Last Day to Sign Up for the 2020 Virtual Mentor Program – June 30

Today is the last day to sign up to take part in our first ever Virtual Mentor Program. The Virtual Mentor Program is designed to facilitate interaction between new members or graduate students and more experienced members of SSSP. Mentors provide valuable knowledge about the SSSP as well as insight into their own experiences as scholar activists. It is recommended that pairs communicate during the week of the would-be SSSP conference (August 7-9) to schedule at least one virtual meeting. Mentees and mentors can decide after that how they would like to proceed. Although this mentoring program is not designed necessarily to be a long-term commitment, the conversations and connections made through the program sometimes lead to long-term relationships and typically have lasting effects for both mentors and mentees. Click here for more information and to sign up.

06/30/2020, 11:27 AM

Connect with the SSSP on Social Media

Have you liked the SSSP Facebook page and followed us on Twitter yet? Current members can also join our private Facebook Group to engage with other current members. Our social media accounts feature information from the Society as well as relevant news and articles of interest to our members. Connect with us today to stay up to date on all things SSSP!

06/25/2020, 08:42 AM

Virtual Mentor Program—Deadline June 30

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and our concern for the health and safety of our members, the 2020 SSSP Annual Meeting in San Francisco has been cancelled. In lieu of cancelling the Meeting Mentor Program, it was decided to offer a Virtual Mentoring Experience instead.

The Virtual Mentor Program is designed to facilitate interaction between new members or graduate students and more experienced members of SSSP. Mentors provide valuable knowledge about the SSSP as well as insight into their own experiences as scholar activists. Click here to serve as a mentor or to be matched with a mentee.

06/23/2020, 08:31 AM

What Our Members Say

Has the SSSP made a lasting impact in your life? Consider submitting a testimony to be shared on our website by emailing ssspgra@utk.edu. Check out a recent member’s testimony below and visit https://www.sssp1.org/index.cfm/m/576/locationSectionId/0/Member_Testimonials to read what others have to say.

“As an international graduate student, I felt successful in the US through my participation and leadership roles at SSSP. My election as a student rep in the board of directors makes me feel valued by the membership. Other roles, such that of session organizer in the annual meeting, made me feel responsible and trusted by SSSP. I encourage every graduate student to come forward and participate in SSSP to feel welcomed and valued.” - Apoorva Ghosh, University of California, Irvine

06/18/2020, 09:58 AM

2020 Proposed Resolutions

Resolutions constitute an important opportunity for our scholar-activist membership to analyze and offer their opinions on contemporary social problems that we believe the Society should address as a social justice organization. The Board of Directors agreed that all three proposed resolutions would be posted for membership comment.

Between June 15 and July 15, the resolutions will be available for review and comment by the Society’s membership. During this review period, current members can express online, their support or opposition to a resolution, and their reasoning. They can also propose changes to the resolution for the Board of Director's consideration and final disposition. Click here to comment on the proposed resolutions. Note: You must be a current member to access this page. Click here to join or renew. If you have any questions regarding the proposed resolutions, please contact Dr. Daina Cheyenne Harvey, SSSP Vice-President and Chair, Committee on Social Action at sssp2020moderator@gmail.com.

06/17/2020, 08:32 AM

Call for Nominations for the SSSP 2021 General Election

Don’t miss out! Nominations are open for candidates to run in the 2021 General Election. Please consider nominating a colleague or yourself for one of these offices by completing the online nomination form at https://www.sssp1.org/index.cfm/pageid/2178. The deadline for nominations is June 15.

06/12/2020, 09:13 AM

SSSP 2020 ½-day Virtual Annual Meeting Schedule

We’re excited to announce the schedule for our upcoming ½-day virtual annual meeting! Don’t forget to mark your calendars now and join in on Friday, August 7 from 12:00pm–5:00pm (EDT).

Schedule of Events:

SSSP Business Meeting: 12:00pm-1:00pm

Presidential Address: 1:15pm-2:15pm

Awards Recognition: 2:30pm-3:15pm

Plenary Pandemic Focused Session: 3:30pm-5:00pm

Click here for more information.

06/11/2020, 09:20 AM

COVID, Race, and a Pivotal Moment for America

In many ways 2020 is uncharted territory, a pandemic, global tensions, economic crisis, racial injustice and protests. This article provides some interesting comparisons to the 1960’s, for those who are interested. The importance of the work that members of the SSSP do has never been more important. We encourage you to renew your membership now. We may not be meeting in-person in August, but the organization and individual divisions are still doing important work – please be sure you are staying connected and providing your voice, knowledge, and power.

https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2020/0601/COVID-race-and-a-pivotal-moment-for-America

06/09/2020, 10:07 AM

Police Homicides: The Terror of “American Exceptionalism”

Following the May 25, 2020 death of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man, in Minneapolis Police custody, the city streets in the United States have been filled with protesters and riot police. This is neither a new phenomenon nor the first time such social unrest has erupted in response to police violence in the US.

The chapter “Police Homicides: The Terror of ‘American Exceptionalism’” (now available to download free), from the forthcoming Agenda For Social Justice: Solutions For 2020, by sociologists Robert Aponte and Hannah Hurrle of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), engages the very contemporary topic of police violence in the US which is the excessive use of force by police against the public at large.

The issue of police homicide is the most egregious example of excessive use of force by police, and the targets of such violence are disproportionately members of racial and ethnic minority groups. The chapter clearly defines this important social problem, provides evidence for the nature and extent of the problem, and most importantly lays out practical and feasible solutions which, if followed, would reduce the extent and severity of police violence.

When social problems appear intractable and social order appears to be breaking down, it is even more important to understand that the current response to the death of George Floyd has not emerged from a vacuum, nor will this and other cases of social disorder dissipate without addressing the underlying sociological issues.

Aponte and Hurrle’s piece is an outstanding source of information for anyone wanting to understand something of the context of contemporary events in the US. Even after the smoke literally clears from the streets, the underlying challenges will still exist, and this piece reasonably but powerfully makes a case of action which can address not only the issue of police homicide but indeed the issue of excessive use of force by law enforcement.

06/05/2020, 12:58 PM

SSSP End Racism Statement

The Society for the Study of Social Problems wishes to join millions of Americans, especially communities of color, in condemning the murder of George Floyd by four police officers, sworn to serve and protect the citizens of this country. Click here to read the SSSP End Racism Statement.

06/05/2020, 12:52 PM

Renew Your SSSP Membership

We need your support now more than ever! SSSP membership offers many benefits including access to Social Problems which consistently ranks among the top journals in the social sciences, according to the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI). Stay up to date on the latest news and gain access to a host of professional networking opportunities by renewing your membership today!

Membership Renewal: https://www.sssp1.org/index.cfm/m/255/fuseaction/ssspmember.portal

06/02/2020, 12:11 PM