Volume 26, Number 2
April/May 2000

"We must engage in public issues, engage in solving problems, and engage with the public..."

    More than 135 sociologists from throughout the state gathered at NCSU’s McKimmon Center in February to share their views and visions of "Applied Sociology," the theme of the 2000 meeting.
 

•    Dean Margaret Zahn of NCSU welcomed the sociologists and called for "engaged sociology." "We must engage in public issues, engage in solving problems, and engage with the public," she told the audience. Zahn noted that applied sociology has a long history at NCSU and includes figures such as Minnie Miller Brown and Alice McKimmon.

•     Mike Thomas, a consulting sociologist www.consoc.com, used examples from his own career and practice to demonstrate how sociology can be applied in a variety of settings. He strongly suggested that the training of sociology students include organizational management and development jobs. "We must teach what all professionals must learn," he said. "Our students already know about computers and the internet."

•     Simon Garber asked the rhetorical question, "Is dispute resolution a viable candidate for an applied sociology curricula?" He answered with an emphatic yes, especially if such courses focus on public disputes and participatory decision-making. He explains his ideas for the content of such courses in this issue of SOCIATION.

•     George Conklin, president of the NCSA, delivered an address on "Sociologists in the Community." Beginning with the premise that "government officials don’t get good information from staff, lobbyists, or the public," Conklin went on to demonstrate how sociologists can engage in giving the people and public officials "the data we use everyday." Conklin was especially critical of public planning based on grand visions. "Do we need visions or do we need data?" he asked. Speaking about Disney’s planned community of Celebration, Conklin stated emphatically, "It’s time for sociologists to show them the census, real data, not fables, visions, or hallucinations."

 
Later, Conklin summarized his points for SOCIATION. "I think the main point I was making in the Presidential address is that government officials do not get much information when making decisions," he said. "Usually they get only one side of a complex argument while those who push various utopias always show up and always speak. Right now New Urbanists are making many claims which go against 100 years of social science research, and their assertions go unchallenged. I provided numerous details, such as the reason why planners put houses underneath flight tracks from the airport was that they no longer believed in specialized land use, even when such specialization protects the public from noise and danger."

    The final session of the morning included a presentation by
 

• Billy Ray Hall, Director of the Hurricane Floyd Redevelopment Center and President of the NC Rural Economic Development Center.  Hall told the audience that North Carolina had not been prepared to deal with disaster (after Hurricane Fran) and was not prepared to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd, a new kind of flood disaster. Eastern North Carolina already had major economic problems, even before the hurricane: emptying farmland, declining farm employment, and an aging population. It had also experienced structural changes including the loss of manufacturing industries and manufacturing jobs. Hall estimated that it would take more than three years to recover from these disasters but noted that federal aid would last only 18 months.

    Following Hall’s presentation, the members of the NCSA held a "town meeting" to discuss what sociologists could do about "Floyd, the flood and the mud." Catherine Harris of Wake Forest University told those assembled, "As applied sociologists, we have a responsibility to our community."

• During the awards luncheon, Beth Davison recognized Jeffrey Roberts, a graduate student at NCSU, as the winner of the 2000 Himes Award for his paper entitled Towards a Classical Interpretation of First World Nationalism. Ken Land presented awards for Contributions to Sociology in North Carolina to David Pratto of UNCG and to John Shelton Reed of UNC Chapel Hill.

    Following the luncheon, concurrent sessions offered attending sociologists the choice of topics including presentations by
 

• Mike Thomas (Curricula for Applied Sociology),

• Pam Smith (Getting Sociology into the Media),

• Michelle Cotton (State Jobs for Sociology Grads).  Cotton, a public lobbyist, listed a number of useful websites for those seeking jobs with state government. These included the state government websites www.state.nc.us, the NC personnel website www.osp.state.nc.us, and the state personnel job site www.osp.state.nc.us/jobs. Cotton also suggested that interested parties could call the Office of State Personnel at 1-888-926-8677.

• Simon Garber (A Demonstration of Conflict Resolution).

