News | Department of Sociology

Several children sit on a rug in a classroom

With education funding cut looming, ‘irreplaceable data on schools’ at risk

The real economic and social value of the Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences research won’t show up in DOGE’s metrics.

Shoreline of houses vulnerable to rising seas

CCSS grant awarded for "The Costs of Climate Change" research project

Cornell Sociologist Dan Hirschman's research investigates the questions, "How much will climate change cost? And how will we know?"

Continuing to Exploit Division for Political Gain

Distinguished Professor of Sociology at Cornell University, Mabel Berezin discusses the second Trump term.

New research project investigates U.S./U.K. LGBTQ data

Researchers from Cornell and the University of Edinburgh are investigating how data about LGBTQ communities is used (and misused) by governments, companies and community organizations.

Elon Musk Endorses Far-Right Party Amidst German Political Turmoil

Elon Musk, the world's wealthiest man, has recently drawn significant attention for his political comments and endorsements, particularly concerning Germany's far-right party, the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD).

NPR interview: How French politician Jean-Marie Le Pen used populism to fuel his far right agenda

Here & Now's Celeste Headlee talks with Mabel Berezin, the director of Cornell University's Institute for European Studies, about the legacy of far-right French politician Jean-Marie Le Pen. He died on Tuesday at the age of 96.

Are social scientists good for boardrooms?

A 2020 Academy of Social Sciences report found that sociologists, economists and philosophers help companies improve productivity, enhance problem-solving and heighten social impact.

Cornell expert on Jean-Marie Le Pen: a ‘driving force’ for French far-right

“Le Pen wasn’t responsible for the political events which moved the right forward across Europe. Yet, the French National Front created the institutional framework necessary to take advantage of crisis events," says Mabel Berezin.

Simon Kuznets & the Invention of the Economy | CITED PODCAST

CITED PODCAST producer Alec Opperman talks to Sociologist Dan Hirschman, speaking about the man who pioneered the GDP.

Professor Mabel Berezin: The People Behind Trump are Scarier Than He Is

The potential re-election of Donald Trump on November 5, 2024, raises significant concerns for American democracy, according to Professor Mabel Berezin.

Cornell experts analyze rhetoric used by both campaigns in final stretch

Following former President Trump’s campaign rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Cornell experts comment on the event's speeches and on Democrats' responses.

A long row of people using small white voting booths

Global experts look abroad for lessons in super election year

Voters in more than 60 countries are heading to the polls to elect new leaders in this record-breaking “super election” year. In many of those countries, democracy itself is on the ballot.

movie poster: The Man Who Saved the Internet with a Sunflower

Indie drama depicts Cornellian couple's role in web history

Set in the 1980s, The Man Who Saved the Internet with a Sunflower chronicles two ’69 classmates in Silicon Valley

Soc Ph.D. Students awarded East Asia Program Fellowships

Hyo Joo Lee, Hao Liang, and Zhipeng Zhou conduct research focused in East Asia.

Prof. Schnabel selected to be a PRRI Public Fellow

Landon Schnabel is one of 15 interdisciplinary scholars, selected from 90 qualified candidates. Public fellows will learn to more effectively engage general audiences.

Ph.D. Student named Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholar

Shio Lim’s research focuses on reproductive decision making in uncertain times.

2nd year Ph.D. Student Awarded Soros Fellowship

Eugene Lee is one of 30 selected for the Soros Fellowship in 2024, out of a pool of 2,323 applicants.

A Letter to the NYT editor re: Population Decline

Dr. Alaka Basu pushes back on Kumar’s idea that we should be worried about population decline.

From portfolios to pizza, fall A&S career events explore diverse fields

"Cornell alumni are generous with their time and efforts to assist students, to answer questions from students, or connect them to people and places."

Three vertical stripes of color: blue, white and red

Far-Right: The crisis itself or the result?

Institute for European Studies director Mabel Berezin joined Dora Mengüç (Dora Reports) before France's high-stakes parliamentary elections to discuss Europe's shift to the right.

Grad Student Research Spotlight

Ph.D. student Juhwan Seo received several awards for his recent paper.

Dean Peter Loewen posing behind the A.D. White statue on the Arts Quad

New A&S dean relishes ‘life in a university’

Peter John Loewen says he's excited to support faculty in their research, meet students and showcase the value of a liberal arts education.

