OVERVIEW
With the “cultural turn” in the social sciences, the sociology of culture has re-emerged to produce some of the most exciting research in sociology. At UCI, culture – whether defined as practices, symbols, discourse, or systems of meaning – is treated in the context of social interaction at multiple levels of analysis. Dynamics of cultural construction, contention, and diffusion are key research foci. Department members also share a concern with showing empirically just how much culture matters relative to other variables in accounting for diverse sociological phenomena. Sociologists of culture at UCI employ a range of theoretical and methodological approaches, from macro-institutionalist “world polity” models to social psychological and interactionist perspectives, and from time-series analyses of investment flows to discourse analysis of online conversations. Indeed, the remarkable range of substantive foci, coverage of both macro- and micro- perspectives, and use of sophisticated qualitative and quantitative methodologies that characterize the sociology of culture at UCI make it unique among sociology departments.
Faculty members’ research overlaps with a number of other fields within the Department, especially political sociology/social movements, organizations, social inequality, global change, gender, race/ethnicity, and research methods. Faculty members also collaborate with faculty in other UCI departments and schools, especially, Anthropology; Criminology, Law, and Society; Education; and Planning, Policy and Design.
FACULTY
Nina Bandelj -- economic sociology, organizations, globalization, social change in Central and
Eastern Europe
Current research: 1 )How do cultural understandings influence economic processes?
An examination of the formation and consequences of the cultural wealth of nations,
and economic nationalism. 2) How does cultural change influence social disadvantage?
An examination of poverty and inequality in transition to capitalism in postsocialist
Europe.
Carter Butts -- social networks
Current research: 1) What are the structural properties of attitude and belief systems,
and how can they be measured? 2) How do beliefs, social practices, and other cultural
elements diffuse through human populations, and how does this process shape the content
of cultural systems? 3) How can information from unreliable human and/or organizational
informants be used to statistically infer local structures, practices, and cultural
knowledge? 4) How can elements of material culture (e.g., ownership patterns, systematic
arrangement of artifacts) be utilized to infer social processes?
Sherelle Ferguson – education, race and ethnicity, social stratification, social capital and social networks, qualitative methods
David Frank -- world society, sexuality, higher education, natural environment
Current research: What world-cultural changes underlie (1) global transformations
in the criminal regulation of sex, and (2) worldwide university expansion over the
20th century?
Ann Hironaka, Cluster coordinator -- cultural logics; collective identity construction; institutional theory
Current research: The cultural logics that underlie 1) global environmental protection,
2) interstate and civil war, 3) economic development, and 4) race and inequality in
comparative perspective.
Julia C. Lerch -- Sociology of education; global and transnational sociology; refugees, war, and
emergencies; international organizations
Current research: 1) The evolution of cultural meanings in the humanitarian sector,
with particular focus on the emergence of education as a domain for humanitarian intervention,
2) The impact of the global cultural environment on schools and educational content
worldwide, 3) The role of global organizations and professionals in world cultural
change and diffusion.
Francesca Polletta -- social movements, democracy and deliberation, discourse analysis, storytelling.
Current research: 1)Are women disadvantaged in political discussions by a distinctive
communication style? 2)How do cultural models of democracy, conflict, and power shape
the practice—and the variable success—of public deliberation?
Evan Schofer -- Comparative Political Sociology; Sociology of Education; Globalization and Global
Culture; Environmental Sociology.
Current Research:1) The Origins of NGOs: Examines the role of global culture and
national states structures in encouraging the global proliferation of voluntary associations.
2) Educational structures and economic inequality: Explores how the organizational
features of education systems shape cultural categories and status distinctions as
well as subsequent economic inequality in society.
CLUSTER FIELD EXAM & GRADUATE COURSES
To qualify for a graduate field exam and/or expertise in the sociology of culture, students must take the core course in the sociology of culture (Soc 242), along with two courses from the list of elective courses. “Elective” courses cover key themes and theoretical perspectives in the sociology of culture or incorporate a broadly culturalist approach to institutions such as law, economy, religion, race, and ethnicity. In general, any substantive course taught by one of the faculty in the cluster counts as an elective course.
Core Course: Sociol 242 Sociology of Culture
Elective Courses:
Sociol 223 – Advanced Qualitative Methods
Sociol 224 – Interview Methods
Sociol 227 – Ethnographic and Qualitative Method
Sociol 230 – Race and Ethnicity
Sociol 239 – Race, Class and Educational Inequality
Sociol 249 – Sociology of Knowledge Production
Sociol 259 – Global and Transnational Sociology
Sociol 279 – Sociology of Sex and Sexuality
Sociol 289 – Economic Sociology
*Please see cluster coordinator about potential exceptions or additions of courses that might meet the cluster requirement
Students interested in taking the field exam in the sociology of culture should see the cluster coordinator. The reading list is currently structured so that a student can tailor one component (roughly a quarter of the readings) to his or her specific interests.