Sociology Ruins Everything

Matt Sedlar

The sociological imagination is great, but really, it ruins all your favorite things. This podcast, hosted by Matt Sedlar, takes a topic each month and explores it from a sociological perspective.

Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

20 episodes
Updated July 3

Episodes20

Newest first

July 3 · 46 min
Youth Sports
I know what you might be thinking: Sociology and sports? Remember this podcast is called Sociology Ruins Everything, not Sociology Ruins Some Things. But to be fair, some people might not be familiar with how sociologists study sports. Don’t racquet your brain. In this month’s episode, I’ll present the briefest overview before talking to Danielle Thomas, a sociology professor at Louisiana State University, who has thought a lot about sports, particularly youth sports, and how they tie into the community. Show notes: Giulianotti, R. (2015). Routledge handbook of the sociology of sport (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203404065 Tomlinson, A. (2004). Pierre Bourdieu and the Sociological Study of Sport: Habitus, Capital and Field. In: Giulianotti, R. (eds) Sport and Modern Social Theorists. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230523180_11
April 27 · 40 min
Data Science
This month's episode dives into the origins and definitions of the "sexiest job of the 21st century": Data science. I look at the most recent data to uncover how and why it emerged, and how it organized as a profession in a way that's completely different from our understanding of how professions are created. Joining me in this discussion is Philipp Brandt, assistant professor of sociology at SciencesPo and Centre for the Sociology of Organisations, who wrote the book, Inside Data Science: Hackers and the Making of a New Profession. Show Notes Brandt, P. (2026). Inside data science: Hackers and the making of a new profession. Columbia University Press. https://cup.columbia.edu/book/inside-data-science/9780231560184/
March 1 · 15 min
Legend Tripping
What exactly is legend tripping? Is it truly about finding ghosts and cryptids, or is it a ritual designed to create unbreakable social bonds? This month's episode dives into the three-part structure of a legend trip—from the initial tale to the retrospective reflection—and reveals how "expectation produces experience" to create the perfect legend. Show notes Debies-Carl, Jeffrey (2023). If You Should Go at Midnight. (2023). University Press of Mississippi https://www.upress.state.ms.us/Books/I/If-You-Should-Go-at-Midnight ‌McNeill, L. S., & Tucker, E. (2018). Legend Tripping: A Contemporary Legend Casebook. University Press of Colorado. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv1vbd1wh Miles, Tiya (2017). Tales from the Haunted South: Dark Tourism and Memories of Slavery from the Civil War era. University of North Carolina Press. https://uncpress.org/9781469636146/tales-from-the-haunted-south/ ‌"On the job with a ghost walk tour guide." The Canadian Press, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTYZv0JTrP0
January 1 · 1 hr 4 min
Trust
Happy New Year, listeners! This month's episode deals with trust. When we think of trust, we tend to place this issue within the realm of psychology. It’s often seen as a complicated construct in our relationships that determines whether we believe those we know will act reliably, honestly, and supportively. But in sociology, we might think of trust in terms of social networks and ties. We might even think about trust in institutions. Can you trust an institution? Dana Williams, a sociology professor at California State University, Chico and author of Who Do We Trust?, joins me to unpack issues around trust and how we can practice radical trust in 2026. Show Notes Williams, Dana. Who Do We Trust? - Pluto Press. (2025, December 23). Pluto Press. https://www.plutobooks.com/product/who-do-we-trust/ Cook, K. S., & Santana, J. J. (2020). Trust: Perspectives in Sociology. Routledge EBooks, 189–204. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315542294-15 Eileen, A., & Rosemary, B. (2020, September 9). Working Paper: Financialization in Health Care: The Transformation of US Hospital Systems. Center for Economic and Policy Research. https://cepr.net/publications/working-paper-financialization-in-health-care-the-transformation-of-us-hospital-systems/ Media clips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX3C2A9bck0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FegvO38Qa44 https://www.tiktok.com/@cbsnews/video/7568308533385596174
May 9, 2025 · 54 min
Social Robots
