Author: nconn2

The Colonial Roots of Catholic Plants by Rebecca Laurent and Emily Burke (2026)

Introduction Whether you walk into a Catholic church out of the balmy U.S. Southwest or a blustering Midwest winter, the “liturgical environment” you’ll step into is remarkably similar. Irrespective of the local landscape, the altar likely dons only a select few plants. Which plants depends not on where the church is located, but when you visit it. If it’s …

The Making of Meritocratic Status Orders by Fabien Accominotti and Michael Sauder (2026)

The Annual Review of Sociology Abstract: This article surveys a growing body of work examining the concrete consequences of implementing meritocracy in social life. To date, this work remains compartmentalized into the separate subfields of cultural sociology, economic sociology, organizational science, and the sociology of education and stratification. We bring these literatures together by arguing …

Municipal water fluoridation, adolescent IQ, and cognition across the life course: Evidence from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study by John Robert Warren, Gina Rumore, Kamil Sicinski, Pamela Herd, and Michal Engelman (2026)

Abstract We investigate associations between community water fluoridation (CWF), adolescent IQ, and cognition across the life course using representative data from the US state of Wisconsin. Exposure is inferred from historical records on community water fluoridation; adolescent IQ is ascertained from state testing records; and cognition in later life is assessed as part of the …

Research by Jessica Calarco about sociology of the family featured in the news

Jessica Calarco’s research focuses on education, families, and health decision-making. Broadly speaking, she is interested in the structures of power and privilege that maintain socioeconomic, racial, and gender inequalities in these settings, as well as the role that qualitative methods can play in uncovering these mechanisms. Fox 5 interviewed her about how today’s parents are building …

Taimur Ahmad receives MOTH fellowship

Taimur Ahmad received a spot in the inaugural MOTH (more than human life) fellowship at NYU. It’s an interdisciplinary cohort focused on scholarship and advocacy around nature and the more-than-human world. Taimur’s research interests include environmental sociology, culture, qualitative methods, and social movements and collective behavior.

Allison Daminger named Early Career Scholar by the Council on Contemporary Families

Allison Daminger was named a Frank F. Furstenberg Early Career Scholar by the Council on Contemporary Families. Through participation in the CCF Early Career Scholars Program, early career scholars attend a virtual summer-long program consisting of four professional development seminars and three one-on-one meetings with their mentors, including peer networking activities and training in public scholarship. In …

Congratulations, Yue Qin and Dan Seel!

Yue Qin and Dan Seel have been selected as recipients of the 2026 American Sociological Association Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant (ASA DDRIG). This highly competitive national award, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), recognizes doctoral students who demonstrate exceptional promise in advancing sociological knowledge. The grant will provide vital financial support to enhance …

Sociology Department Announces Spring Scholarship Award Winners

Congratulations to Abby Grabowski and Trinity Tompkins as this year’s recipients of the Reschke Scholarship. The Alfred Reschke Scholarship award was established to support outstanding seniors as they enter their final year of study at UW–Madison. Abby is a Sociology major specializing in the Concentration in Analysis and Research (CAR). Her studies represent the bridge …

Celebrating Ted Babcock’s Retirement

After over 30 years of dedicated service to UW, including the past 15+ years in the Sociology Department, Ted is embarking on his next great adventure: retirement. Those who worked alongside him know that his impact was profoundly far-reaching. The Man Behind the Desk Ted is often described as the department’s steady hand, Graduate Advisor …

Charlotte Frascona Honored with L&S Award!

We’re delighted to announce that Charlotte Frascona has received the College of Letters & Science Graduate Advising Award. While it honors her achievements from the past year, it ultimately recognizes her incredible service to students spanning more than four decades.  Charlotte started as a lecturer in 1985, though her UW experience began as a graduate …