Sociology Newsletter -- Fall 2019

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Contemplating Resilience
Connect with Us
Course Bio: Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
Get to Know Our Faculty: Isais Wellington Smith
Meet an Alum: Angela Sastry
Graduate Student Showcase: Amy Yates
Thinking about Sociology: Books You May Enjoy

Contemplating Resilience

I’ve been thinking a little about the word resilience, a buzzword in places like managementparenting and education

I like the word resilience for a number of reasons.  

First, linguistically, the word is mellifluous and has a sweet harmony. See how the “s” becomes a “z” and then floats easily into the “l” which unfolds gently into the “nce?”   

Second, I like the meaning of the word, “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties,” according to the New Oxford Dictionary. Who doesn’t like the idea of bouncing back from adversity? Visually, the image is captivating, like one of those bobo dolls being punched and then popping back up. And, the story of resilience—the one where the underdog rises to the challenge with tremendous grace and success—is exciting and fulfilling.

What causes me discomfort with the word, however, is that often times resilience asks us to focus our attention on the individual. The management link above, a Harvard Business Review article, for example, says that resilience embodies three characteristics: acceptance of reality, belief that life is meaningful and ability to think creatively. Resilience, then, becomes a characteristic of a person.

It worries me that such a definition harkens back to the historical myth of Horatio Alger, the fictional character asked to pull himself up by his bootstraps. Again, we are asking that individuals pull themselves up, but this time with resilience. We may be providing people with the bootstrap and teaching them to use it, and the bootstrap may even be adjustable, but all the same we are gazing at the individual for the pop-up rather than making sense of how systems and individuals interact and connect.

Resilience is also tricky because even though the word is meant to convey something positive—a trait that can be cultivated and therefore used for good. The truth is that resilience can easily be turned into a moral judgement, as in, “We gave her lots of opportunities, but she’s just not resilient.”

I find it interesting that it’s so difficult to create buzzwords, simple concepts like resilience, that help us imagine reality more fully, words that acknowledge the symbiotic relationship between systems in society and individuals. Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, tried to create such a word with the verb “interbeing”, a state of interdependence and connection.  Interbeing is meant to replace the verb “to be”, as in, “I interam with you” versus I “am” with you. Interbeing acknowledges that people cannot exist outside their worldly relationships.  

Perhaps instead of resilience, a new buzzword could be inter-silience, defined as changing systems (like education, healthcare, criminal justice system and the economy), so that individuals have the greatest opportunity to bounce back in the face of adversity. So, for example, our healthcare system needs some “inter-silience” so that individuals have access and can become more present for their families and more productive workers. Or, the criminal justice system requires some inter-silience so that there is no more differential treatment of people by race, gender and class and the weight of such differences reduces economic and emotional harm. 

There are organizations currently working under the model of inter-silience. For example, Impact Justice is trying to reform the criminal justice system by “changing hearts and minds, behaviors and structures.” 

Yet such concepts, like inter-silience, have less traction than words that focus on individuals. Maybe words that focus on the individual are more attractive because changing systems is enormous and extremely difficult, if not impossible, in some cases. And perhaps, if we can’t change systems, we can offer concepts, like resilience, for those caught underneath the boots of systems.  

My worry though is that if we hook our answers onto concepts that gaze down at the individual rather than the inter-silience of systems and individuals, we will not soften the lives of the people who experience the most harm. Rather, we may dig more into the updated story of a Horatio Alger.

I’m curious what you think.

Linda Markowitz, PhD
Chair and Professor, Sociology

Connect with Us

Alumni, what are you doing now? What is happening in your lives? We would love to hear from you and possibly feature you in future newsletters. Please email Linda Markowitz to connect!

Course Bio: Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

Megan Arnett graduated with her Master's several years ago. Megan is passionate about sociology and a dedicated professor. We are very excited to have her as an instructor this year.

For me, teaching courses on racial justice can be simultaneously the most demanding and the most rewarding aspect of my academic curriculum. In courses related to racial justice, I may have any number of learning goals, such as: to increase empathy, to challenge misconceptions, to develop tools for productive dialogue, to cultivate analytic skills, or to expand theoretical perspectives.

One way that I have incorporated an assessment that encourages engagement, attention to students’ interests and passions in the course content and participation in their learning design is through Photovoice as a teaching tool. Photovoice embraces visual methods, including photography, as a means to create knowledge and convey understanding. Visual methods have tremendous potential both inside and outside of the classroom. The use of visual representation and visual imagery can give a strong insight into wider cultural perceptions. Visual representations provide students with views of how things are or should be when furthering understanding of various social issues related to racial justice. Photovoice enables students to share their stories by taking photographs or using stock photo images. Students curate images that most accurately reflect the issues, explaining what the photographs mean, and identifying themes and theories that appear throughout the images. Using Photovoice as a method of assessment has allowed students to utilize photography as a way to attach imagery to lived experiences giving them unique insight into current social issues. Photovoice presents them with an opportunity to explore ideas and create their meaning through active engagement and the application of knowledge.

Get to Know Our Faculty: Isais Wellington Smith

Isais Wellington Smith, PhD, is one of our new assistant professors this year, along with Corey Stevens, PhD. He came from the University of Missouri Columbia and specializes in sociology of sport. We are so lucky to have this native Californian at SIUE. In this interview, we get to know Dr. Smith a little more.

Our alumni are probably going to be very excited about your research on boxing. Can you tell us about findings that most excite you?

