New Books in Sociology

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This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field. Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: ⁠newbooksnetwork.com⁠ Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to ... more

125 ratings

Publishes	Daily	Episodes	1351	Founded	15 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	Social SciencesScience

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Latest Episodes

William I. Robinson, "Epochal Crisis: The Exhaustion of Global Capitalism" (Cambridge UP, 2025)

Epochal Crisis: The Exhaustion of Global Capitalism (Cambridge UP, 2025) is the most recent book from Professor William Robinson, Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. This title is the latest in excell... more

30 Apr 2026 • 54 min

Vindhya Buthpitiya, "A Volatile Picture: War and the Political Work of Photography in Sri Lanka" (U Washington Press, 2026)

A Volatile Picture: War and the Political Work of Photography in Sri Lanka (U Washington Press, 2026) by Dr. Vindhya Buthpitiya is a groundbreaking ethnography that explores how, in the context of Sri Lanka’s protracted civil war and its turbulent af... more

29 Apr 2026 • 43 min

Francisco Martínez, "The Future of Hiding: Secrecy, Infrastructure, and Ecological Memory in Estonia's Siberia" (Cornell UP, 2025)

How can lives and things that are rendered invisible be crucial to identity, politics, and the future? Drawing on experimental ethnographic research in northeastern Estonia, this book offers vivid answers.

The Future of Hiding: Secrecy, Infrastructu... more

28 Apr 2026 • 54 min

Heather Shay, "Identity Building Among Role-Playing Gamers: Slaying Goblins in the Real World" (Bloomsbury, 2025)

In Identity Building Among Role-Playing Gamers: Slaying Goblins in the Real World (Bloomsbury 2025), Heather Shay draws from 19 months of participant-observation and 20 in-depth interviews with players. She found that gamers derive significant social... more

27 Apr 2026 • 47 min

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Recent Guests

Francisco Martínez

Author of The Future of Hiding; anthropologist focusing on material culture, waste, repair, and European peripheries

University of Murcia; Cornell University Press (book publisher)

Episode: Francisco Martínez, "The Future of Hiding: Secrecy, Infrastructure, and Ecological Memory in Estonia's Siberia" (Cornell UP, 2025)

Heather Shay

Assistant Professor of Sociology at South Carolina State University

South Carolina State University

Episode: Heather Shay, "Identity Building Among Role-Playing Gamers: Slaying Goblins in the Real World" (Bloomsbury, 2025)

Ida Susser

Distinguished professor of anthropology at Hunter College and the Graduate Center, CUNY

City University of New York

Episode: Ida Susser, "The Yellow Vests and the Battle for Democracy: Taking to the Streets of Paris in the 21st Century" (Routledge, 2026)

Zhou Mujun

Associate Professor of Sociology at Zhejiang University

Zhejiang University

Episode: Mujun Zhou, "The Death and Life of Chinese Civil Society" (U Michigan Press, 2026)

Berardino Palumbo

Professor of anthropology, leading expert on contemporary Italy

University of Messina

Episode: Berardino Palumbo, "Where Saints Show Respect: Mafia, Modernity, and Rituals of Power" (Berghahn Books, 2026)

Abigail Ocobock

Author of Marriage Material: How an Enduring Institution Is Changing Same-Sex Relationships

University of Chicago Press / Sociology researcher

Episode: Abigail Ocobock, "Marriage Material: How an Enduring Institution Is Changing Same-Sex Relationships" (U Chicago Press, 2024)

Lia Kent

Research Fellow at Victoria University, Australia; author of The Unruly Dead

Victoria University, Australia

Episode: Lia Kent, "The Unruly Dead: Spirits, Memory, and State Formation in Timor-Leste" (U Wisconsin Press, 2024)

Gwyneth Lonergan

Author of Borders, Citizenship and Pregnancy, Migrant Women's Experiences of Pregnancy and Maternity Care in the UK (Bristol University Press, 2025)

Northumbria University / author

Episode: Gwyneth Lonergan, "Borders, Citizenship, and Pregnancy: Migrant Women’s Experiences of Pregnancy and Maternity Care in the UK" (Bristol UP, 2025)

Yingyi Ma

Professor of Sociology at Syracuse University; author of Ambitious and Anxious

Syracuse University / Columbia University Press

Episode: Yingyi Ma, "Ambitious and Anxious: How Chinese College Students Succeed and Struggle in American Higher Education" (Columbia UP, 2020)

Hosts

Dr. Christina Gessler

Creator, producer, and host of Academic Life, with a focus on integrative research and discussions in the social sciences.