    The annual meeting closed with a session for business. Secretary/Treasurer Pat Wyatt reported that 58 professionals and 78 students had registered to attend the 2000 meeting. Wyatt also distributed a treasurer’s report. Conklin announced the new officers for next year and passed the gavel to Ron Wimberley. Rebecca Bach, Michelle Cotton and Teresa Rust Smith will serve on the Executive Council. Robert Wortham will serve as president-elect and program chair for the 2001 meeting. Ron Wimberley announced that the archives for the NCSA will now be housed and maintained at NCSU.

Editor’s Note: Mike Thomas was asked to share some of his ideas about applied sociology curricula based on the talk he gave at the annual meeting. Without recapitulating his entire presentation, he agreed to summarize its main points.

    I do have some specific ideas about applied sociology curricula, as follows:

    For introductory sociology courses, course work should include approximately 80% case studies in sociocultural change for the students to analyze and reach consensus upon in small groups and only 20% devoted to sociological language and general concepts.

    For undergraduates (and graduate students) in general, we should take note of the following:

    •Applied Sociology takes place within, between and among groups and organizations. Therefore, students should experience as much field placement and as many internships as possible in ‘modern’ organizations such as professional service firms, IT, biotech, pharmaceutical, as well as in traditional organizations including government agencies of all sorts.

    •Students should study "project management" in "project teams" in as many different sectors as possible. This is the way work is organized in the modern world; it has replaced much but not all bureaucratic/traditional management. Through their assigned papers, research projects and even exams, students should be exposed to as much experience as members of simulated and real project teams as possible. They could participate in disaster relief teams, building ‘habitat for humanity’ houses, or in event planning for annual conferences.

    •Students should also learn all they can about "free agent" and "multiple careers" as these are fast becoming the nature of employment world wide and are replacing traditional "single careers." Students should experience this as much as possible.

    •Courses should revive the study of leadership as a social process in all groups and institutions and focus on empirical research. This can be distributed in items 1 - 3 above as well in one concentrated study.

    •Departments should consider adding a required experiential course in modern applied processes such as group problem solving, negotiation, dispute mediation, managing change, consulting and coaching.

    •Students should be assigned readings in the applications of the new ‘systems theory’ beginning with Peter Senge.

    •Ph.D.s should acquire not only the traditional sociological research methods but the unique techniques used in economics, political science, public health, geography, and other disciplines.
 

    A Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis of 13,490 burglary, larceny (not including motor vehicle thefts) and robbery events that occurred in Raleigh during 1993 shows these events only happened in 6% of all Raleigh places (N=114,549).  This finding provides evidence that crime is not a random event, but happens because of social structures and processes.

    GIS represents a powerful research technology that can be used for mapping and studying the spatial distributions of various social phenomena, including events (crimes, illnesses, accidents), placements (social service, prison releases), and organizational services (police beats, school districts). One of the marvels of GIS is that it enables researchers to link seemingly unrelated data sets through a process called geocoding (matching addresses to geographical coordinates) which creates many types of relevant information for each spatial point. Five years ago we used GIS software to construct a data base containing tax assessor information, census data, official police records and 911 calls for service for the city of Raleigh.

    Another powerful asset of GIS software is that it enables the researcher to aggregate data to different levels.  For example, we aggregated the Raleigh data at the address level to face blocks (both sides of the street between two city blocks), city blocks, as well as larger geographic areas (census tracts).  In general we find that traditional ecological constructs are best in explaining smaller units of analysis such as the face block (both sides of a street between two intersections) rather than the more commonly used census tracts and block groups that are assailable because of spatial heterogeneity concerns (e.g., a large areas such as a census tract can be half African American and half white and still be racially segregated within the area).  Additionally, results from smaller units of analysis yield more specific policy recommendations.

Map Showing the Relationship Between Location and Robberies in Raleigh in 1993

    In addition to the statistical analysis, GIS can create powerful visuals to demonstrate findings. To illustrate, the Map of 1993 Robberies shows a cross-sectional view of the south western part of Raleigh. The map is not layered except for streets (black lines) and robbery incidents (a triangle represents one or more robbery incidents). The plotting of robberies among the streets allows for a better image of some of the city details since incidents of robberies are infrequent compared to burglaries or larcenies. Also, robbery is considered a more serious crime that is subsequently more likely to be reported and less likely to be influenced by policing bias. A striking observation of this map supports the assumption of the routine activity approach that crime is not a spatially random event. Emerging from the map are notable patterns in the distribution of robberies among face blocks. These trends can be explained by both social disorganization and routine activities factors (some of which we have not tested).

