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Bard Sociology

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Through Thrive On! Kingston, Aidan Galloway ’21 and Keyvious Avery ’21 Raise Money and Distribute Resource Kits to Support Kingston’s Homeless Community during COVID-19 Pandemic

Created as part of Professor Peter Klein’s Engaged Liberal Arts and Sciences course Hudson Valley Cities / Environmental (In)Justice, Galloway and Avery’s project distributes resource kits to high-volume homeless shelters in Kingston, as well as the community organization Beyond the 4 Walls Outreach Program.

Through Thrive On! Kingston, Aidan Galloway ’21 and Keyvious Avery ’21 Raise Money and Distribute Resource Kits to Support Kingston’s Homeless Community during COVID-19 Pandemic

Created as part of Professor Peter Klein’s Engaged Liberal Arts and Sciences course Hudson Valley Cities / Environmental (In)Justice, Galloway and Avery’s project distributes resource kits to high-volume homeless shelters in Kingston, as well as the community organization Beyond the 4 Walls Outreach Program. Not limited to masks, wipes, and PPE equipment, Thrive On! Kingston kits include other essentials such as soap, shaving kits, body wash, shampoo, reusable bags, water bottles, notebooks, pens, and blankets, among other items.
Full story at CCE News

Post Date: 08-06-2020

Senior Project Spotlight: Bernadette Benjamin ’20

Sociology major Bernadette Benjamin’s Senior Project focuses on understanding the experiences of black women in Japan and how women within the black diaspora navigate in that country. In her research, the Brooklyn, New York, native concentrates on how black women perceive their identity—whether racial, gender, national, or combined identity—in their interactions and encounters with others.

Senior Project Spotlight: Bernadette Benjamin ’20

Sociology major Bernadette Benjamin’s Senior Project focuses on understanding the experiences of black women in Japan and how women within the black diaspora navigate in that country. In her research, the Brooklyn, New York, native concentrates on how black women perceive their identity—whether racial, gender, national, or combined identity—in their interactions and encounters with others. Bernadette utilizes the idea of “controlling images” by Patricia Hill Collins and the book Stigma by Erving Goffman to evaluate the mechanisms black women use to analyze their experiences and sense of belonging in Japanese society. She also takes Imagined Communities by Benedict Anderson to explain the citizen-versus-foreigner dichotomy in Japan and how that contrast, in turn, affects black women’s abilities to integrate into Japanese communities.

Bernadette will soon travel to Japan to begin the JET (Japanese Exchange and Teaching) program. She hopes to remain in Japan for two years before prepping to go to law school to study either educational or international law. While her current plans depend on the spread of COVID-19, she is optimistic about the plans she has in store.

Post Date: 07-28-2020

Harry Johnson '17 and Dariel Vasquez '17 Named Dutchess County 40 Under 40 Mover and Shaker Honorees

Brothers at Bard cofounders and Class of 2017 alumni Harry Johnson and Dariel Vasquez have been named among the 40 Under 40 Movers and Shakers by the Dutchess County Chamber of Commerce.

Harry Johnson '17 and Dariel Vasquez '17 Named Dutchess County 40 Under 40 Mover and Shaker Honorees

Brothers at Bard cofounders and Class of 2017 alumni Harry Johnson and Dariel Vasquez have been named among the 40 Under 40 Movers and Shakers by the Dutchess County Chamber of Commerce. The awards are given annually to 40 individuals under the age of 40 who have shown a strong commitment to the Hudson Valley. The awards ceremony, which is open to the public, is a celebration of these individuals and their accomplishments. It will take place on Thursday, April 2, at 5:00 at the Changepoint Theater in Poughkeepsie. Johnson and Vasquez, both sociology majors, founded Brothers at Bard as students, and the initiative has grown into a full-fledged program of Bard College. Brothers at Bard provides support for young men of color on campus and Bard alumni of color, and coordinates a successful mentoring program for high school students in Kingston and throughout New York City. Brothers at Bard is a leader in the national conversation about tapping into the potential of young men of color, recognizing their leadership, and supporting them as they pursue higher education and career success.

More about Dutchess 40 Under 40
More about Brothers at Bard

Post Date: 02-18-2020
More Sociology News
  • Sex Ed, Tech, and Embroidery: How Emma McGowan ’08 Stitches Together a Living in San Francisco

    Sex Ed, Tech, and Embroidery: How Emma McGowan ’08 Stitches Together a Living in San Francisco

    The San Francisco Chronicle profiles writer, educator, and Bard alumna Emma McGowan as part of a series on how creative professionals live and work in the expensive city, and what makes them stay. McGowan talks about the importance of developing a network and a community, and how she works to “move the cultural conversation forward.”
    Full story in the San Francisco Chronicle

    Post Date: 01-01-2020
  • Bard Professor, Sociologist Allison McKim Wins 2018 Divisional Book Awards from American Society of Criminology

    Bard Professor, Sociologist Allison McKim Wins 2018 Divisional Book Awards from American Society of Criminology

    McKim was honored by the ASC’s Women and Crime and Critical Criminology and Social Justice divisions for her 2017 book Addicted to Rehab: Race, Gender, and Drugs in the Era of Mass Incarceration, “a compelling and critical ethnography of drug rehabilitation” (CCSJ).

