sociology

Fully peer-reviewed online journal on the subject of sociology. Special sections and rapid response articles that address key issues in the public arena, are also produced.

This episode of Radio 4's Thinking Allowed series includes a segment on shyness. Susie Scott, Research Associate in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University, spent three years collecting personal stories and accounts of people who see themselves as shy, exploring the social context in which this feeling arises, how it affects our interaction with others, and the way that cultural norms and values shape our perceptions of 'shy' behaviour.

Sarah Cunningham-Burley is Professor of Medical and Family Sociology Public Health Sciences and Co-director of the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships at the University of Edinburgh. She is involved in a range of research, including the Growing Up Scotland cohort study and new qualitative longitudinal study of work and family life. She also conducts research on the social aspects of genetics and stem cell research and is a member of the UK government's Human Genetics Commission.

This episode of Radio 4's Thinking Allowed series includes a segment on gangs and looks at what happens when a violent gang tries to refashion itself as a political movement. David Brotherton, Associate Professor of Sociology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice is co-author of 'The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation: Street Politics and the Transformation of a New York City Gang', an account of his experience of the notorious New York branch of an American super gang and its decision to go straight. He joins Laurie Taylor to discuss. The segment is first in the audio clip.

This episode of Radio 4's Thinking Allowed series includes a segment on sexual tension. Although modern societies seem to be becoming more liberal about sex it appears that at the same time many anxieties remain. Laurie Taylor discusses with Professor Sue Scott why the very subject of sex makes some people feel tense. The segment is second in the audio clip after a discussion on post soviet society and health.

This episode of Radio 4's Thinking Allowed series includes a segment on children and sexuality in the light of the recent Pitcairn case where disclosures of widespread child abuse were pitted against a defence of traditional cultural practices. Laurie Taylor asks if there is such thing as a universal sexual morality particularly concerning children and discusses the construction of childhood and children's sexuality.

This episode of Radio 4's Thinking Allowed series includes a segment on the way in which unwanted acts can become crimes. The relationship between levels of crime and fear of crime continues to exercise academics and policy makers alike. The question is asked if soaring prison populations accurately reflect the former or the latter. Laurie Taylor is joined by Nils Christie, Professor of Criminology at the University of Oslo, who argues that crime is a product of cultural, social and mental processes.

This episode of Radio 4's Woman's Hour series discusses sadness and how well we cope with it. Jenni Murray talks to author and broadcaster, Michael Rosen, about his new picture book in which he describes his sadness about the death of his son. Author and counsellor, Suzy Hayman, joins them to discuss how sadness affects our lives and how we deal with it.

This episode of Radio 4's Thinking Allowed series includes two segments. The first looks at how appropriate a western notion of secularism is in dealing with the complexities of a multi-faith society. Laurie Taylor is joined by Rajeev Bhargava, Professor of Political Science at the University of Delhi and Anshuman Mondal, Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary Literature at the University of Leicester, to debate whether western secularism has outlived its purpose and if anything can be learnt from the Indian model of secularism.

This episode of Radio 4's Thinking Allowed series includes two segments. In the first Laurie Taylor speaks to Dr Laura Piacentini about her new research on imprisonment in Russia which took her to prison colonies where she lived, shared vodka with the prison officers and listened to recitations of Alexander Pushkin's poetry. There, she discovered that contrary to expectations, the Russian penal system allowed prisoners certain freedoms denied them in British jails.