Message from the Chair Social Problems Theory News The 2010 SSSP meetings in Atlanta are right around the corner. I grew up in the Atlanta area and am excited to return. I hope to see many of you there. Congratulations to Brian Monahan, the new chair of the Social Problems Theory division. The Theory Division has a terrific set of sessions this year. See pages two and three for more details. On page four, check out the winning papers for this year’s student paper competition. I would like to congratulate Christopher Bail and Lynn Letukas. These students will present their winning papers on Friday, August 13 at 12:30 in Georgia 2. I would like to thank the committee members, Scott Harris (chair), Sara Crawley and Ray Maratea for their work on this committee. This year the division sponsored an outstanding book award. Congratulations to Chad Alan Goldberg. Read more about the winning book, Citizens and Paupers, on page five. I would like to thank Wayne Brekhus (chair) and Donileen Loseke for their work on this committee. Winners of both the student paper award and the outstanding book award will be recognized at the SSSP banquet on Saturday, August 14 at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel. On page six you will see a call for applications for Editor of Social Problems Forum, the SSSP newsletter. Please consider applying. And don’t miss information about a new book series on page seven. Finally, I hope to see many of you at the division business meeting on Saturday, August 14 from 12:30-2:10 in room Georgia 13. Attending the business meeting is the best way to get involved in the division. Here you have the opportunity to suggest sessions for next year, volunteer to organize a session, serve on a paper award committee, and network with other scholars who share your academic interests. Graduate students are especially encouraged to attend—we would love to have your ideas and energy! Lara Foley June 2010 Inside this issue: Message From the Chair 1 Please Contribute to the Newsletter 1 2010 Paper Sessions 2-3 2010 Student Competition 4 2010 Outstanding Book 5 Call for Applications for Editor of Social Problems Forum 6 New Book Series 7 Theory Division Chair 2008-2010 Lara Foley Department of Sociology University of Tulsa Tulsa, OK 74104 918-631-20050 lara-foley@utulsa.edu Society for the Study of Social Problems Summer 2010 2010 Social Problems Theory Division Sessions in Atlanta Page # Page # First Place Prize: Christopher A. Bail, Ph.D. Candidate, Harvard University "How Terrorists Became Racists: Framing, Secrecy, and Leaks in Britain’s Domestic Counter-Terrorism Policy, 2001-2008" Abstract Secrecy allows policy elites to escape public scrutiny, but it also enables them to exert power over each other by leaking classified information. This article explains how leaks constrain the discursive options of policy elites as they frame social problems and legitimate policy solutions. A case study of the evolution of frames about home-grown terrorism in Britain between 2001-2008 illustrates the theory. Although the Labour administration initially articulated a “faith-blind” frame, it eventually announced a “battle of ideas” about Islam in which terrorists were labeled “racists” conducting “anti-Islamic activity.” Content analysis of public and classified documents, in-depth interviews with policy elites, and observation of the policy process are used to identify how leaks shaped these abrupt transitions. The results indicate leaks enable non-state actors to amplify contradictions between the public and secret behavior of the state. Policy elites resolve such contradictions by articulating “syncretic” frames that normalize their secret behavior as part of extant policy frames. Although such frames are publicly coherent, they are secretly understood as haphazard compromises. Because leaks have a cascading effect on the discursive options of elites, policy frames become increasingly detached from the reality of social problems over time. Honorable Mention: Lynn Letukas, University Fellow, University of Delaware "Thanks, But No Thanks:  The Glocalization of Humanitarian Relief Efforts" Abstract In this article, I draw upon the constructionist perspective, globalization and disaster sociology to explore constructions of financial and material assistance following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in donor and recipient nations. Systematic comparative research is needed to understand differences in the claimsmaking process across culturally diverse nations and how these constructions influence the construction of policy outcomes (Best 2008) –reactions to social problems policies-- within each nation. Utilizing media reports of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami (n=1,002) from one donor (United States) and three recipient (India, Indonesia, Thailand) nations over a one year period, findings indicate that cultural, political and historical context (heavily) influence how donor and recipient nations evaluate relief. These results suggest that scholars should move beyond comparative constructions of Western nations and think systematically about the ‘glocalization’ of social problems construction. Thanks to committee members: Scott Harris (chair), Sara Crawley, and Ray Maratea. 