    True to the concentric zone models of the Chicago School, robberies are clustered around the center of the city (area 1) where businesses, government offices and motivated offenders are in close proximity of each other. In general, robbery incidents become less frequent away from the center of the city. Surrounding the central business district is the "transitional zone" (area 2) which consists of neighborhoods that are typical of social disorganization neighborhoods. These neighborhoods contain mixed parcels of residential and businesses, concentrations of public housing surrounded by substandard rental property, dense population, high unemployment, and many social ills that contribute to the motivation of offenders. A notable exception to the concentration of robberies in the downtown area, is the clustering of robberies on the "campus main drag" (area 3) which is located west of the capital and consists primarily of businesses that cater to the university community. The high rate of victimization in this area can be attributed to the routine activity concepts of "opportunity" and "awareness space." Heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic brings a concentration of cars, people, products and money into the area creating more opportunities for robbery and "awareness space" for motivated offenders. Another surprising clustering of robberies that are away from the business and transitional zones is found in the lower left hand corner (area 4). This area consists primarily of student apartments that are characterized by a lot of transition and many anonymous interactions with neighbors. Both of these factors create opportunities for crime victimization. Other routine activities factors include that fact that no cul-de-sac street have a robbery event since these areas are not in the "awareness space" of most offenders. Conversely, the main thoroughfare has more crime due to increase in awareness space and opportunities. Area 5 (towards the upper left hand corner of the map) is virtually untouched by robbery incidents. This area consists of predominantly single family dwellings which caters to faculty and other professionals. A high concentration of home ownership acts as guardianship over properties in this area.

Here Are Some of the Major Findings:

 
    In conclusion, GIS software has aided us in compiling a database that has furthered the understanding of crime distributions for various geographical boundaries. Since individuals do not often experience the "real world" through administrative geographical boundaries such
as school districts, census tracts and voting precincts, researchers need to have the flexibility to study units of analysis that are determined by theoretical undergirding rather than available resources.

 
Note: findings include research by Elizabeth L. Davison, Sharon Glave Frazee, Kennon J. Rice, William R. Smith, and Claudia Squire.

For further information see Smith, William R., Sharon Frazee and Elizabeth Davison.  "Towards and Integration of  Routine Activity and Social Disorganization Theories: A Socio-ecological Analysis of Robbery." Criminology (forthcoming)

Source: This is a longer version of an article from April/May 2000 Sociation.

    Is dispute resolution a viable candidate for an applied sociology curriculum? Let me say right up front, my answer to the question I’ve posed is an emphatic yes, especially if the focus is on public dispute resolution and participatory decision making. And the expectation is that some or all of the graduates of an Applied Sociology program will be working with neighborhoods, communities, local governments and their agencies to help them resolve potentially contentious community or public issues. In some respects, I’m proposing we improve upon the knowledge we gained from Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals and proceed without the need for confrontation. My experience over the past 10 years working with communities and public agencies suggests that students who acquire the skills to help facilitate the resolution of public issues will be much better prepared to fill a growing need in our communities. Let me explain what I mean.

     While there are many different dispute resolution approaches, all that I have mentioned here may be divided into two different types. The institutional procedures involving arbitration, litigation and legislature are adversarial procedures. The informal procedures involving discussion, negotiation, facilitation and mediation are collaborative problem solving processes.

    These processes are often labeled as alternative dispute resolution procedures by the legal profession. In other literature these processes may also be labeled consensus building, collaborative planning, environmental negotiation, collaborative dispute resolution, interest-based negotiation, principled negotiation, and as I have chosen to label it, public dispute resolution. I’m sure were I to look further, there are additional labels. Whatever the collaborative process is called, the terms, informal discussion and negotiation, are often used to characterize the basic process, while facilitation and mediation are assisted forms of the basic process.

    I wish to draw your attention to the collaborative problem solving processes and the many opportunities that are available for persons interested in dispute resolution from the interpersonal level to the public issue level. Then I’d like to ponder what constitutes the subject matter of public dispute resolution with an emphasis on collaboration, and how it might be framed or organized into courses that may appeal to your students.

