Sociology Ruins Everything

By Matt Sedlar

Social Sciences

What's Sociology Ruins Everything about?

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. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sociology-ruins-evrything/support

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Sociology Ruins Everything episodes:

07.28.2023
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...
01.20.2023
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...
11.08.2022
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...
09.15.2022
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...
05.21.2022
Sociology Ruins 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...
04.18.2022
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...
03.10.2022
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...
02.04.2022
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...
01.10.2022
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...
12.11.2021
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....
11.01.2021
Sociology Ruins Private Equity
You've probably heard the term private equity, but you might not know what it does. This episode looks at how private equity is embedded in our everyday lives, funded by the institutions that surround us, and what kind of impact...
10.01.2021
Sociology Ruins Witchcraft
This episode looks at what we think of witches and witchcraft and how historically these concepts have been used for political and social repression. But there's also another definition of "witch." I'm joined by cultural anthropologist Ashley Scrivner as we...
09.01.2021
Sociology Ruins "Normal"
We're hearing a lot about the return to "normal" after the COVID-19 pandemic, but what is "normal"? And should we return to "normal" when that's what got us in trouble in the first place? This episode is a deep dive...
08.01.2021
Sociology Ruins Roller Skating
In this episode, I explore roller skating -- its history and the role of the rink as a cultural institution. To explore this topic, I am joined by Alan Bacon, a trustee at the National Museum of Roller Skating and...
07.01.2021
Sociology Ruins Action Movies
How are action movies shaped by our national identity and do they, in turn, reshape our personal identity? I'm joined by pop culture critic Chris Klimek as we talk about muscles and masculinity. In this episode, sociology ruins your favorite...
06.10.2021
Sociology Ruins Objectivity
Is the media part of civil society? Have political actors weaponized objectivity? Does anyone actually get Soylent Green references these days? All this and more when I'm joined by Liz Bent at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. There's...