    Post Date: 12-06-2018
  • Why the Census Should Matter to Jews, and Everyone Else: A Look at Professor Joel Perlmann’s New Book

    Why the Census Should Matter to Jews, and Everyone Else: A Look at Professor Joel Perlmann’s New Book

    In America Classifies the Immigrants, Professor Perlmann “provides a cogent and compelling analysis of the muddle of meanings” of classification terms used in the Census.
    Read More

    Post Date: 07-13-2018
  • Tivoli Dedicates Bridge in Memory of Village Historian, Bard College Professor Emeritus Bernard Tieger

    Tivoli Dedicates Bridge in Memory of Village Historian, Bard College Professor Emeritus Bernard Tieger

    Tivoli’s newly reopened Broadway Bridge has been dedicated to educator, historian, and village trustee Bernard Tieger, who taught sociology at Bard from 1967 to 1988.
    Read More

    Post Date: 07-03-2018
  • Two Bard College Students Win Prestigious Study Abroad Scholarships for 2018

    Two Bard College Students Win Prestigious Study Abroad Scholarships for 2018

    Two Bard College students were awarded a highly competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship by the U.S. Department of State. Dance major Emma Lee ’19 was awarded $3,000 towards her participation in “Black Dances #3: Around Technique Acogny,” a six-week West-African dance program in Toubab Dialaw, Senegal at Ecole des Sables, the school of renowned dancer and choreographer Germaine Acogny.

    Sociology major Cindy (Sam) Arroyo ’19 was awarded $2,500 toward her participation in “Development, Environment, and Social Change: Contemporary Issues in Central Asia,” Bard Abroad’s Summer Practicum Program at the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

    Gilman Scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply towards their study abroad or internship program costs with additional funding available for the study of a critical language overseas. The Gilman scholarship supports American undergraduate students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad and, since 2001, has enabled more than 25,000 outstanding Americans of diverse backgrounds to engage in a meaningful educational experience abroad. The program has successfully broadened U.S. participation in study abroad, while emphasizing countries and regions where fewer Americans traditionally study. The late Congressman Gilman, who served in the House of Representatives for 30 years, chaired the House Foreign Relations Committee, and was honored with the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Medal in 2002, commented, “Study abroad is a special experience for every student who participates. Living and learning in a vastly different environment of another nation not only exposes our students to alternate views, but also adds an enriching social and cultural experience. It also provides our students with the opportunity to return home with a deeper understanding of their place in the world, encouraging them to be a contributor, rather than a spectator in the international community.”

    Post Date: 06-14-2018
  • Jonathan Chavez '12

    Jonathan Chavez '12

    Jonathan Chavez is the director of college persistence at Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation (CHLDC) in New York City. Jon graduated from Bard in 2012 with a major in sociology.

    CHLDC is a community-based organization that offers a range of free support services to residents. Working with the College Success Programs division, Jon and his staff support local college students. "We assist our students in navigating their campuses, troubleshooting issues that impede their success, and technical processes (i.e. completing FAFSA, class registration). I particularly enjoy reaching out to students to develop plans as they start their semesters."

    Drawing on his relationships with Bard administrators, Jon graduated from Bard with the opportunity to participate in a weeklong program exploring the field of student affairs in higher education with NASPA. Upon finishing the program, he worked for the Bard Educational Opportunity Programs (BEOP) while conducting his job search over the summer. A fellow alumnus referred him to CHLDC. "They were seeking a college access counselor to help high school seniors apply to college," he recalls. Every year working with the CHLDC, Jon added new projects to his role, which led to several promotions, eventually placing him in the position of director of college persistence.
     
    He credits Bard with helping him develop the skills to guide college students in Cypress Hills. "My field of work is still developing, so many times I rely on my ability to anticipate problems and navigate solutions. Thankfully, my various research courses [at Bard] helped me develop a framework for problem solving. In my counseling, I also use a lot of the techniques I learned from various leadership roles I had at Bard, as a peer counselor with ResLife and peer mentor with BEOP." Jon finds that his work study experiences with the Dean of Student Affairs Office and Change in Action workshops also helped him learn how to navigate a professional office environment and promote leadership among members of his team. 

