Prompt #2

                     Karen Sternheimer, said "thinking sociologically is a tool to examine our lives and our society more critically." If this is the case, then why aren't the journals and research of sociologist public? Simple, academics aren't more accessible. "Expert knowledge is going to waste," this is because people don't have access to this stuff, and the only way to change that is AVAILABILITY.

Second, would be accessibility by design. Changing the academic journal system, catching the culture of academia up with he times. Everything is about technology now and days. Lets be real, not many of you, so why not bring the library to us, starting blogging your research, tweet, write for popular outlets like newspapers, newsmagazines. We spend all this money, buying from publishers, printing, editing, binding and especially shipping, when we can make things so much easier and less expensive.

                   Public sociology can bring many challenges to the sociologist. First, sharing research can result in misinterpretation, especially when your trying to relate to those who aren't sociologist. For example, the media changing it up to be something its not, giving it a negative light. Second, would be trying to explain complicated issues in simple terms so everyone can understand. With that is trying to explain the sociological view, with out sociological terms so those outside of the field do not feel like they cant relate. Another challenge is knowing when to stay away from public conversation. Lastly, presenting sociological ideas in a public setting can be toxic in itself because your putting your personal views out for people to either relate or hate. With hate, can come some hurtful experiences such as death threats or other hateful things. 

                     I can't seem to wrap my head around why activism and academia don't mix. According to Fabio, activism is promoting social change and academia which is knowledge generation. If you are in academia, you are there to learn and broaden your knowledge in a specific field, right? So, why cant you use that knowledge to further activism around to those who need to be educated. Being on the Potsdam campus and dealing with the cultural shock, I have learned so about where I come from, race and different backgrounds. With that comes, what we have been taught to call educating, teaching and informing those who do not about different race. But, before I could ever educate someone on why my name is not Maria and why not every latino person is Mexican, I had to learn myself. This campus is always saying that we need to educate those who do not know. Is that not activism and academia? 

Or is that just me?