Nexus Scholars study climate change inequality and infant language learning

The program provides undergraduates with summer opportunities to conduct research with and be mentored by faculty from across the college.

Cornell Soc Alumnus Spotlight

John J. Macionis's passion for Sociology began at Cornell, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in 1970.

Person, young, holding a French flag in the right hand while holding onto a light post with the left

Youth vote factoring heavily in French elections

In Sunday's election, Marine Le Pen's National Rally party was thwarted, but she will live to fight another day, says Cornell populism expert Mabel Berezin.

Man with mustache leaning close to sleeping baby wearing pink knitted ears

How girls fare when only a son will do

“Gender plays out in many different ways across the world...even when both spouses agree on wanting more sons than daughters, this isn’t consistently correlated with girls getting less education," said sociologist Vida Maralani.

Populism Expert: Macron miscalculated badly

Prof. Mabel Berezin, an expert on international populism, comments on the results of Macron’s calling snap elections.

Far-Right: The Crisis Itself or the Result?

The vote count in the European Parliament elections is complete...the balance of power has shifted to the right.

Rosche (Ph.D.) wins ASA Mathematical Sociology Section's Outstanding Paper Award

Benjamin Rosche’s paper advances recent high-profile work on socioeconomic segregation in friendship networks.

Snap elections a ‘political mistake’ for Macron

Sociologist Mabel Berezin comments on France's political leaders scrambling to prepare for snap elections.

Marine Le Pen in a short white dress facing the audience, standing at a podium that says "Viva24"

New European ‘strongmen’ are women, gender where similarities end

Sociologist Mabel Berezin comments on the upcoming election for members of the European Parliament,

Most people trust accurate search results when the stakes are high

Using experiments with COVID-19 related queries, researchers found that in a public health emergency, most people pick out and click on accurate information.

Peter Loewen named dean of Arts and Sciences

Coming from the University of Toronto, where he was the director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Loewen began his five-year appointment as the Harold Tanner Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Aug. 1.

'I learned how to translate theoretical concepts into practical policy interventions'

Tamara Frith is a sociology major.

'Having the opportunity to make your voice heard is essential to democracy'

Alicia González is a sociology major.

Investing in Digital Literacy to Better the Health of America's Seniors

Connectivity is a crucial first step toward digital equity, but to make internet access useful, digital literacy training will be critical for the populations deprived of regularly engaging online.

Harrison speaks about benefits of charting your own path

Robert S. Harrison '76 talked about his interdisciplinary studies as a College Scholar of social psychology and government.

Student spotlight: Katherine Ally Zaslavsky

Katherine Ally Zaslavsky doctoral candidate in sociology from Endwell, New York, studies the value of representation.

Nine people pose; some wear green stolls

Ten inducted into Bouchet Honor Society

Eight Cornell doctoral candidates, including five connected to A&S, and two postdocs have been inducted into the Cornell chapter of the Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society.

Low building with a domed roof and columns

Florida ruling ‘deviates from the more moderate views’ held by most Americans

Professor Landon Schnabel: “The Florida Supreme Court's seemingly contradictory abortion rulings—allowing a six-week ban while permitting voters to decide on a constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights up to viability—reveal the tension between conservative courts and the popular will in determining reproductive rights."

Summer Experience Grant applications now open

The grants provide funding for students in unpaid or low-paying summer experiences to offset the cost of taking on those positions.

Panel explores rise of nationalism across the globe

Cornell faculty and alumni took part in a wide-ranging discussion focused on nationalism around the world during a March 26 New York City event featuring NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik ’91, the Zubrow Distinguished Visiting Journalist in the College of Arts & Sciences.

A.D. White professor addresses threats to democracy

Theda Skocpol, Harvard scholar and A.D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell, will present the public lecture “Rising Threats to U.S. Democracy – Roots and Responses” on April 9.

Inside a legistative chamber, seats circling a central podium

France’s abortion rights vote sets potential ‘worldwide precedent’

France is the first county in the world to include a right to an abortion in its constitution, underscoring the role of culture, religion and secular governance in the preservation and progress of individual freedoms, says sociologist Landon Schnabel.