-year history, and be the first to proudly wear it on your campus!

Have a terrific summer, and I look forward to another productive year for NESA beginning in the Fall...

Sincerely,

Dan Klotz

Formal papers submitted to the Fall Conference will be sent out for peer review…

Publishing Opportunity!

by Michael Fraleigh and Peggy Walsh, Fall Conference Co-organizers

The theme for this year’s Fall Conference is Service-Learning: Engaging Students and Changing Lives (See the full description in the next story). This year, proposals are invited for both informal and formal proposals. Informal proposals require only an abstract and a short summary of the proposed presentation. Formal proposals, however, invite you to send in a completed paper which will be sent out for peer review. Papers accepted as formal presentations will be published in the conference proceedings.

If you would like to author an article about service learning for peer-reviewed publication, this is an excellent opportunity. For details, see the next story, or visit the conference web site: navigate to NESA OnLine at http://web.bryant,edu/~nesa and click on 2005 Fall Conference.

Visit the conference Web site: simply navigate to NESA OnLine and click on the fall conference link.

2005 Fall Conference: Call for Participation

by Michael Fraleigh and Peggy Walsh, Fall Conference Co-organizers

You are invited to submit a proposal for presentation at the Fall Conference of the New England Sociological Association. This year’s conference will be held on the campus of Bryant University on Saturday, November 5^th. The conference theme is Service-Learning: Engaging Students and Changing Lives.

The paper selection committee will give preference to those proposals that address the conference theme of Service-Learning, broadly construed. Proposals addressing related areas of pedagogy such as experiential learning and faculty-student collaboration will also be considered.

We welcome proposals from graduate and undergraduate students, as well as proposals from community service organizations, program administrators, and from scholars outside of sociology.

Proposals may be submitted for one or more of the following types of presentation:

·        paper presentations,

·        panel discussions,

·        workshops, 

·        roundtable discussions, and

·        student poster sessions.

Proposals for paper presentations may be of two types: informal or formal. Informal proposals require only an abstract and brief summary of the proposed presentation. Formal proposals require a completed paper which will be sent out for blind peer review.

The proposal deadline is October 7^th. For more information about the conference, including proposal guidelines and proposal submission instructions, visit the conference web site: navigate to NESA OnLine and click on 2005 Fall Conference.

Following lunch, Alex Liazos was presented with the New England Sociologist of the Year Award for his many years of exemplary service to the field of sociology and his contributions to NESA.

Review: The 2005 Spring Conference

by Beth Tracton-Bishop, College of Saint Elizabeth

The New England Sociological Association held their 2005 Spring Conference at Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts on Saturday, April 23, 2005. The Institution of the Family: Transformative Structures, Enduring Challenges was the conference theme. The conference was kicked off by NESA President Dan Klotz who welcomed the attendees and introduced the president of Regis College. Mary Jane England, MD, president of Regis College, welcomed NESA to the campus and offered inspiring words.

After the welcoming remarks Session 1 began. Downstairs, in lieu of formal presentations, the audience members of Session 1A, Issues Facing Families, found themselves in a lively discussion of the issues of incarceration and families. While upstairs in Session 1B, Attitudes on Death, Sex and Voting, presentations were given regarding voting patterns, sexual coercion and bereavement in late modern families.

Conference members then enjoyed a delicious lunch and the chance to visit with one another. Following lunch, Alex Liazos was presented with the New England Sociologist of the Year Award for his many years of exemplary service to the field of sociology and his contributions to NESA. Massachusetts Senator Pamela Resor gave the keynote address. Her presentation was entitled From Sociology to the Statehouse: Sociology, Policy and Politics as she talked about her journey to public service and answered questions about the many sociological issues she has faced along the way.

After lunch Session 2 began. Session 2A: Family Challenges highlighted the work of four undergraduate students from Bronx Community College. Concurrently, Session 2B: Advances in Pedagogy and Method highlighted the techniques faculty members have used to improve the ways their students learn through the STS tradition and peer review assignments.

The afternoon plenary was entitled Family Issues in a Global Perspective. Alice Gomes, a Family Development Specialist spoke about the Cape Verdean Family Nurturing Program in Dorchester, MA. Dan Klotz from Bryant University & Skidmore College presented his work on China’s one-child policy. Peggy Walsh and Eleanor Vander Haegen, from Keene State College and their students Grisel Levene, Julia Birnn, James Mangan, Matthew Rider, and Angela Thomas spoke about their educational journey to Nicaragua and each student’s sociological findings on their journey. Dan Klotz, NESA President concluded the conferences with his final remarks and highlights of upcoming events.

