What sub-category of sociology would I fall into + recommended Sociological readings

[mfafiction2019]

Hi everyone! I come from Anthropology (clearly Sociocultural, which in many places, including the place where I did my undergrad, is put together in the same department as Sociology - I technically have a B.A. in "Sociology/Anthropology, Emphasis in Anthropology") but I'm interested in perhaps doing a PhD in Sociology, since I've obsessively read the faculty bios on the pages for the Anthro and Soc departments for many of the top Anthro and Soc PhD programs and have come to the conclusion that people in Sociology have research interests more aligned with my own (right now I'm in a masters program in Social Anthropology abroad - I have very specific academic reasons for this, as well as for doing it in the country where I'm doing it - doing fieldwork for my eventual masters thesis, which will be essentially an ethnography of political activism in a particular university in the country where I'm studying, mainly from the point of view of one political group (my "informants," so to speak). We study traditional anthropological theorists but we also spend quite a bit of time on people like Durkheim and Bourdieu. Also in this program, there are a ton of people who come from Sociology, like who did their undergraduate degree in Sociology and who now have crossed over to Anthropology).

So I guess my question is, where would I fall (with my academic background) in Sociology and especially, Sociology in the US (Sociology in the country where I'm studying appears to be way more theoretically oriented and quite Marxist in its orientation)? Definitely on the more qualitative side of things, though I'm not opposed to quant research either (stats is the only type of math I actually like and am good at, as shown by the A I got in the required stats course for my undergrad major). Also I'm not opposed to more "big picture" or macro-type research either (though I know Anthro is very micro and small community oriented). My research interests include political activism and social movements (obviously), but any and everything having to do with higher education as well (both abroad and in the US). I know that social movements and activism are big in Sociology but is my background too Anthropological/qualitative for most US Soc programs (since I see a lot of emphasis placed on quant methods and research)? Also what readings would you all recommend for me to like "get my knowledge level up to par" in my area of interest in Sociology? I'm on vacation now from my masters program so I have plenty of time to read interesting stuff!

Thanks in advance!!

ETA: I'm at least a year away from applying to PhD programs, but if any of you know of any Soc programs that would fit my stated interests, I'd love to know them (I have a few ideas, but I'd just be curious to see if they get validated lol).

Edited January 27, 2016 by nywnorb120191

[MaxWeberHasAPosse]

I'd need you to be more specific about what your interests are. Social movements, activism, and higher education are so broad and general. But off the top of my head, UCSD is a great place for social movements, political sociology, and higher education (they have Amy Binder). 

[s0ciology1992]

https://new.oberlin.edu/dotAsset/4502134.pdf

[MaxWeberHasAPosse]

?

[s0ciology1992]

If you wish to mobilize your anthropology background, I encourage you to look at departments with strengths across the sociology of social movements, cultural sociology and ethnography. 

Yale, might be a good fit for you - http://sociology.yale.edu/academics/faculty-concentrations/political-sociology-and-social-movements

 

[mfafiction2019]

40 minutes ago, MaxWeberHasAPosse said:

I'd need you to be more specific about what your interests are. Social movements, activism, and higher education are so broad and general. But off the top of my head, UCSD is a great place for social movements, political sociology, and higher education (they have Amy Binder). 

w/r/t Social Movements, I'm mostly interested in youth or student-oriented movements. And w/r/t/ higher ed, I'm mostly interested in access to and democratization of higher ed, as well as socialization of university students in particular higher ed environments/within different models of higher education. For example, in the country where I'm currently living/studying, public undergraduate education is tuition-free and the only admissions requirement is a high school diploma (grades don't matter) and public universities are considered the best/most rigorous universities (it sounds really strange, but it's true), yet they remain out of reach for a lot of poorer or working class people and the political movements within the public colleges have as a big part of their activism attempting to remedy this (so that would be something I'd be interested in researching the reasons why possibly).

Hope that helped some!

Edited January 27, 2016 by nywnorb120191

[s0ciology1992]

Ah, I see... I've worked with Sara - she might be a good place to start exploring (given your particular interests above): http://ssc.wisc.edu/soc/faculty/show-person.php?person_id=370

[s0ciology1992]

Also, side note, but not really...  you mentioned youth organizing and student-oriented movements. I love this book... it's not so much sociology of social movement-y kinda book, but rather leans more towards critical race theory and a Foucauldian approach to studying self and subjectivity as shaped by new modes of racialized power and control (control and power being important aspects of contemporary social movements).  https://www.dukeupress.edu/uncivil-youth/?viewby=title

[qeta]

Berkeley might be a good fit for you. I know a few of Kim Voss's students and they work on a wide variety social movements (feminist movements, the Occupy movement in the US, etc.). I would also take a look at the research projects done by students (mostly soc and anthro folks) associated with the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues (ISSI). I did a workshop there last year on ethnographic methods and it was a great experience. I've also learned a ton from attending ISSI events this past year. I'm like you and am switching from political science to sociology, so feel free to PM if you want to chat. I'd love to commiserate about switching disciplines.

[faculty]

Many students enter sociology programs with backgrounds in other areas. This can make them incredibly well-read and innovative graduate students. It is not generally a drawback. Plus, you're doing your homework to determine how your interests might be realized in sociology, making the move more intentional than some other applicants who might flounder trying to move into sociology. 

As far as topics are concerned, political sociology is at the intersections of your interests, prominent in both the aspects of social movements and of education that you are drawn to. You're also interested in stratification and education's role in reproducing inequality. Finally, you likely want to find a program that had some global expertise, given your experience and interest in cross-national variation.

In addition to the schools mentioned, you might explore Indiana, NYU, and UC-Irvine, and perhaps Northwestern and Notre Dame.

 

[socspice]

In addition to the programs mentioned above, Jennifer Earl at Arizona is currently working on a big youth activism project and so that might be an additional program to consider.

[mfafiction2019]

Oh wow, thank you all so much for your advice/suggestions!

@qeta Berkeley would be like a dream for me (as I'm sure it is for most potential Soc PhD students lol) and I might apply just to see what happens (with the idea of if I don't get in it's not a big deal b/c most people don't get into Berkeley anyway). And yeah, we should definitely chat about interdisciplinary type-stuff!

[qeta]

@nywnorb120191, I'll be sending you a PM. :-) And yeah, I'll totally be applying to Berkeley with full knowledge that I'll be rejected, haha.