Public Sociology Meets Public Intellectual, Activist, and Novelist Arundhati Roy

The third article in a series highlighting prominent public intellectuals presenting at ASA’s 2004 Annual Meeting in San Francisco

The 2004 Annual Meeting conference committee has selected Indian novelist Arundhati Roy to give a keynote speech on the “public sociologies” conference theme. At first glance this might seem an odd match. What would an Indian novelist know about public sociologies, particularly in the United States?

A little reflection reveals Arundhati Roy to be an excellent fit in public sociology. Sociology is the most open of academic disciplines. Its boundaries and community are not as rigid as, say, the boundaries of economics or physics. This openness is advantageous because sociology is in frequent, but imperfect, conversation with society. Sociology has important things to say to society.

Research sociologist Leslie Hossfeld, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, along with other community leaders from Robeson County, North Carolina, discussed the rate and impact of job loss in that rural county at a congressional briefing on March 30 on Capitol Hill. The briefing was organized by the Center for Community Action (CCA), a community-based nonprofit organization in Lumberton, NC, working with other community and institutional agents to develop and implement proactive strategies to address the massive job loss that has occurred in Robeson County during the last 10 years.

ASA would like to congratulate its newest journal editors. Please see future issues of Footnotes and the journals to read editor profiles and for updates on where to send future article submissions. The new editors are:....