Keene state Students Julia Birnn, Matt Rider, James Mangan, and Grisel Levine pose for a photo following their presentation at the 2005 Spring Conference.

I would like to create a New England Undergraduate Sociology Research Collaborative...

Ray Zucco

New England Undergraduate Sociology Research Collaborative

by Ray Zucco, Western New England College

I have sponsored and attended the New England Undergraduate Sociology Research Conference for a number of years and have appreciated the research conducted by sociology students throughout New England. In order to stimulate further research, I would like to create a New England Undergraduate Sociology Research Collaborative, the primary purpose of which would be to develop collaborations among students at different colleges and universities throughout New England for the purpose of conducting sociological research.

Such collaboration could, for instance, stimulate students to develop research projects at their home institutions and collaborate with students at other institutions by, for example, sharing their research ideas, surveys, and interviews. Collaborating students could then conduct those surveys or interviews, collect and analyze the data (as well as provide data to the original student researcher), and develop, present, and share their research results with the original student researcher, with their own institution, and wit h others at conferences, for instance. As such, a local survey of students at one college or of residents of one area could then become a research project that examines students or residents throughout New England.

I am willing to co-ordinate the collaboration process and establish and maintain the communications between the collaborating colleges and universities.

If you are interested in becoming a part of such a collaborative, please contact Ray Zucco at (413) 782-1333 or e-mail me at kerzuc@gis.net

I believe such a collaborative could be very beneficial to our sociology students and to sociology in New England.

N.B. At the June 11, 2005 meeting of the Executive Council, it was decided that an Ad Hoc Undergraduate Involvement Committee would be created, led by the Undergraduate Student Representative, and advised by Ray Zucco and Peggy Walsh. This committee will work to further increase undergraduate student involvement and presentation opportunities for students, and forward suggestions as to how to bring those to fruition to the Executive Council."

Helen Raisz reports on news from the Association for Humanist Sociology...

News from AHS

by Helen Raisz, Trinity College, Saint Joseph College, and the University of Hartford

The Association for Humanist Sociology (AHS) will hold its 2005 annual meeting in Tampa, Florida October 26-30. The theme is Nonviolence and the struggle for Social Justice. Like other AHS meetings, this one will offer participants a wide range of opportunities for stimulating intellectual exchange and camaraderie with other progressive scholars, teachers and activists, and will feature a speech by Georgia Congressman and longtime civil rights leader John Lewis.

It's not too late to submit a proposal. The deadline is June 10, 2005. AHS invites proposals for papers or sessions that feature a wide variety of formats: scholarly work music, theatre, or other forms of creative expression, including reflections on teaching for social change, film screenings, and book discussions/critiques.

 In addition to the formal sessions, the program will feature collaborations with progressive Tampa area groups along the bustling Riverwalk in downtown Tampa, together with visits to community sites of social/historical significance.

Send your proposal to Dennis Kalob, Program Chair at dkalob@nec.edu or Dept. of Sociology and Social Work, New England College, Henniker, NH 03242. (603) 428-2205.

AHS is also looking for members, new and old, to serve on the Editorial and Publications Committee and/or to serve as a website advisory team. If you are interested, contact Woody Doane (the keynote speaker at the fall NESA conference) at doane@hartford.edu, or Department of Social Sciences, Hillyer College, University of Hartford, W Hartford, CT 06117.

AHS Membership
Dues are based on annual income. Membership includes full voting privileges, a one-year subscription to Humanity and Society, and a one-year subscription to The Humanist Sociologist.

Send check payable to AHS, and mail to Co-VPs for Membership:
Jean Lynch & Kathy McMahon-Klosterman
1256 Robert Dickey Parkway
Kettering, OH 45409

Socially conscious and sweatshop-free, wear your shirt with NESA pride!

Be the First on your Campus to Wear a NESA t-shirt!

A limited number of NESA t-shirts remain, and you may reserve yours by contacting Dan Klotz, or you may pick one up at the fall conference in November, depending upon availability. The logo for the shirts, shown at right,   was created by Bryant first-year sociology student Joe D'Ambrose. Production was arranged by NESA Board member Jennifer Dobruck and President Dan Klotz. The shirts are socially conscious, produced as 'sweatshop free' and USA Union Made, by a small Boston area company that uses 'Rosie the Riveter' in their logo. So, wear them with guilt-free, NESA pride! The cost for NESA members is $12, and the remaining sizes are mainly in 'L'.

