Abstract
Students face substantial challenges as they learn to think sociologically. They need to appreciate the value of empirical knowledge, gain empathy, and grow in recognition of their social connections to others. For many students, the interlocks of structure, culture, and agency are incredibly difficult to understand, in part because sociological frameworks conflict so strongly with ingrained individualistic ways of thinking and false beliefs.
As hard as it is for students to learn to think sociologically, it is perhaps even more difficult for instructors to learn to teach sociologically. What are the challenges of teaching sociologically? From my perspective, it requires understanding teaching as a social act that is conducive to study, vigilant empathy to understand the lifeworlds of students, and building our own character as we attempt to build the character of students.
Notice the similarity of challenges faced by students and instructors as they work their way through sociological content and objectives.
It has been an honor to serve as editor of this journal, one that focuses on helping sociologists learn how to teach. My hopes are that this journal continues to have a substantial impact on our work as educators. Beyond this, my hopes are that the journal continues to open new insights on ways to understand the social act of teaching sociology and its nesting within decisions that exist within and beyond the classroom.
During the past five years, the most common focus of manuscripts published in the journal centered on social problems and topics of social inequalities as applied to gender, race, class, sexualities, and other social divisions. Less often have articles focused on teaching social solutions or directed students to understand the incredible accomplishments that can occur as people work together. Manuscripts also tended to focus on “the shop floor,” with evaluations of specific assignments and course designs. Less commonly considered were program-level concerns, such as how to create course linkages or work in collaboration with colleagues. The position of sociology teaching itself was even more rarely analyzed, such as how to advance the stature of teaching within the community of sociologists or how to advance sociological content in science education. I offer these observations to encourage prospective authors to shine light on understudied domains and continue to expand horizons of inquiry.
As this is my last issue editing Teaching Sociology, I wish to express just a few words of thanks.
To incoming editor and outgoing deputy editor Michele Lee Kozimor, for your commitment to bring in high-quality reviews to the journal and mentorship of reviewers to meet the journal’s standards.
To the editorial board members (too numerous to list), for providing timely reviews and expert perspectives on manuscripts submitted to the journal.
To Victoria Ignacio, senior project editor at SAGE, for remarkable precision in copyediting manuscripts and producing journal issues.
To the authors who submitted manuscripts to the journal, for diligently working through revisions needed and for graciously understanding why your work sometimes did not move to publication.
To reviewers who provided scholarly feedback and recommendations in service to the discipline.
To colleagues at Ithaca College, for supporting released time and recognizing the value of the work performed.
To undergraduate assistants Kayla Dudden, Marissa Cardwell, and Samantha Castonguay, for enthusiastic production help.
To Karen Gray Edwards, American Sociological Association director of publications, for your guidance and advocacy for the journal.
To the American Sociological Association and SAGE, for recognizing the importance of the scholarship of teaching and learning and providing the opportunities for Teaching Sociology to exist.