Sociology

From Arafat to the Dalai Lama, sociology alum shielded leaders

SOCIOLOGY - When Burks arrived at the UO in 1992, he had no idea what to study, but an introductory sociology class grabbed his attention. “It appealed to my curiosity about what makes people tick,” he says. Burks would go on to have a career filled with danger and intrigue as a special agent for the US government, protecting international dignitaries and overseeing security at embassies around the world.

Study suggests 'Nuclear Industrial Complex' hinders green energy shift in Japan

GLOBAL STUDIES, SOCIOLOGY - Nearly 15 years ago, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake hit Japan, leading to a tsunami and nuclear meltdown at Fukushima. The aftermath of this triple disaster led to massive protests in Japan, calling for a transition from nuclear energy to more renewable projects. That shift never happened due to the influence of the nuclear industry on the government, according to two researchers in CAS.
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Six CAS faculty members receive teaching awards

Six faculty members in CAS were among this year’s 2023 Distinguished Teaching Awards. They include Jocelyn Hollander, professor of sociology; Faith Barter, assistant professor in English; Alex Zunterstein, senior instructor in Spanish; Kirby Brown, associate professor of Native American literatures; Robin Hopkins, senior instructor of human physiology; and Tricia Rodley, senior instructor in theatre arts.
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UO to host feminist philosophy conference

PHILOSOPHY, SOCIOLOGY - Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy will have a three-day 40th-anniversary conference at the University of Oregon, which runs from Wednesday, Sept. 6 through Friday, Sept. 9. The conference, titled Hypatia’s Promise: Opening the Archives, Charting Feminist Futures, will look back at the journal’s early days, as well as host panels featuring academics from around the US and Latin America and celebrate the archive at the UO.