The season finale of Sociology Ruins Everything explores the intersection of robotics and reproductive labor, highlighting the potential risks of deploying technology without considering societal implications. This episode, likely the geekiest to date, examines these themes through the lens of popular culture. Colette Searls, author of A Galaxy of Things: The Power of Puppets and Masks in Star Wars and Beyond, joins the discussion. Show Notes: Searls, C. (2023). A galaxy of things: The power of puppets and masks in star wars and beyond. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/A-Galaxy-of-Things-The-Power-of-Puppets-and-Masks-in-Star-Wars-and-Beyond/Searls/p/book/9780367684419 Vincent, J., Taipale, S., Sapio, B., Fortunati, L., & Lugano, G. (Eds.). (2015). Social Robots from a Human Perspective (2015th ed.). Springer International Publishing. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-15672-9
Apr 7, 2025 · 41 min
Civic Engagement
You pay your taxes, you vote, and you follow the laws. Does that make you a good citizen? If you said yes, according to a 2019 Pew Center Research survey, most Americans agree with you. However, do these things make you civically engaged? This episode explores what it means to be a civically engaged social scientist and how we now need engaged researchers more than ever. Show Notes Philip Cohen on social media ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/philipncohen.com⁠ ⁠https://x.com/familyunequal⁠ Cohen, Philip (2025). Citizen Scholar: Public Engagement for Social Scientists. https://cup.columbia.edu/book/citizen-scholar/9780231204194/ Lynd, Robert (2016). Knowledge for what: The Place of Social Science in American Culture. https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691648088/knowledge-for-what?srsltid=AfmBOooZ52chxPtWIMMbwPgf9X8f6qHRJd5S_3CajC0cA-svipnDrOEq Putnam, Robert (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community http://bowlingalone.com/ SocArXiv https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv
Mar 3, 2025 · 21 min
Wildfires
What can a sociology podcast say about fire? This episode delves into the social and cultural dimensions of fire and the institutions that have changed our relationship with it. While it touches on climate change, this episode is more about the power dynamics, social inequalities, and cultural values that influence decision-making and resource allocation in fire and forest management. Today's wildfires are a tragedy in the making, going back over 100 years. Patrick Wright, the director of the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Taskforce, joins me as we talk about the vital next steps in protecting communities. Show notes California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Taskforce https://wildfiretaskforce.org/ Treatment Dashboard https://wildfiretaskforce.org/treatment-dashboard/ Sedlar, Matthew. Living with Disaster: Risk, Housing Instability, and Post-Disaster Migration. N.p., 2022. Print. https://mars.gmu.edu/items/bd414407-1351-4220-8bc2-a9db39dbe89a
Jan 16, 2025 · 29 min
Puppetry
This month, I want to tell you a story about Concord Park, a suburb of Philadelphia. Concord Park was intentionally designed to combat the systemic forces that fostered segregation and inequality in postwar American cities. So when more and more people were being separated, Concord Park brought people together. But geography, or putting people in homes next to each other, isn’t enough. Communities are built on interaction, shared interests, and experiences. In the case of Concord Park, it was through the Wonderland Puppet Theater. That’s right. This month, we’re talking about puppets. But also housing, inequality, and community. This is a sociology podcast, after all. Paulette Richards joins the podcast as we talk about how art can bring community together. Show Notes Richards, P. (2024). Object performance in the Black Atlantic: The United States. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Object-Performance-in-the-Black-Atlantic-The-United-States/Richards/p/book/9781032054865 Patterson, Orlando. Slavery and Social Death: A Comparative Study. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1982. https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674986909 Piggot, W. Benjamin and W. Benjamin Pigott. “The ‘Problem’ of the Black Middle Class: Morris Milgram's Concord Park and Residential Integration in Philadelphia's Postwar Suburbs” The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Apr., 2008, Vol. 132, No. 2 (Apr., 2008), pp. 173-190 https://www.jstor.org/stable/20093996
Dec 5, 2024 · 42 min
Unaccompanied Migrant Youth
Sociologist Stephanie Canizales joins the podcast to discuss the complex realities unaccompanied migrant youth face, the factors that lead them to embark on such journeys, the risks they encounter, and the challenges they face in adapting to new surroundings. The episode also discusses how communities and organizations can provide support and opportunities for these vulnerable youth. Show notes Canizales, Stephanie. 2024. Sin Padres, Ni Papeles: Unaccompanied Migrant Youth Coming of Age in the United States https://www.ucpress.edu/books/sin-padres-ni-papeles/paper
Nov 4, 2024 · 35 min
Furniture Poverty