Some of my most significant findings have stemmed from the relationships that I have developed with elite professional coaches, boxers and managers within the boxing community. As an amateur boxer for over 15 years, I have been fortunate enough to see some amateur athletes and coaches transition into professional boxing, thereby rearranging their identities and roles to fit larger responsibilities. Along the way, I have been able to take on a cornerman role and become heavily involved in strategy, training and exercise, while invested heavily in the researcher role (also being attentive to my own changing identity in the field). It was these experiences that led me to become interested in symbolic interactions of style, performances of race and/or ethnicity, and coaching strategies. I especially love doing ethnographic research because it has created some very valuable friendships along with some very rich knowledge to enhance the field of sociology. 

Sociology was not your first career. I believe you first worked in social work. Can you tell us what brought you to sociology?

Well, I was a sociology major as an undergrad at UC Riverside. I actually met my mentor and advisor, Dr. Scott Brooks, as an undergrad and kept that relationship as I began to transition from student to professional. My love for boxing never changed, and I found myself just attracted to reading some sociology works on boxing, which is still severely understudied today. I found myself in disagreement with some of the work done on boxing and thought that my experiences would be good additions to the sociology of sport. I was encouraged to apply to schools, read more, and write about some of my experiences in the gym. As I started to become more observant of the boxing culture, traditions, and people involved in the sport, I started to fall in love with sociology all over again. I will always have a special place in my heart for social work, but I was always drawn to sociology and am here to stay.

I know you’re originally from California. We don’t have mountains, beaches or balmy weather, though there are things to love about the Midwest. What do you love?

Well, so far it has been a learning experience for me, especially the winters. But, I do love the four seasons. I think Fall is arguably the most beautiful season of the Midwest with its vibrant colors of green, yellow, orange and red. I always say, back home in California we only have two seasons, spring and summer. Here in the Midwest, the four seasons are gorgeous. The weather is always unpredictable, but some of the images and sights are amazing. I also like the people. So far, everyone has been very kind and willing to give me some areas to check out and explore. I also love the sports scene. People seem to love their hockey, baseball, basketball, football, and other sports. Being a huge Dodger fan, I catch a bit of hell from people, but it is always fun interactions and a great time. The Midwest is starting to grow on me big time.  

Meet an Alum: Angela Sastry

Meet an Alumni: Angela Sastry

BA Sociology, 1999
MA Sociology, 2005
Owner, DynamicWorks Wellness Center Webster Groves, Mo.

I was always fascinated by human behavior and curious to understand the motives behind the structure of society. After taking my first sociology course, I fell in love. Sociology provided me with the deep insight for which I had been searching. I took every course offering available, and I attempted to get involved in a variety of campus actives. It was an exciting time. Earning a master’s in sociology was one of the more exhilarating and personally fulfilling periods of my life. I credit much of that experience to the sociology professors who brought heaps of passion and tons of compassion to the classroom.

Through my studies in sociology, I was able to develop a practical understanding of social problems, marriage and family, economics, deviance and social control, along with gender, race and ethnic relations.  This knowledge prepared me for a decade of work in social services, where I could apply this awareness to help people navigate systems. After years of impacting change at the systems level, I went back to school for a counseling degree with the desire to support individuals on their wellness journey. I am currently enjoying a career as a licensed professional counselor with a private practice in Webster Groves, Missouri.  

As the owner and founder of DynamicWorks Wellness Collective, I incorporate sociological philosophies and perspectives to provide an integrative, client-centered and culturally sensitive approach to wellness treatment. Along with managing my practice, I stay active in the community as a PRN counselor at my neighborhood hospital and as an adjunct professor at my local community college.  Additionally, I currently serve as board president of the Missouri Mental Health Counselor’s Association.

Sociology helped me better understand myself and my world. Moreover, sociology provided me with the foundation to fulfill my purpose.

Graduate Student Showcase: Amy Yates

Meet a Student

Amy is a first-year graduate student who received the University's prestigious Competitive Graduate Award. Since her undergraduate career, Amy has been working with Frey Spurlock, PhD, associate professor of sociology, on community partnerships.  

I chose to pursue a master’s degree in sociology at SIUE for a multitude of reasons. The main reason comes from personal experiences. I saw the way people in my community were treated and how they suffered. I wanted to do something to help. For the last ten years I have felt a calling, or a pull, to do something to help make the world a better place. I know that by continuing my education and earning a master’s degree I will achieve my goals. 

While I have many areas of interests, my deepest passions are preserving the environment in which people live, work and play. I am focusing my research on environmental policy so that I can improve policies and create a positive effect on surrounding communities. I am also interested in learning more about urban development, and I’d like to bring my passion for people and environment into the urban arena.

Thinking about Sociology: Books You May Enjoy

Fearing the Black Body by Sabrina Strings
The author argues that the contemporary ideal of slenderness is, at its very core, racialized and racist. Indeed, it was not until the early twentieth century, when racialized attitudes against fatness were already entrenched in the culture, that the medical establishment began its crusade against obesity. An important and original work, Fearing the Black Body argues convincingly that fat phobia isn’t about health at all, but rather a means of using the body to validate race, class, and gender prejudice.

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison.

A Mercy by Toni Morrison
A Mercy reveals what lies beneath the surface of slavery. But at its heart, like Beloved, is the ambivalent, disturbing story of a mother and daughter, following a mother who casts off her daughter in order to save her, and a daughter who may never exorcise that abandonment.