Find out what’s going on in conjunction with the ASA’s annual conference.

Sociology Conferences in Philadelphia in August

by Beth Tracton-Bishop, College of Saint Elizabeth

In August Philadelphia will be bustling with Sociologists as thousands journey to the ASA’s annual conference. This year’s annual conference is particularly special as ASA celebrates its centennial anniversary. In the days before, during and after the ASA’s conference many Sociological associations will also be holding their annual meetings. Below is a chronological list of Sociology conferences to be held in August in Philadelphia. See you all in Philadelphia!

100^th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association August 13-16, 2005

Comparative Perspectives, Competing Explanations: Accounting for the Rising and Declining Significance of Sociology Philadelphia Marriott & Loews Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

http://www.asanet.org/convention/2005/index.html

35th Annual Conference of the Association of Black Sociologists August 10-13, 2005
W.E.B. Du Bois’ Unfinished Agenda: Solutions to Domestic and International Racism Sheraton Society Hill, Philadelphia, PA
http://www.blacksociologists.org/Annual_Conf_/annual_conf_.html

55^th Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Social Problems August 12-14, 2005

Blowback: The Unintended Consequences of Social Problems Solutions

Crowne Plaza Hotel, Philadelphia, PA

http://www.sssp1.org/index.cfm?tsmi=23

Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction ­Annual Meeting August 13 -14, 2005

One tradition, many voices? Doing Interactionism

Hilton Garden Inn Hotel, Philadelphia, PA 19107

http://sun.soci.niu.edu/~sssi/sssiasa.html

67th Annual Meeting Association for the Sociology of Religion August 13-15

 Religion, Politics, And The State At Home And Abroad

 Radisson Warwick Hotel, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

http://www.sociologyofreligion.com/prelim_prog_2005.htm

Summer Meeting of the Sociologists for Women in Society August 13-16, 2005

Teaching, Method, and Practice: Building A Global Community of Women

Marriott Courtyard, Philadelphia, PA

http://newmedia.colorado.edu/~socwomen/meetings/meetings.html

A Joint Conference of The Sociological Practice Association and The Society for Applied Sociology August 16-17, 2005

Applied Sociology @ 100: Past, Present and Future

Downtown Marriott, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania

http://www.socpractice.org/

Beth Tracton-Bishop presents for us an astonishing list of sociology conferences that will be held from June to December. See also her previous story detailing the events that will be taking place in Philadelphia in August.

2005 Sociology Conferences from June to December

by Beth Tracton-Bishop, College of Saint Elizabeth

The following is a list of upcoming Sociology and Sociology-related conferences that will occur between June and December 2005. Please note that the conferences that will take place concurrently with the annual conference of the American Sociological Association in August are on a separate list. While this list aims to be inclusive of as many local, national and international conferences as possible, it is only limited by the conferences that I was able to find out about. If you are having an upcoming conference and wish to list it in an upcoming issue of NESA NEWS, please email me the conference information at btracton@cse.edu.

Youth At Risk June 8, 2005

Getting What Kids Need: Through the Eyes of a Child

Endicott College, Beverly, Massachusetts

http://www.essexcountyyouth.org/yarconference20057.html

4^th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Social Sciences June 13-16, 2005

Waikiki Beach Marriott, Honolulu, Hawaii

http://www.hicsocial.org/

2^nd Annual Conference of Epistome June 24-25, 2005

Rationality

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

http://www.episteme.us.com/conference.htm

25^th International Conference on Critical Thinking July 11-14, 2005

Cultivating the Intellect the Key to Substantive Learning

DoubleTree Hotel & Executive Meeting Center, Berkeley Marina, CA

http://www.criticalthinking.org/conference/

International Visual Sociology Association Conference, August 3-5, 2005

Re-Viewing Bodies: Embodiment, Process, and Change

Trinity College, University of Dublin, Ireland
http://www.visualsociology.org/conference.html

68^th Annual Meeting of the Rural Sociological Society August 8-12, 2005

Reaching Out, Reaching Ahead, Reaching Beyond

Hyatt Regency Tampa, Florida

http://ruralsociology.org/annual-meeting/2005/index.html

The 9^th Conference of The International Institute for Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis August 6-9, 2005

