Society And Culture

During the spring 2023 semester, students worked on The Musicians in Nashville project, along with the Data Science Team and the Arts and Business Council of Greater Nashville to create a user interface for survey data of Nashville musicians. The goals of the project were to understand the economic circumstances of working artists and creative entrepreneurs in Greater Nashville, considering inflation, supply chain issues, and broader economic factors. Read More

A new co-edited volume by Vanderbilt researchers is a tribute to the late Katie Geneva Cannon, who in 1974 became the first African American woman ordained in the United Presbyterian Church. Cannon’s work lays the groundwork for continued discussions on moral thought among scholars today.   Read More

Women’s autonomy is a multi-dimensional concept that includes the ability to participate in economic and familial decisions, be involved in a community, and be free from actual or threatened violence. Under this definition, protests against femicide functionally demand greater women’s autonomy. This Insights report seeks to understand key predictors of support for women’s autonomy to better understand the context in which protests for greater autonomy occur. Read More

The research of New Testament scholar Richard Batey, BD'58, PhD'61, into the ancient city of Sepphoris in Galilee broadens ideas about Jesus and gives a new perspective for understanding the Gospels. Read More

Evelyn J. Patterson The effects of racism and sexism lead to higher maternal mortality rates among Black women in the U.S. than previously realized, according to new research from Associate Professor of Sociology and Law Evelyn J. Patterson at Vanderbilt University. Even after controlling… Read More

Science’s influence on pop culture is undeniable, and the reverse is equally important. Research led by Jay Clayton, the first literature professor to ever receive funding from the NIH, shows that films portray genetic science as risky far more often than television shows. Read More

Vanderbilt Blair creates Curso Virtual de Dirección de Banda, a remote learning program for music directors in Latin America that covers instrument pedagogy, conducting techniques and other topics in band direction. Read More

Vanderbilt Divinity School will host the third part of a series exploring the realities of the Asian and Asian American diaspora on May 12 the with a 6 p.m. CT film screening and talkback about the documentary film "Far East Deep South." Read More

Holly McCammon, Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair and professor of law and sociology, shares how a partnership with the Data Science Institute shaped her research on court cases that consider women and the law. Read More

Assistant Professor of History of Art Rebecca VanDiver focuses her research on African American artists—particularly Black female artists of the 20th century. In the classroom, she presents art history not only as a discipline that allows for a study of the history of artistic movements and style, but also as a lens to study culture and history. Read More

In a new study published in "Social Psychology Quarterly," Lijun Song, associate professor of sociology in Vanderbilt University’s College of Arts and Science, examines how the theories of “social capital” and “social cost” predict an individual’s life satisfaction. Read More

A new study sheds new light on the challenges facing African American women. More than half of all African American women in the United States report having at least one family member who is incarcerated, causing higher levels of depressive symptoms and psychological distress than previously understood. Read More

The holidays can be stressful - between wrapping presents, overeating, reflecting on the past year, and shopping for presents - there is a lot to deal with. But many of these common issues can be explained (and combated) with science. Read what our Vanderbilt researchers have to say about these common holiday stressors. Read More

A massive shift in production models by American automakers to limit the impact of labor unions may have unintentionally stifled innovation and led to the present decline of the U.S. auto industry, according to new research by Joshua Murray. Read More

In 2016, a surprising decline in life expectancy was ascribed to "deaths of despair" among working-class middle-aged white men displaced by a changing economy. However, new research shows indicators of despair are rising among Americans approaching middle age regardless of race, education and gender. Read More

Public policies rooted in racial resentment can carry grave consequences for health and well-being, according to new research by Vanderbilt psychiatrist and sociologist Jonathan Metzl. Read More

New insights into how disease and impurity were viewed in first-century Jewish society suggests scholars may need to reevaluate how they interpret Jesus' interaction with people affected by leprosy. Read More

We’re more likely to overeat when we only have a little bit of food left over, and we justify it by convincing ourselves it’s not as unhealthy as it is, according to new research by marketing professor Kelly Haws. Read More

New research by Lijun Song suggests that knowing high-status people may not always be good for your health--but it depends on how economically unequal your country is. Read More

Reminding people that nobody has all the answers and everyone has something to contribute can reduce racial inequality and improve outcomes in group projects, according to new research by sociologist Bianca Manago. Read More