Places are unique to us. We become attached to them. And when you ask people to name a place that means a lot to them, there’s a good chance they’ll talk about home. Our homes are full of stuff, from practical items like vacuum cleaners and chairs to sentimental treasures such as photo albums and heirlooms inherited through generations. All these objects help make a space a place. But what happens when we lose them? And how does the loss of even mundane objects, seemingly insignificant items, impact our emotional well-being? Surprisingly, there isn’t a whole lot of research in this area. This episode examines furniture poverty. What is it, how does it affect people and their ability to connect with others, and what can we do about it?
Jul 28, 2023 · 1 hr 3 min
Sociology Goes on Strike
Collective action is the most effective way to bring about social change because it allows people to pool their resources and efforts to achieve a common goal. Strikes are one of the most useful forms of collective action because they can disrupt business operations and pressure employers to make concessions. With the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Writers Guild of America in the middle of a historic strike, this episode asks how did things get to this point and how does sociology fit into the conversation? In the episode, I'm joined by Kurt Scott, a WGA member, and Courtney Bell, a former SAG-AFTRA member and sociologist at George Mason University. Show notes: Entertainment Community Fund, https://entertainmentcommunity.org/
Jan 20, 2023 · 31 min
Sociology Ruins Reality TV
What if I told you reality TV says a lot about the world around us? I'm sure you're skeptical, but hopefully, this episode will convince you that reality TV is worth paying attention to, especially for social scientists. Joining me are Danielle Lindemann, Associate Professor of Sociology at Lehigh University, and Maddy Rubin as we talk about viewing reality TV while using the sociological imagination. Show notes Lindemann, Danielle J. . 2022. True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Papacharissi, Zizi, and Andrew L. Mendelson. 2007. “An Exploratory Study of Reality Appeal: Uses and Gratifications of Reality TV Shows.” Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 51(2):355–70. doi: 10.1080/08838150701307152.
Nov 8, 2022 · 37 min
Sociology Ruins Silence
Not many people realize institutions and society regulate silence. The noise in our lives, both external and internal, is actually controlled by laws and norms, and that noise affects our physical and mental health. So what role do the social sciences play in this phenomenon? I'm joined by Leigh Marz and Justin Talbot-Zorn to talk about silence as a human right. Show Notes Chepesiuk, Ron. 2005. “Decibel Hell: The Effects of Living in a Noisy World.” Environmental Health Perspectives 113(1):A34–41. doi: 10.1289/ehp.113-a34. Dillon, Liam, and Ben Poston. 2021. “Freeways Force out Residents in Communities of Color — Again.” Los Angeles Times. ‎Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast. 2021. "How Freeways Bulldoze California Communities of Color on Apple Podcasts.” Apple Podcasts. (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/how-freeways-bulldoze-california-communities-of-color/id1280087136?i=1000542013424). Hermes, Will. 2000. "The Story Of '4'33".' NPR, May 8. Zorn, Justin, and Leigh Marz. 2022. Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise. New York, NY: Harper Wave, An Imprint pf HarperCollins Publishers.
Sep 15, 2022 · 36 min
Sociology Ruins Conspiracy Theories
There are some wild theories about the Denver International Airport. But is it really the headquarters of the Illuminati, guarded by the demonic statue of a blue horse? Believe it or not, conspiracy theories like these can be useful to sociologists and other social scientists. They can teach us about a given society’s beliefs and general concerns and help us counter false beliefs. In this episode, I talk to Jesse Walker, book editor at Reason magazine and author of The United States of Paranoia: A Conspiracy Theory (HarperCollins, 2013), as well as Stephanie Figueroa, public information officer at Denver International Airport. Notes DEN Files https://www.flydenver.com/great_hall/denfiles Rubino, J. (2020, March 3). Denver International Airport at 25: From Boondoggle to Boon. The Denver Post. Retrieved September 14, 2022, from https://www.denverpost.com/2020/03/01/denver-airport-25-years-boondoggle-anniversary/ Walker. (2013). The United States of paranoia : a conspiracy theory (First edition.). Harper. https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0062135562/reasonmagazineA/
May 21, 2022 · 30 min
Improv
In the final episode of season one, I enlist the help of Ruth Yamamoto, PhD and certified improv instructor, to explore the role improv can play in improving science communication. Over the course of two one-and-a-half hour sessions, Ruth worked with me and other sociology graduate students on improv fundamentals. Did we improv(e) our confidence in public speaking? You'll have to listen to find out. Show notes Cohen, G. D., & The Center on Aging, Health & Humanities, The George Washington University (GW) (2006). The Creativity and Aging Study: The Impact of Professionally Conducted Cultural Programs on Older Adults. , (). Retrieved from https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/son_ncafacpubs/2 Yamamoto, R. H. (2021). Improv as creative aging: the perceived influences of theatrical improvisation on older adults. Activities, Adaptation & Aging, 45(3), 217-233. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01924788.2020.1763075 The Applied Improvisation Network https://www.appliedimprovisationnetwork.org/
