Sociology Ruins Everything

Youth Sports

I know what you might be thinking: Sociology and sports? Remember this podcast is called Sociology Ruins Everything, not Sociology Ruins Some Things. But to be fair, some

Data Science

This month's episode dives into the origins and definitions of the "sexiest job of the 21st century": Data science. I look at the most recent data to uncover how and why

Legend Tripping

What exactly is legend tripping? Is it truly about finding ghosts and cryptids, or is it a ritual designed to create unbreakable social bonds? This month's episode dives

Trust

Happy New Year, listeners! This month's episode deals with trust. When we think of trust, we tend to place this issue within the realm of psychology. It’s often seen as a

Social Robots

The season finale of Sociology Ruins Everything explores the intersection of robotics and reproductive labor, highlighting the potential risks of deploying technology wit

Civic Engagement

You pay your taxes, you vote, and you follow the laws. Does that make you a good citizen? If you said yes, according to a 2019 Pew Center Research survey, most Americans

Wildfires

What can a sociology podcast say about fire? This episode delves into the social and cultural dimensions of fire and the institutions that have changed our relationship w

Puppetry

This month, I want to tell you a story about Concord Park, a suburb of Philadelphia. Concord Park was intentionally designed to combat the systemic forces that fostered s

Unaccompanied Migrant Youth

Sociologist Stephanie Canizales joins the podcast to discuss the complex realities unaccompanied migrant youth face, the factors that lead them to embark on such journeys

Furniture Poverty

Places are unique to us. We become attached to them. And when you ask people to name a place that means a lot to them, there’s a good chance they’ll talk about home. Our

Sociology Goes on Strike

Collective action is the most effective way to bring about social change because it allows people to pool their resources and efforts to achieve a common goal. Strikes ar

Sociology Ruins Reality TV

What if I told you reality TV says a lot about the world around us? I'm sure you're skeptical, but hopefully, this episode will convince you that reality TV is worth payi

Sociology Ruins Silence

Not many people realize institutions and society regulate silence. The noise in our lives, both external and internal, is actually controlled by laws and norms, and that

Sociology Ruins Conspiracy Theories

There are some wild theories about the Denver International Airport. But is it really the headquarters of the Illuminati, guarded by the demonic statue of a blue horse? B

Improv

In the final episode of season one, I enlist the help of Ruth Yamamoto, PhD and certified improv instructor, to explore the role improv can play in improving science comm

Sociology Ruins Bullying

How do we identify bullying and how do sociologists in particular study this phenomenon? This episode looks at the infamous Slap to examine whether bullying goes unrecogn

Sociology Ruins Trauma

The world is a mess, so let's talk about trauma. In this episode, I examine trauma in its many different forms and the ways social structures can create as well as mitiga

Sociology Ruins Don't Look Up

What does Adam McKay's 2021 disaster film Don't Look Up say about the current discourse over climate change? In this episode, I talk with Nik Janos, Associate Professor o

Sociology Ruins Marriage

What is marriage? What are the origins of marriage? What does it mean today? For this episode, I'm joined by Shannon Davis, associate dean for Faculty and Academic Affair

Sociology Ruins Housing

In this episode, I head to California to explore why there isn't enough housing and what the state and activists are doing about it. Joining me are New York Times reporte