2012 May | The Socjournal

Personally I’ve never been a big fan of patriotism. I grew up hearing how “our country was the best in the world” but it didn’t take me long to figure out there was some rust on that shiny image. Still, the image was a useful way to shut down debate. “If you don’t like it move somewhere else” is the stock response of the sleeping patriot.

William Hathaway | May 30, 2012 | Comments 0

Here’s a paper by a student in my Sociology 460 class. Great analysis of control strategies, oppression, even deskilling the labour process. There’s also some stuff on panoptic observation and control that would make Foucault proud. All in all an excellent use of the sociological imagination.

Dr. Michael Sosteric | May 22, 2012 | Comments 4

Is our socialization process a process of ideological indoctrination? As part of our socialization we learn “how the world really works.” Our religions teach us of a cosmic “fight” between good and evil, science teaches us about the struggle for survival and “survival of the fittest,” and everybody talks about how its OK for the “winners” to dominate the “losers.” It is all part of the natural (or divine) social order! But is it really, or is it just indoctrination. You be the judge.

Dr. Michael Sosteric | May 22, 2012 | Comments 5

Visualization and imagination create the world. Or, as Dr. Tim says, reality starts with fantasy. Or, as I like to say, as above in consciousness, so below in matter. No where is this more clear than in the area of science fiction where reality consistently lags behind fantasy only by a half century or so.

Timothy McGettigan | May 22, 2012 | Comments 0

Ah school. Frolicking days of care free learning in positive and loving environments right? Guess again. Schools are contested grounds and parents, administrators, and teachers struggle to find equitable, democratic, and positive ways to raise the next generation of citizens. But what does that entail? Better yet, what do we want to teach our children? Do we want to teach them love, acceptance, and tolerance, or do we want to model judgment, punishment, and disdain. Children learn by watching what the adults do so as adults we should be careful what we do to our children.

Dr. Michael Sosteric | May 09, 2012 | Comments 3

A refreshing, thoughtful and historical reading of the dramatic changes sweeping the Arab world.’ Marwan Bishara, senior political analyst, Al Jazeera

Dr. Michael Sosteric | May 01, 2012 | Comments 0