International Perspectives

Bentley College, Waltham, MA

http://www.iiemca.org/events.html

Annual Conference of the International Sociological Association Research Committee on Poverty, Social Welfare and Social Policy RC19 Sept. 8-10, 2005
Re-theorizing Welfare States: Restructuring States, Restructuring Analysis

Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois

http://www.northwestern.edu/rc19/index.html

7^th Conference of European Sociological Association Sept. 9-12, 2005

Rethinking Inequalities

Institute of Sociology Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland

http://www.7thesaconference.umk.pl/

Annual Meeting of the Association for Humanist Sociology Oct. 26-30, 2005

Nonviolence and the Struggle for Social Justice

Radisson Riverwalk Hotel, Tampa, Florida

http://www.humanistsoc.org/2005mtg.html

Annual Conference of the Great Plains Sociological Association Oct. 27-28, 2005

The Breadth of Sociology

Downtown Holiday Inn, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

http://sociology.sdstate.edu/gpsa/conference.htm

New England Popular Culture Association Annual Meeting Oct. 29–30, 2005

Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Conn.

http://users.wpi.edu/~jphanlan/NEPConf.html

New England Sociological Association Fall Conference November 5, 2004

Service-Learning: Engaging Students and Changing Lives.

Bryant University, Smithfield, RI

http://web.bryant.edu/~nesa

Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology November 16-19, 2005
The Interdisciplinary Roots and Branches of Criminology

Royal York Hotel, Toronto, Canada
http://www.asc41.com/

58^th Annual Meeting of The Gerontological Society of American 18-22, 2005
Hilton New Orleans Riverside, New Orleans, LA

http://www.eshow2000.com/geron/about_the_meeting.cfm

104^th Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association Nov 30-Dec 4, 2005

Bringing the Past into the Present

Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, DC

http://www.aaanet.org/mtgs/mtgs.htm

…This letter was displayed during the event along with other letters of support from the City of Pawtucket, Skidmore College University Without Walls, and the Society Organized Against Racism (SOAR).

NESA Supports Unity RI at Bryant University

In February, during Black History Month celebrations at Bryant University, NESA formally lent support to UNITY RI, a public celebration of multiculturalism and diversity created by NESA President Dan Klotz.

UNITY RI now is an annual event. Dan and Executive Director Michael Fraleigh drafted and signed a letter from NESA on behalf of the Executive Council. This letter was displayed during the event along with other letters of support from the City of Pawtucket, Skidmore College University Without Walls, and the Society Organized Against Racism (SOAR). Featured speakers included Pawtucket, RI Mayor James E. Doyle, and Romana Ramos, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Center for Capeverdean American Community Development.

Learn more about an upcoming conference featuring Keynote Speaker Jonathan

Kozol...

Kozol to Speak at Endicott College Conference

by Mel Manson, Endicott College

Announcing a conference held at Endicott College in conjunction with the Essex County Community Foun­dation.

An upcoming conference at Endicott will include dozens of social service agencies and attract over 400 people. This year the keynote address is by Jonathan Kozol. There will be 11 concurrent ses­sions in the morning and 11 in the afternoon. These sessions are headed by both public and pri­vate agencies working with youth at risk. CEUs will be awarded for those who need them for pro­fessional development credit.

The date is Wednesday, June 8 from 8-4:30 at Endicott College The cost to register is $50; This includes a continental breakfast and lunch. For information call 978-777-8876 or point your browser to www.essexcountyyouth.org. 

Klotz Goes Hawaiian!

Shown below is NESA President Dan Klotz, proudly wearing his NESA t-shirt, at a luau on the West coast of the island of Oahu on June 13th, 2005. With Dan are some of the Polynesian performers that entertained the crowd of nearly 1,000 that evening with traditional Polynesian dance, song, fire twirling, and legends. The luau was one of the scheduled events affiliated with the 4th Annual Hawaii International Conference in Honolulu. Dan had 2 presentations at the conference, one co-authored with NESA Executive Director Michael Fraleigh. Further details on the conference may be found on the conference website, which is listed in the calendar section of Nesa News in June. We will begin compiling photos of NESA members wearing their NESA shirts in exotic locations, so start sending us your photos, and we'll put them in future editions of Nesa News!

Photographs by Frederick Gordon of Univ. of S. California

A Profile of the Executive Council’s 2005 Undergraduate Student Representative, Dylan L. Brown...