2010 Student Competition Winners Page # Page # Saturday, August 14,  2:30 PM - 4:10 PM Session 64: Suffering as Social Problem, Suffering as Sociological Problem Room: Georgia 9 Sponsor: Social Problems Theory Organizer: Jared Del Rosso, Boston College “When Talking Makes You Sick: Methodological and Ethical Dilemmas in Interviewing Individuals with Anxiety Disorders,” Jennifer J. Esala, University of New Hampshire “Rape as a Traumatic Experience: Applying Crisis and Cumulative Adversity Theories,” Carolyn Sloane Sawtell, University of West Georgia “When Masculinity Meets its Match: Marx, Minds, and the Mighty NFL,” Bette Eulalie Avila, Michigan State University “Indirect Health Consequences of War: Cardiovascular Disease,” Daniel Poole, University of Utah “Violence and the Visual Encounter: Reflections on the Photographs from Abu Ghraib,” Jared Del Rosso, Boston College A new series from Lynne Rienner Publishers Social Problems, Social Constructions Series Editors: Joel Best, University of Delaware Scott R. Harris, Saint Louis University How and why do some issues become social problems? How does media coverage shape our understanding of social issues? How do particular social policies emerge, and once they are in place, how are they implemented? Books in this new series will critically examine the subjective processes that turn social conditions into social problems. Collectively, the series will reflect the ability of the constructionist approach to transform the sociological study of social problems. We are seeking fresh, provocative manuscripts addressing the social construction of social problems, including—but not limited to—projects relating to themes of race, class, gender, and crime. To discuss a possible book project or submit a proposal, please contact the series editors: Professor Joel Best Professor Scott R. Harris Department of Sociology Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice and Criminal Justice University of Delaware Saint Louis University 322 Smith Hall 3750 Lindell Boulevard Newark, DE 19716-2580 St. Louis, MO 63103 Tel: (302) 831-8225 Phone: (314)-977-2190 Email: joelbest@udel.edu Email: harriss3@slu.edu From the cover: “There was a time when America’s poor faced a stark choice between access to social welfare and full civil rights—a predicament that forced them to forfeit their citizenship in exchange for economic relief. Over time our welfare system improved dramatically. But as Chad Alan Goldberg here demonstrates, its legacy of disenfranchisement has persisted. Indeed, from Reconstruction onward, welfare policies have remained a flashpoint for recurring struggles over the boundaries of citizenship. Citizens and Paupers explores this contentious history by analyzing and comparing three major programs: the Freedman’s Bureau, the Works Progress Administration, and the present-day system of workfare. Each of these overhauls of the welfare state created new groups of clients, new policies for aiding them, and new disputes over citizenship—conflicts that were entangled in racial politics and of urgent concern for social activists. This combustible mix of racial tension and social reform continues to influence how we think about welfare, and Citizens and Paupers is an invaluable analysis of the roots of the debate.” Thanks to committee members: Wayne Brekhus (chair), Donileen Loseke, and Lara Foley 2010 Outstanding Book Award Call for Applications Editor, Social Problems Forum The Newsletter of SSSP The Editorial and Publications Committee of the Society for the Study of Social Problems is seeking applications for the position of Editor of the Society’s newsletter, Social Problems Forum. The Editor’s three-year term will begin following publication of the last issue of Volume 41 in the fall of 2010. Members of SSSP are encouraged to apply for the position and/or nominate colleagues who are (or will become) members. The Newsletter has become a vital means of communication among SSSP members. Among other items, it includes official reports and announcements of the Society; exchanges between members; and special features, such as book reviews and debates. Beginning with Volume 42 in winter of 2011, the Newsletter is expected to be available in electronic format only. The Newsletter Editor will thus have the freedom to exercise considerable creativity in producing the Newsletter and may include video and