Department of Sociology

A new sociology course explores self-tracking technology that captures our daily routines.

Most Americans who turned to the internet for financial help during the pandemic failed to raise much. Of the more than 175,000 GoFundMe campaigns that were started in the first half of 2020 and that cited COVID-19, 43% received no donations at all and 90% did not reach their stated goal. Nearly a quarter of all funds raised through the platform went to the top 1% of campaigns. Mark Igra, a graduate student in sociology at the UW, is quoted.

Michael Pearce, a UW doctoral student in statistics, and Adrian Raftery, a professor of sociology, discuss the results of their new study.

Seattle City Councilmember Andrew Lewis and the coalition behind him believes he’s found the right formula to take on the city’s homeless crisis. That formula is the JustCare program, a collaboration between the city and a coalition of businesses, service providers and outreach teams that work together to get the unsheltered into housing while also keeping public spaces clear without the need to involve police. Katherine Beckett, professor of sociology at the UW, is referenced.

Mark Igra, graduate student in sociology, explains the results of his new study on digital fund-raising equality.

Online charity drives help some in need, but don’t expect them to fill the gaps in the social safety net. Mark Igra, a graduate student in sociology at the UW, and Nora Kenworthy, an associate professor of nursing and health studies at UW Bothell, are quoted.

During the first several months of the pandemic — when communities locked down, jobs were lost, PPE was scarce and store shelves were cleared — thousands of people turned to online crowdfunding to meet their needs. But a new University of Washington analysis of requests and donations to the popular crowdfunding site GoFundMe, along with Census data, shows stark inequities in where the money went and how much was donated.

A new UW study led by Mark Igra, a graduate student in sociology, highights inequities in GoFundMe donations.

The 2021 Husky 100, a group of 100 students making the most of their time at the UW, have been announced.

Washington has enacted a number of police reforms since George Floyd was murdered one year ago. Among them is a mandatory 8-hour course, broken up into sessions, for police recruits on the history of racism and policing. Alexes Harris, professor of sociology at the UW, is mentioned.

This week at the UW, attend a Sports & Civil Rights History Panel, Drive-In at On the Boards, and more.

One day after a Minneapolis police officer was convicted in the death of George Floyd, Seattle’s Community Police Commission has launched a new website that aims to keep the public informed about efforts to reform the Seattle Police Department. Alexes Harris, professor of sociology at the UW, is interviewed.

"The problem with pretext traffic stops is that when police use their discretion to decide who to pull over, they disproportionately pull over Black drivers more than white drivers, particularly within predominantly Black communities. As a result, Black drivers are searched 1.5 to 2 times as often as white drivers. The practice of pretext traffic stops allows police to surveil communities of color, over-patrol them, and pull people over," writes Alexes Harris, professor of sociology at the UW.

In the wake of a fatal shooting in Minneapolis as former police officer Derek Chauvin stands trial for George Floyd's death, Alexes Harris, professor of sociology at the UW, comments on the two events.

What does the state of Washington owe people who were convicted under a drug possession law that's been overturned? Alexes Harris, UW professor of sociology, is interviewed.