    Jon remembers Bard being a challenging environment. "A lot of responsibilities are placed on students: they run some [campus] spaces and lead clubs and activities in addition to maintaining strong grades. ... I am so grateful for the preparation I received at Bard. In my [current] role, I am constantly in positions where I have to learn processes or context very quickly and I have to decipher information to problem solve. My years at Bard helped me find comfort even when I was in uncomfortable situations."

    Jon transferred to Bard from community college, and he appreciated the opportunity to devote his time to being a student among other students. "Living on campus is a subtle privilege that is oftentimes taken for granted, but it allowed me to cultivate many valuable relationships that I utilize to this day." His advice for current students? "When you hear about networking, keep in mind that every relationship is a form of networking; the process is easier than people tend to think and a friend or mentor might be your link to a possible job opportunity."

    Post Date: 06-13-2018

Sociology Events

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2020

Thursday, December 17, 2020
Alyssa Newman, PhD
Hecht-Levi Fellow
Berman Institute of Bioethics
Johns Hopkins University

Online Event  3:00 pm – 4:00 pm EST/GMT-5
The widespread use of assisted reproductive technologies, coupled with processes of demographic and social change, are contributing to the normalization of new family configurations that extend beyond biological kinship. Despite the new populations and family formations utilizing these technologies, gamete donor selection is still predominated by heteronormative logics and an interest in family resemblance achieved through racial matching. Focusing on interviews with interracial lesbian couples about their selection of a sperm donor, I examine the conflicts that arose when the logic of racial matching encountered the desire for a biological kinship between donor-conceived siblings—such as when both partners planned to initiate pregnancies conceiving with the use of their own egg. Whereas for same-race couples these dual aims would be in alignment, interracial lesbian couples perceived that they were instead faced with two options: prioritizing either a biological sibling relationship using the same donor, or emphasizing racial matching of the siblings by utilizing two donors. This research reveals that despite the new forms of relatedness that non-traditional families enable, within the use of reproductive technologies, biological framings of race and kinship continue to structure decisions about family formation.
 Please watch the pre-recorded talk on her research here.
Attend the live Q&A about her talk via zoom.


Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Jomaira Salas Pujols
Doctoral candidate in Sociology at Rutgers University

Online Event  11:00 am – 12:00 pm EST/GMT-5
Social scientists have long examined the consequences of school and neighborhood segregation on the lives of Black youth. Yet, these discrete studies of schooling leave unexamined the many locations young people traverse day to day and the consequences of this movement on their perceptions of self and their social location. “Journeying: Black Girls' Sensemakings of (In)justice” uses ethnographic methods to trace how 45 multi-ethnic Black girls learn to perceive and critique injustice through their spatial navigations. My findings reveal that although participants are likely to inhabit racially segregated neighborhoods and schools, they still come into contact with inequality through their daily commutes, visits to other schools, and afterschool program participation. I further suggest that as they physically move through multiple sites of inclusion and exclusion, Black girls develop an awareness and negotiation of the inequalities and injustices that attempt to dominate their lives—what I theorize as journeying. This presentation builds on previous studies of education, urban space, and Black girlhood studies.Please watch the pre-recorded talk on her research here.
Attend the live Q&A about her talk via zoom.
 


Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Sean Drake; Ph.D.

Visiting Assistant Professor, Sociology of Education
New York University

Online Event  1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EST/GMT-5
Previous research in middle-class districts has focused on within-school segregation but not between-school segregation.  In this study, I unveil hidden institutional mechanisms of between-school segregation and inequality in an affluent, suburban school district.  Drawing on over two years of ethnographic observations and 122 in-depth interviews with students, teachers, administrators, and parents at two dissimilar high schools, I identify distinct policies and practices of segregation that disproportionately place Black, Latinx, and lower-income students at risk.  I also examine how institutional definitions of success and failure affect school policies and practices in ways that contribute to segregation and inequality, and how institutional actors leverage these definitions to legitimize and justify segregation in the district.  This research is part of my book project, Academic Apartheid (under contract with University of California Press), which sits at the sociological intersection of education, race and ethnicity, class, and immigration scholarship.

Please watch his pre-recorded talk on his research and attend a live Q&A via Zoom.


Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Online Event  7:00 pm – 8:30 pm EST/GMT-5
All of us work and study on a large campus and live in a thinly populated rural area. We tend to inhabit virtual bubbles where we are surrounded by people who see things the way we do. And whether we are newcomers to the Mid-Hudson Valley or longtime residents, we do not always understand the “signs” we encounter. What do yard signs in election season or “thin blue line” flags tell us about the landscape in which we live? What do colonial estates-turned-museums reveal about enduring inequalities? What murals and monuments “hide” in plain sight because they do not match our pre-set ideas about the place we may (or may not) feel we belong to? Who harvests the local crops but cannot afford to shop at the farmers’ market?
 
