Department of Sociology & Crime, Law and Justice

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Dr. Roger Finke Received Distinguished Article Award

Distinguished Article Award From American Sociological Association

Brian J. Grim (Pew Forum on Public Life) and Roger Finke (Pennsylvania State University), "Religious Persecution in Cross-National Context: Clashing Civilizations or Regulated Religious Economies?" American Sociological Review, 2007, Vol 72: 633-658.
Committee: Kelly Chong (chair), Korie Edwards, Brad Christerson

 

Dr. Gordon Dejong’s Family Demography Training Grant approved for continued funding

Gordon F. De Jong, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Demography and Director of the Graduate Program in Demography was recently notified by NIH/NICHD that the Family Demography training grant he directs has been approved for continued funding for the 2009-2014 period. This is the third consecutive five-year competitive training grant awarded by NIH for demography training at Penn State. This grant supports four predoctoral and one postdoctoral trainee in family demography per year. De Jong's current research program focuses on the redistribution of immigrants to new destinations within the U.S., on the access to health care by children of immigrants, and on the health inequalities of elderly immigrants. He recently held NSF and NICHD research grants to study the impact of welfare reform on the internal migration, work, and family transitions of poor families.

 

Spring 2009 Commencement

Congratulations to the class of 2009! On Saturday May 16, 2009, nearly 7,000 students proudly received baccalaureate degrees from Penn State, University Park. Among those students were 175 new graduates of the Crime, Law and Justice program and 40 new graduates from the Sociology program. Representing Crime, Law and Justice this year were Faculty Marshal Jeff Ulmer (Crime, Law and Justice) and Student Marshal Tal Meirson. Sociology was represented by Faculty Marshal Laurie Scheuble and Student Marshal Valerie Byer. In addition to the baccalaureate degrees, 5 students from the Sociology and Crime, Law and Justice program received masters degrees, while 4 students earned doctoral degrees. Prior to the commencement ceremony, the department hosted an outdoor reception for the graduates and their families.

 

 

USA Today Cites Dr. Paul Amato for Cover Story

Dr. Paul Amato has been cited by USA Today for his research on healthy marriages. This article is in response to the news that the federal government is funding a $5 million national media campaign that launches this month, extolling the virtues of marriage for those ages 18 to 30. Dr. Amato states that one shouldn't underestimate the benefits of marriage. Research suggests that benefits such as better health, greater wealth and more happiness accompany marriage. For the complete article, please visit http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-02-17-marriage-campaign_N.htm?POE=click-refer

This is the second time that Dr. Amato has been cited in USA Today. His research was also noted in the article entitled Married Couples Who Play Together Stay Together, published on 7/15/2008. Dr. Amato's book Alone Together: How Marriage in America is Changing was cited for the data which demonstrates how marital interaction has declined over the past 20 years. For the full article, please visit http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-11-09-delayed-marriage_N.htm

 

Dr. Jeff Ulmer named a Nonresident Fellow of the Baylor Institute for the Study of Religion

Jeffery Ulmer has recently been named a Nonresident Fellow of the Baylor Institute for the Study of Religion. Jeffery is working with a team of scholars from Baylor University and Purdue University on a long-range, multifaceted project on the effect of religion and spirituality on delinquency and prosocial behavior.

 

Dr. Alan Sica to Edit Contemporary Sociology

Alan Sica to edit Contemporary Sociology : CS was founded in 1972, and is the book-review journal of the American Sociological Association, appearing six times a year with a subscription list of about 4000 scholars and institutions worldwide. CS constitutes a unique self-portrait of how book-oriented sociologists have occupied themselves over the last generation. It became a bellwether for the discipline shortly after its appearance and has become the most important venue for book reviews, review-essays, and review symposia for books by sociologists and/or which pertain to sociological interests, broadly defined. The journal has been headquartered in the past at NYU, UCSD, Texas, Connecticut, Minnesota, Arizona, Duke, NC State, UMass, Purdue, and most recently at UC/Irvine before moving to Penn State. Alan Sica is the first solo editor in the last 11 years, preceded by three sets of editorial teams. Two graduate students in the Penn State sociology program are the journal's Assistant Editors.

 

Lost Faculties Performs At THON

Lost Faculties, Oswald Tower’s top rock band, played for THON on Saturday, February 21, 2009. Members of our faculty band include Wayne Osgood (guitar), Paul Amato (guitar and keyboard), Sam Richards (drums), Rich Felson (bass and harmonica), and Rich's wife Sharon on vocals. The band played many oldies, but goodies, including "Blue Suede Shoes," "Wooley Bully," and "Great Balls of Fire." Check out the video of the band playing at THON.