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!
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
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.
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 5th. 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 7th. 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.
by Michael Fraleigh and Peggy Walsh, Fall Conference Co-organizers
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.
by Beth Tracton-Bishop, College of Saint Elizabeth
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 mailto:rkernszu@wnec.edu
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."
by Ray Zucco, Western New England College
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.
Student or Unemployed $10.00
Under $15,999 $20.00
$16,000-$24,999 $30.00
$25,000-$34,999 $40.00
$35,000-$49,999 $50.00
$50,000 and over $60.00
Send check payable to AHS, and mail to Co-VPs for Membership: Jean Lynch & Kathy McMahon-Klosterman 1256 Robert Dickey Parkway Kettering, OH 45409
by Helen Raisz, Trinity College, Saint Joseph College, and the University of Hartford
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 f
ree' 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'.
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! 100th 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
55th 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/
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.
JuneYouth 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
4th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Social Sciences June 13-16, 2005 Waikiki Beach Marriott, Honolulu, Hawaii
http://www.hicsocial.org/
2nd Annual Conference of Epistome June 24-25, 2005 Rationality University of Massachusetts, Amherst
http://www.episteme.us.com/conference.htm
July
25th 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/
August
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
68th 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 9th 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
September
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
7th Conference of European Sociological Association Sept. 9-12, 2005 Rethinking Inequalities Institute of Sociology Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland http://www.7thesaconference.umk.pl/
October
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
November
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/
58th 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
December
104th 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
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.
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 http://www.essexcountyyouth.org/
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!
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??!!
We all have our favorite web sites. Here are a few that I recommend:
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
This site lets one see and hear Americans describe discrimination and prejudice that they have experienced during times of war. Very moving.
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!
Because of changes to our Web host s servers, NESA OnLine, the Associations 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!
Positions in Academic Settings
FULL-TIME POSITIONS:
Bryant University: http://web.bryant.edu/~nesa/employment/Bryant_University.doc
PART-TIME POSITIONS:
St. Anselm College: http://web.bryant.edu/~nesa/employment/St_Anselm_College.doc
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, dont 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 mailto: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.