In an effort to shine some light on systemic racism and anti-racist alternatives in our everyday surroundings, the Division of Social Studies is organizing a “Reading the Signs” roundtable over Zoom as well as an accompanying online archive. The roundtable will also offer Bard community members an opportunity to reflect on the implications of the election on November 3rd, whatever the outcome happens to be.

Call for Contributions!
What signs do you think need reading? What is an image, flag, space, mural, monument, memorial, item of clothing, word/phrase, etc. that points to instances of systemic racism in the past or present? What is a sign that points to anti-racist precedents in the past and/or emancipatory possibilities for the future?
 
In the days leading up to the roundtable, the Social Studies Division invites all Bard community members (students, staff, and faculty) to send photos, videos, audio recordings, and other documents of systemic racism and anti-racism to readingthesigns@bard.edu.
 
All contributions must be accompanied by a brief written statement (anything from a few sentences to a substantial paragraph) that provides initial context, explanation, and interpretation.
 
The roundtable will feature many of these contributions, which can be made anonymous upon request. The Division of Social Studies will also maintain an online archive of signs that will be available to Bard community members before and after the event.

Join via Zoom 
Meeting ID: 863 8920 3500
Passcode: 583480


Friday, September 25, 2020
Lieutenant Colonel Mark Visger 
Associate Professor and Academy Professor, Army Cyber Institute 
United States Military Academy, West Point 
 

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm EST/GMT-5
Professor Visger will be joining Laura Ford’s Legal Practices & Civil Society (Sociology 305) class, an Engaged Liberal Arts and Sciences (ELAS) class. Visitors are welcome to join by zoom, using the zoom link provided below. Join via ZoomProfessor Visger will mainly be speaking with us about the international law framework that governs cybercrime, with a focus on the Mueller indictment of Russian hackers, who were charged with conspiracy in connection with the 2016 hack of DNC computers. We will learn about the Talinn Manual 2.0, a 2017 publication based on the collective work of international law scholars and practitioners, working collaboratively as part of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence Project.

Professor Visger will also speak with us about his legal experience, working as an army lawyer in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) corps, including his experience as a Preliminary Hearing Officer, responsible for recommending legal proceedings in the case of Sergeant Beaudry Robert (“Bowe”) Bergdahl, a U.S. soldier captured by the Taliban in 2009 and held captive until 2014.

Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl’s case garnered considerable attention, forming the basis for Season 2 of the Serial Podcast. For those interested in learning more about the case, Professor Visger has recommended the Wikipedia page, as a good summary, including links to the Preliminary Hearing transcript. Based on his review of the evidence, Professor Visger recommended a Special Court Martial, a legal proceeding with less punitive consequences, relative to a General Court Martial. Professor Visger’s recommendation was rejected, however, and Bergdahl’s case went forward as a General Court Martial proceeding, one that garnered high levels of political attention, including from President Trump. In late 2017, Bergdahl pled guilty to charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. He was dishonorably discharged from the army and fined, but he did not receive a prison sentence.

Professor Visger has been teaching at West Point Military Academy since 2011. Before joining the faculty at West Point, he served in the following positions:  Chief, Rule of Law, and Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, I Corps, Fort Lewis, Washington and Baghdad, Iraq (2008-2010) Officer-in-Charge, Bamberg Law Center, Bamberg, Germany (2005-2008);  Senior Defense Counsel, Fort Rucker Trial Defense Services (2000-2001);  Chief, International and Operational Law, 10th Mountain Division (Light), Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina (1999-2000) Trial Counsel, Legal Assistance Attorney and Tax Center Officer-in-Charge, Fort Drum, New York (1997-1999). 
Lauraleen Ford is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. 
Topic: Legal Practices & Civil Society
Time: Sep 25, 2020 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) 
Join Zoom Meeting
https://bard.zoom.us/j/91296798196 
Meeting ID: 912 9679 8196
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Thursday, April 2, 2020
Manor House Dining Room  4:00 pm – 5:30 pm EST/GMT-5
Please join Experimental Humanities, Food Lab, and the Human Rights Program for a free lecture and panel discussion between Vivien Sansour, founder of the Palestine Heirloom Seed Library and the Traveling Kitchen, and Ken Greene, founder of the Hudson Valley Seed Company and Seedshed, a local nonprofit dedicated to seed stewardship literacy that promotes social justice solutions. 

Free lecture, 4:00–5:30 pm.
Ticketed dinner workshop, 6:00–8:00 pm.
RSVPs required.
annandaleonline.org/eatinghistoriesdinner


Thursday, February 27, 2020
Reem-Kayden Center Laszlo Z. Bito '60 Auditorium  6:00 pm – 8:00 pm EST/GMT-5
Charlene Teters, who received death threats for trying to retire racist sports team mascots at the University of Illinois, will speak following the showing of the award-winning PBS documentary about her—In Whose Honor?


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