audio clips in each issue. The Board of Directors of the Society wishes to ensure that the Newsletter remains an effective vehicle for generating interest and involvement in the Society, for facilitating communication across Divisions and among the membership, and for providing service to the Divisions and the members. The Newsletter Editor is responsible for preparing three newsletters per year (winter, summer, and fall). The Society provides a stipend for the Editor and a budget to pay for preparation expenses and a student assistant. Additional support from the host institution, including office space, a computer and other equipment is expected; release time is desirable. Because the Editor must coordinate with the Administrative Office and with officers of the Society and Division chairs, she/he must be able to work well with others. Familiarity with the operation of the Society is highly desirable. Individuals interested in applying for the editorship should submit their curriculum vitae with a cover letter detailing their relevant experience, the support their institution is willing to provide, and a proposed budget not to exceed $12,000 per calendar year. Letters from the applicant’s department chair, dean, or other authorized university administrator confirming specific institutional support should also be included. Please direct all questions, nominations, expressions of interest, and application materials to: Claire Renzetti, Chair, SSSP Editorial and Publications Committee, Email: Claire.Renzetti@notes.udayton.edu. All applications should be submitted electronically. Deadline for applications is July 1, 2010. Page 5 Page 6 Please Contribute to the Newsletter Submissions of all sorts are welcome! From comments and calls for papers, to brief analyses and critiques related to Social Problems Theory. Let us know your reactions to this newsletter, the events at the annual meetings, or inform us of your new work so we can help spread the word. Send submissions to: Brian Monahan at bmonahan@iastate.edu Friday, August 13,  12:30 PM - 2:10 PM Session 18: Student Award Winning Papers I Room: Georgia 2 Organizer: Glenn W. Muschert, Miami University Discussant: Henry H. Brownstein, NORC at the University of Chicago “How Terrorists Became Racists: Framing, Secrecy, and Leaks in Britain’s Domestic Counter-Terrorism Policy, 2001-2008,” Christopher Bail, Harvard University, 1st place Winner of the Social Problems Theory Division’s Student Paper Competition “Thanks, But No Thanks: The Glocalization of Humanitarian Relief Efforts,” Lynn Letukas, University of Delaware, Honorable Mention, Social Problems Theory Division’s Student Paper Competition Friday, August 13, 4:30 PM - 6:10 PM Session 36: Solutions and Theory for Social Problems in and out of the Classroom Room: Georgia 2 Sponsors: Social Problems Theory Teaching Social Problems Organizer & Presider: Sara Towe Horsfall, Texas Wesleyan University “Practicing is Better than Listening: Connecting Problem-Based Learning with Current Social Issues in Korea,” Changdeog Huh, Department of Sociology, Yeungnam University, South Korea “Translating Social Research for Social Justice: Giving Translational Research an Equity Focus Rather Than a Market Focus,” Stephen Edward McMillin, University of Chicago “Normative Work in an Online Frontier: Cyberbullying and the Negotiation of Social Order in Cyberspace,” Brian Monahan, Iowa State University and R.J. Maratea, New Mexico State University “Understanding Advocate Groups,” Sara Towe Horsfall, Texas Wesleyan University Sunday, August 15,  8:30 AM - 10:10 AM Session 85: Animals and the Environment: Inequalities and Social Justice Theory Room: Georgia 5 Sponsors: Poverty, Class, and Inequality Social Problems Theory Organizer: Anthony J. Nocella, II, SUNY Cortland Discussant: John C. Alessio, Minnesota State University, Mankato “Green Crime, Green Security, and Critical Animal Studies: Alliance Politics and Intersectionality,” Anthony J. Nocella, II, SUNY Cortland “Interspecies Education For Humans, Animals, and the Earth: Expanding the Connections,” Julie R. Andrzejewski, St. Cloud State University “Remake or Sequel?: Reflections on the Replacement of the Shark in Damien Hirst’s The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living,” Avi Brisman, Emory University “The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) and the Assault on Academic Freedom and Communities of Resistance,” David N. Pellow and Scott DeMuth, University of Minnesota Congratulations to Chad Alan Goldberg, winner of the 2010 Social Problems Theory Division Book Award. Dr. Goldberg is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The winning book is titled Citizens and Paupers: Relief, Rights, and Race, from the Freedmen’s Bureau to Workfare. It was published in 2007 by the University of Chicago Press.