On April 20, Department of Sociology faculty, staff, and students celebrated an exciting year of student research and exceptional accomplishments. Graduate and undergraduate student presentations comprised an interesting mix of topics including sex, gender and parenting; the process of punishment; inmates, ex-inmates and professionals; gendered norms and sexual violence; perspectives on drugs, war and relationships; higher education, academic success, and the politics of achievement; international perspectives on democracy, protest and the law; and the politics of consumption. Prior to the keynote address, attendees were welcomed by Gary Oehlert, Associate Dean, College of Liberal Arts. Department Chair, Chris Uggen, announced this year's recipients of the Public Sociology Award: Profs. Lisa Wade (Occidental College) and Gwen Sharp (Nevada State College), the creative masterminds behind Sociological Images: Seeing is Believing, a remarkable blog and website that brings cogent sociological analysis to the pictures of everyday life. In the keynote address, "American's Death Penalty: A Problem for Sociological Explanation," Prof. David Garland (New York University) discussed the American system of capital punishment and how punitive policies in the U.S. differ from policies in other countries. Thank-you to all participants! Congratulations to all award winners!