Spotlight On...Dylan L. Brown

Each edition in this section, we will feature one of the members of the NESA Executive Council. The featured EC member this time around is Undergraduate Student Representative, Dylan L. Brown of Northeastern University. Dylan was asked several questions - some relevant sociologically, most not! - by NESA President and NESA News co-editor Dan Klotz...

Favorite Sociologist (living): Richard Arum

Favorite Sociologist (dead): Erving Goffman

Favorite film: Sister Act

How will you plan to use your sociology degree? As a bridge toward a Masters in Educational Counseling

Favorite Boston-area restaurant: Bombay India

Where are you originally from? Oneida, NY

Cats or dogs, and why? Dogs, specifically large breeds. Their behavior is more mellow. I actually have a phobia of cats!

What does NESA mean to you? NESA has offered to me my first opportunity to meet other area sociologists and their research.

What community service projects have you been involved in? While a student at Colgate University I founded a mentorship program called Colgate's Promise. The principle of this program is to diverge Colgate students from the university by being assigned into neighboring middle schools. The Colgate student’s purpose is to act with his assigned student as a tutor and friend. 

Current research: I am currently focused on understanding the emotional development of young males in public schools. Specifically, I am concerned with the effect the Boy Scouts of America have on students’ performance of emotion management—the control and expression of emotions in interactions with others.

Favorite sociological text: Keeping Track - John Goodlad

Favorite sociology course taken: Children and Youth in Contemporary America

What book (novel) are you currently reading? Blink - Malcom Gladwell

Is the NESA website your homepage? No, Reuters is...

Who will win the NBA championship? No clue!

Thanks, Dylan, for your interest in, commitment to, and service to NESA. Look for our next edition when we continue with this feature, Spotlight On..._________ Who will it be??!!

Executive Council member and past NESA President Steve Lilley recommends these sites for sociological surfing...

Sites for Surfing Sociologists

By Steve Lilley, Sacred Heart University

http://www.merlot.org/Home.po

A wonderful smorgasbord of learning objects and educational links

http://www.criticalthinking.org/

Great resources for the critical thinker and wannabe!

http://www.itvs.org/facetoface/flash.html

http://csa.berkeley.edu:7502/archive.htm

What could be better than having access to the General Social Survey (GSS) data base? Well, access to other data archives and statistical tools to perform analyses right on the site!

Happy Surfing!

NESA OnLine now optimized for Netscape and Firefox

by Michael Fraleigh, Web Editor

Because of changes to our Web host’s servers, NESA OnLine, the Association’s Website, has lately been unavailable to Netscape and Firefox users. The site is once again fully functional across browsers. You can now view conference materials, submit proposals, and renew your NESA membership all online, regardless of what browser you use.

Should you encounter any problems, or if you have comments or suggestions about our site, please let us know by sending email to nesa@bryant.edu. And to Netscape and Firefox users, thank you for your patience!

Photo Gallery: The 2004 Fall Conference

As a service to its members, NESA is pleased to post job announcements at no charge. If your department would like to announce an open position for publication in the November issue of NESA News, send your announcement as a Microsoft Word attachment to NESA@Bryant.edu.

New England Employment Opportunities

Positions in Academic Settings

FULL-TIME POSITIONS:

o         Bryant University: http://web.bryant.edu/~nesa/employment/Bryant_University.doc

PART-TIME POSITIONS:

o         St. Anselm College: http://web.bryant.edu/~nesa/employment/St_Anselm_College.doc

NESA

Bryant University

1150 Douglas pike

Smithfield, RI 02917

Phone

401-232-6317

E-mail

nesa@bryant.edu

We are on the Web!

web.bryant.edu/~nesa

For More Information

If you have questions or comments about the Newsletter, or if you have a story or news item that you would like to contribute, contact the Newsletter Co-Editors, Dan Klotz or Shirley Jackson. They would love to hear from you!

And, don’t forget to visit our Website at http://web.bryant.edu/~nesa. There you will find information about:

o         Joining NESA

o         Nominating Yourself or a Colleague for the Executive Council

o         NESA Awards

o         Conference Information

You can contact the NESA business office by sending E-mail to nesa@bryant,edu, or by calling Michael Fraleigh at 401-232-6317. The 2005 President of NESA is Dan Klotz. You can contact him at klotz_dan@hotmail.com.