Society And Culture

Meet sociology professor Laura Carpenter, Vanderbilt's resident "sexpert." Her research interests include virginity loss and how chronic illness affects the sex lives of patients. Read More

Little-known stories of how Civil War-era Tennesseans lived their lives away from the battlefield are now accessible on the Shades of Gray and Blue website, created through a collaborative effort of Vanderbilt Libraries, Middle Tennessee State University Walker Library and the Center for Historical Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University. Read More

Dale Andrews of Vanderbilt Divinity School is a proponent of social justice, a way of looking at theology that is diametrically opposed to prosperity theology. "Western preaching has gotten so tied up in privilege and power as evidence of God’s faith,” Andrews said. “I am of the opinion that God holds favor with those who are suffering.” Read More

In her interactions with black immigrants over the years, Jemima Pierre said she discovered a surprising sentiment. "They told me, 'I never knew I was black until I came to the U.S.' I found that fascinating." Read More

Stewart, a specialist in the religions and literatures of the Bengali-speaking world, arrives at Vanderbilt with a reputation as a program builder. Read More

Jonathan Metzl was born into medicine but is drawn to the humanities. He’s still insisting on having it both ways. Read More

Americans should embrace the inevitable friction that results from artists doing provocative work and sparking community objections, argues a Vanderbilt University sociologist. Read More

According to a new survey undertaken by sociologists from Vanderbilt University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Tea Partiers are an old movement in new (albeit retro) packaging. Read More

Illegal immigrants are finding it increasingly harder to find work, pay taxes and submit tax returns because of tighter immigration restrictions. Read More

French professor Holly Tucker delves into the fascinating history of blood transfusions Watching the State of the Union address by President George W. Bush in 2006, Holly Tucker was struck by the president’s strong statements about interspecies stem cell research. In the speech, Bush called for “legislation to prohibit the… Read More

Do your children think you work too much and don’t spend enough time with them? If so, their perception could lead to bullying behavior, according to research by Vanderbilt University sociologist Andre Christie-Mizell. “Our behavior is driven by our perception of our world, so if children feel they… Read More

Dr. Jonathan M. Metzl Vanderbilt University’s innovative center that links the study of medicine to other disciplines will be headed by Dr. Jonathan M. Metzl, an expert in American culture, psychiatry and medical humanities. Metzl, currently director of the Program in Culture, Health and Medicine at the University of… Read More

We all know how to spot a macho guy – right? He’s a man’s man with a certain swagger and a way with the ladies. Well, social scientists have a different opinion – one that perpetuates stereotypes about black, Hispanic and certain homosexual men. In social science circles, a… Read More

Nashville Jazz Band, directed by Jim Williamson, performing in Ingram Hall with the Blair Big Band. (Photo credit: Vanderbilt University / Steve Green) Proponents of creating a cultural tax district for Nashville would need to identify community-specific goals that address voters’ shared values and ideals, according to a report prepared… Read More

Torin Monahan, associate professor of human and organizational development and medicine at Vanderbilt University, is available to discuss how and why resistance to surveillance is on the rise in the United States and ways in which surveillance has developed in recent years. Read More

Noted congressional scholar Thomas E. Mann will speak at Vanderbilt University on Oct. 28 about the outlook for the 2010 midterm elections. The public lecture marks the official launch of the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, which is housed within Vanderbilt’s Department of Political Science. Read More

President Barack Obama’s declining approval ratings increase the challenges of keeping his once-lauded “team of rivals” in place through 2012, according to David E. Lewis, professor of political science at Vanderbilt University. Read More

In light of the charges against Bishop Eddie Long, Vanderbilt sociologist Richard Pitt is available for comment to media. Pitt’s research interests include the intersection of sexual identity and religion. He looks specifically at homosexuality and the black church in his papers “Killing the Messenger: Gay Black Men’s Negotiation… Read More

A new report from the National Research Council offers insights into 31 doctoral programs at Vanderbilt University, and finds the programs to be competitive with those at other top research institutions in the United States. The report is based on data collected for the 2005-2006 academic year… Read More

Nashville should seek new public/private partnerships that generate additional revenue sources if the city wants to maximize its economic potential as a sports city, according to a report prepared by the Vanderbilt Center for Nashville Studies. Read More