Dr. Miranda Melcher

Host of The New Books Network, with a focus on sociological discussions and book analysis.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 125 ratings

Interesting topics and guests
I love all the NBN podcasts, they are so interesting and informative. However sometimes the audio from the guests is hard to hear/understand... but everything else about these podcasts is great. So happy I found them!
Apple Podcasts
5
HanaBones
United States6 years ago
Informative, Fascinating, and Oh So Social!
All of the amazing NBn hosts, along with their fascinating guests, do a phenomenal job at providing an in-depth look into the latest Sociology publications without giving away too much! The wide variety of topics they cover and the engaging way in which they do so had me hooked from the very first listen. Thanks for putting out such an enjoyable show guys - keep up the great work!
Apple Podcasts
5
Katie Joy B.
United States7 years ago
Good so far
Thus far, the podcast has had decent conversation surrounding new books in sociology. The interviewers sound somewhat knowledgable and the guests provide some interesting insight into their books. The production quality is so-so, but listenable.
Apple Podcasts
5
socguy2
United States15 years ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the engaging discussions on sociological topics and the quality of guests.

Interesting topics and guests

Production quality is generally good but has some drawbacks with guest audio.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#82	United States/Science/Social Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#230	Canada/Science/Social Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#234	United Kingdom/Science/Social Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#63	Italy/Science/Social Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#122	France/Science/Social Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#122	Germany/Science/Social Sciences

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ida Susser, "The Yellow Vests and the Battle for Democracy: Taking to the Streets of Paris in the 21st Century" (Routledge, 2026)

Q: What role did gender and health care issues play within the Yellow Vests and broader social movements?

The discussion notes that women and health workers played significant roles, and that demonstrations often intersected with concerns about welfare state protections, healthcare access, and gendered labor issues, signaling a broader defense of social services.

Ida Susser, "The Yellow Vests and the Battle for Democracy: Taking to the Streets of Paris in the 21st Century" (Routledge, 2026)

Q: How did Nuit Debout and the Yellow Vests differ in their origins and forms of protest?

Nuit Debout emerged from urban, highly educated urban youths with a focus on prefigurative, horizontal arrangements, while the Yellow Vests drew from rural and peri-urban populations, centered around practical grievances like diesel taxes and living costs, converging with Paris but rooted in wider regional mobilizations.

Ida Susser, "The Yellow Vests and the Battle for Democracy: Taking to the Streets of Paris in the 21st Century" (Routledge, 2026)

Q: What first drew you to study social movements in France and how did you decide on your research method?

Susser describes a methodical, ethnographic approach—following movements from New York to Paris and Barcelona, tracing the evolution of grassroots organizing, and comparing similar dynamics across different cities to understand how people build shared norms and alter political practices.

Berardino Palumbo, "Where Saints Show Respect: Mafia, Modernity, and Rituals of Power" (Berghahn Books, 2026)

Q: What are the gender dynamics in these festivals, and have there been notable changes over the 30 years of fieldwork?

Gender roles are deeply embedded: public ritual is male-dominated with weaponized emotion and violence, while women participate around the statue in supportive and sometimes leadership roles, and over time institutions like comitati have begun including women, signaling gradual shifts in power while maintaining core masculine performance norms.

Berardino Palumbo, "Where Saints Show Respect: Mafia, Modernity, and Rituals of Power" (Berghahn Books, 2026)

Q: How do you redefine mafia in relation to ritual life, and how can mafiosi be religious while participating in or influencing festivals?

Mafia is a social system with cultural poetry of action that can intersect with ritual life without being identical to religious practice; mafiosi may participate in festivals and exert influence through ritual channels, but many everyday ritual actors are not mafiosi, illustrating a porous boundary between crime and faith.

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Frequently Asked Questions About New Books in Sociology

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This podcast provides an engaging platform for scholars to share insights about their recently published research in sociology. Each episode features discussions between experts, offering an in-depth look at various sociological topics and the implications of contemporary studies. The program covers a diverse range of themes from mental health and educational policies to cultural identity and social movements, making it relevant for anyone interested in the latest academic discussions within the social sciences. Unique in its focus, it likely attracts listeners who appreciate scholarly discourse and are eager to explore the intersections of academia and practical societal issues.

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New Books in Sociology launched 15 years ago and published 1351 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on New Books in Sociology?

Recent guests on New Books in Sociology include:

1. Francisco Martínez
2. Heather Shay
3. Ida Susser
4. Zhou Mujun
5. Berardino Palumbo
6. Abigail Ocobock
7. Lia Kent
8. Gwyneth Lonergan

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