Apr 18, 2022 · 22 min
Sociology Ruins Bullying
How do we identify bullying and how do sociologists in particular study this phenomenon? This episode looks at the infamous Slap to examine whether bullying goes unrecognized among adults or whether we are applying the term too broadly. Sociologist Chris Donoghue, editor of the upcoming book The Sociology of Bullying, joins me to talk about definitions and how experiences in adolescents are guided by social structures. Show notes The Sociology of Bullying https://nyupress.org/9781479803873/the-sociology-of-bullying/ Promo: DONOGHUE30-FM Black Girl Nerds Podcast - The 2022 Oscars https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bgn-podcast-extra-the-2022-oscars/id1056793768?i=1000555521908
Mar 10, 2022 · 16 min
Sociology Ruins Trauma
The world is a mess, so let's talk about trauma. In this episode, I examine trauma in its many different forms and the ways social structures can create as well as mitigate its effects. I also ask if trauma claims can actually be good. You'll have to listen for the answer. Show Notes The Jane Addams Collective, "Mutual Aid, Trauma and Resiliency" https://www.janeaddamscollective.org/matr Jeffrey C. Alexander, Trauma: A Social Theory https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13762975-trauma Judith Herman, Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence - From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/542700.Trauma_and_Recovery
Feb 4, 2022 · 30 min
Sociology Ruins Don't Look Up
What does Adam McKay's 2021 disaster film Don't Look Up say about the current discourse over climate change? In this episode, I talk with Nik Janos, Associate Professor of Sociology at California State University, Chico, whose research focuses on the intersection of urbanization and ecological crisis. In our discussion we cover the sociology of disaster, failures of science communication and actions people can take from the local to the global. Just a fair warning: If you enjoyed Don't Look Up, this episode might change your mind about some things. Show notes Janos, N. and C. McKendry. (fall 2021). Urban Cascadia and the Pursuit of Environmental Justice. University of Washington Press. https://www.urbancascadia.com/ Green Space Notes http://greenspacenotes.org/ Sutton, Barbara and Kari Marie Norgaard. 2013 “Cultures of Denial: Avoiding Knowledge of State Violations of Human Rights Violations in Argentina and the United States.”Sociological Forum 28(3): 495-524 http://pages.uoregon.edu/norgaard/pdf/Cultures-of-Denial-Sutton-Norgaard-2013.pdf Emma Marris https://www.emmamarris.com/
Jan 10, 2022 · 49 min
Sociology Ruins Marriage
What is marriage? What are the origins of marriage? What does it mean today? For this episode, I'm joined by Shannon Davis, associate dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs at George Mason University, Korea, and PhD student Courtney Bell in the podcast's first ever roundtable discussion. Show notes Davis, Shannon N. and Theodore N. Greenstein. 2020. Why Who Cleans Counts: What Housework Tells Us About American Family Life. Bristol, United Kingdom: Policy Press. https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/why-who-cleans-counts Stephanie Coontz https://www.stephaniecoontz.com/books Nock, S. L. 1998. Marriage in men's lives. New York: Oxford University Press. https://www.worldcat.org/title/marriage-in-mens-lives/oclc/39157563
Dec 11, 2021 · 42 min
Sociology Ruins Housing
In this episode, I head to California to explore why there isn't enough housing and what the state and activists are doing about it. Joining me are New York Times reporter Conor Dougherty and YIMBY Law Executive Director Sonja Trauss. There might be some meditation and revelations along the way. Show notes Golden Gates: The Housing Crisis and a Reckoning for the American Dream https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/585765/golden-gates-by-conor-dougherty/ YIMBY Law https://www.yimbylaw.org/ The Hidden History of Culver City Racism https://la.streetsblog.org/2019/04/05/the-hidden-history-of-culver-city-racism/

Sociology Ruins Everything

Youth Sports

Data Science

Legend Tripping

Trust

Social Robots

Civic Engagement

Wildfires

Puppetry

Unaccompanied Migrant Youth

Furniture Poverty

Sociology Goes on Strike

Sociology Ruins Reality TV

Sociology Ruins Silence

Sociology Ruins Conspiracy Theories

Improv

Sociology Ruins Bullying

Sociology Ruins Trauma

Sociology Ruins Don't Look Up

Sociology Ruins Marriage

Sociology Ruins Housing