Hello everybody!
I hope you had a wonderful summer. Paoyi and I are launching this newsletter for all the sociology professors at BMCC, just to give some ideas, share some news and resources, or spark some conversations. It will be a three-times-per-semester installment, and this is just a pilot. Please send us your feedback, and we will try to improve as we go. Also, we expect it to be a summary of ideas from all the faculty who are willing to share, so feel free to do it!
Podcast for your commute
How long is your commute to BMCC? If you want to listen to a podcast while commuting, this would be a very good option. The people from Sage Publications chat with the authors of the papers they published, so it is like an audiopaper. I particularly liked the one about the sociology of gaslighting.
A potential field trip
The Whitney Museum always reflects on American society through the arts. We all know that students can be reluctant to traditional exhibitions, so this fall, Edges of Ailey can be a great field trip for them. This show explores in a more dynamic way (literally, as there are dance moves involved) the impact of the ballet company Alvin Ailey, which debunked the notion of white-centered ballet but also embraced queerness and non-normative realities in the company. I would also like to take this opportunity to remind you about the wonderful perks of our CUNY IDs through the CUNY Arts program. Don’t forget to mention that to your students!
A good movie to apply the sociological imagination
Many of us start our intro courses with concepts that sociologists from previous generations developed, but some of these concepts may not be accessible to our students. If you want to illustrate the conversation about alienation, anomie and, of course, make them apply the sociological imagination, this is a good movie to do it. “Sorry We Missed You” is about a worker of an Amazon-like company. It covers relatable and contemporary issues. It is also a good idea to introduce them to one of the most socially aware filmmakers, Ken Loach, and the wonderful Kanopy database.
An activity on campus
Sometimes we overlook what we have right in front of our eyes, and this semester will be, of course, shaped (or devoured) by the elections. If we are going to discuss democracy, let’s go back to the beginning of it and ask ourselves: Do you know about your constitutional rights? Stop by the table near Room S-343 to teach students about this document that was revolutionary in 1787 and still greatly affects our lives today. Kudos to Student Affairs for this initiative, which will run from September 12 to September 25.
Book of the month
I’ve been recommending this book by Alana S. Portero to all my Spanish-speaking colleagues, and now it is finally translated and published in the U.S. “La mala costumbre (Bad Habit)” intersects trans identities and social class in a heart-wrenching (but still immensely beautiful) journey. Unexpectedly, pop singer Dua Lipa (!!) became so obsessed with this book that she invited the author to her podcast. More importantly, Alana S. Portero is scheduled to be at BMCC later in October as part of the Feria Internacional del Libro de New York, organized by the CUNY Institute of Mexican Studies.
That’s it for now! I am looking forward to hearing from you, I am open to adding other suggestions, and feel free to comment below so you can enrich this newsletter.
Have a wonderful semester everybody!
