To pre-order Prof. Jordan’s soon to be released book, Beer Ghosts, In Search Of Lost Hops and the Women Who Grew Them, visit the Chicago, The University of Chicago Press’s website by using their link to the article

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The post Kassandra Thompson to present work on generative AI in science next week (Dec. 2) at the NMDSI speaker series. appeared first on Sociology.

The post Prof. Cary Costello has been selected to receive the 2025 Elena Dominguez Award from the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center in recognition of his contributions to education and community service. appeared first on Sociology.

The post Prof. Gauchat, Prof. Chesley, and affiliate faculty member Prof. Bonds, are recognized as being among the top 2% of researchers in the world in 2024. appeared first on Sociology.

Science and Democracy: Revisiting the Institutional Model

Abstract
This talk revisits the relationship between science and democracy through the lens of the institutional model of science. Drawing on Merton’s classic formulation and recent developments in cultural and cognitive sociology, I argue that science is best understood as a norm-governed institution whose credibility depends on both normative commitments (e.g., universalism, communalism, skepticism) and epistemic practices (e.g., consistency, theorization, fallibilism). Using survey evidence on science literacy and public attitudes, I show that the cultural authority of science shapes how citizens evaluate democratic governance, with science providing a belief system for navigating complexity and uncertainty. At the same time, polarization and populist movements expose the fragility of this cultural affinity. By rethinking the institutional model, we can better explain how science sustains legitimacy in democratic societies—and why that legitimacy is vulnerable under conditions of distrust and ideological contestation.

The post Prof. Gauchat presented research at Northwestern University’s inaugural Symposium on Science and Politics, hosted by the Kellogg School’s Center for Science of Science and Innovation. appeared first on Sociology.

Prof. Esther Chan & Prof. Di Di, Santa Clara University – “Digital Devotion: The Tensions of Authenticity and Consumerism Among Religious and Spiritual Social Media Influencers”

Prof. Gordon Gauchat – “Science and Ideology: The Institutional Model Revisited”

Prof. Jennifer Jordan & Prof. Vijaya Tamla Rai (PhD ’22), Montana State University – “Mapping Consumption’s Consequences: Using GIS to Chart Wisconsin’s 19th Century Hopyards During the Lager Revolution”

Prof. Tim O’Brien & Prof. Shiri Noy, Denison University – “The Cultural Meanings of Science and Religion: Evidence From a National Survey”

Reggie Wynn – “I Can’t Get With That…I Like What I Like: Analyzing Taste Distinctions Among Hip-Hop Aficionados”

Pauline Brown – “The Cultural Meaning of Regulatory Science: The Shifting Role of Public Health Under Reagan and Trump”

Kassandra Thompson & Prof. Gordon Gauchat – “Guns N Books: a Comparison of Two Government Spending Models in U.S. States Over Time”

Bridget McCann – “Cool Dudes” and Cultural Capital: Extending System Justification to the Legitimacy Crisis

The 120th American Sociological Association (ASA) Annual Meeting took place August 8-12, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois.

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The post Dr. Stephen Hawkins (PhD ’25) publishes an article shortly after 51ÁÔĆć’s May 2025 Commencement Ceremony! appeared first on Sociology.