    Collaborative problem solving is an informal process that offers an alternative to the more traditional methods of dispute resolution. It is an inclusive process in which all parties affected by a dispute, or who could affect the outcome of the dispute voluntarily come together to discuss / negotiate the issues and arrive at a solution through consensus.

    Often stakeholders in complex disputes are unable to initiate or sustain collaborative problem solving by themselves. In such cases neutral assistance is necessary to help convene the parties, design the process, clearly articulate interests, facilitate the meetings, mediate or provide negotiation training where necessary. The assistant may be called a facilitator or mediator. Facilitators may help convene and design a collaborative process; once the process is convened they will continue to work with all of the parties as they help plan, organize and facilitate the meetings. While mediators do everything facilitators do, they may also caucus individually with the parties. In reality there is a fine line between facilitation and mediation of complex public issues. The two labels are often used synonymously in the context of a public issue.

    There are many opportunities for competent facilitators and mediators in this state and across the country. Many of them are volunteer opportunities, but fee-based opportunities are increasing, as are the number of salaried positions. Many of the volunteer opportunities deal with interpersonal disputes, not community or public disputes, but they present wonderful opportunities to hone one’s skills. For example, many county/district courts utilize volunteer mediators supplied by court-sponsored mediation centers to reduce the case load of interpersonal disputes similar to those viewed on those TV court programs. Mediation centers may also develop special mediation programs, such as a mediation program for inmates in state or federal prisons staffed by volunteer students from a university criminology program. Mediation centers may also develop and staff community centers with volunteer mediators; many also provide divorce mediators.

    The mediation and grievance procedures used in your own university offers opportunities for faculty members to practice their skills. Grade schools and high schools also have peer mediation programs, although there is little opportunity for adults here except as teachers of the program. Summer programs for children sponsored by peacemaking groups often need additional volunteer teachers. Most environmental and land use planning issues are often candidates for facilitation/mediation. People concerned with environmental health issues are also beginning to look for facilitation help. Often those requesting assistance on public issues are also prepared to provide compensation as well as travel expenses.

    State and federal agencies are also in need of mediation and facilitation for their rule negotiations and policy dialogues. They look to the institutes and consulting firms for their assistance. Finally there are many institutes at universities, state and federal agencies and consulting firms that specialize in mediating public issues of all kinds. Many are looking to fill positions with qualified personnel.

    As an Extension Sociologist, I became very aware of the need to be familiar with collaborative problem-solving procedures so that I might promote them when appropriate, facilitate the process when needed, and teach others how to apply procedures, especially for environmental issues. When stakeholders disagreed with the definition of the problem, or how it should be solved, we needed a way to help them begin to build on their common interests , rather than focusing on their differences. We needed a way to avoid the typical gridlock that occurs as positions harden and decisions move from the meeting room and commission chamber to the legislature and courtroom. In many instances collaborative problem solving offered that promise. To participants the process was both enlightening and empowering. It offered a new way of addressing difficult issues, while empowering them to resolve these issues in a mutually satisfactory manner. Furthermore, the techniques offered me an opportunity to extend the "teachable moment" in public issues education, for when positions harden, ears tend to close unless one has a way to encourage them to open again.

    One of the ways I promote and teach public issues dispute resolution is through the Natural Resources Leadership Institute (NRLI). This program is a two year intensive training program designed to teach collaborative concepts and skills to natural resource managers and environmentalists who are working in their fields.

    Faculty members teaching in the institute are often sought out for assistance in designing participatory processes and / or facilitating various environmental issues in the state. Some of these requests are public disputes, while others are requests coming from government agencies for help in designing a collaborative planning process that might help to control perceived potential conflict.

    I’d like to briefly suggest what constitutes the subject matter of a public dispute resolution and participatory decision making. One way to do this is to simply list the subject matter:

    •Interpersonal communication skills, especially active listening and skills associated with interpersonal conflict management.

    •Interest-based (principled) negotiation skills, forms of agreement and an understanding of what makes the agreements durable. Ample time for experiential learning activities involving two-party, one issue negotiations through multiple party, multi-issue disputes.

    •Mediation skills applicable to two party, single issue negotiations through multiparty multi-issue disputes.

    •Convening skills required to bring the parties to the table and design an appropriate process. This includes issue analysis, stakeholder analysis and a knowledge of participatory process designs.

    •Facilitation skills and techniques applicable to multiple party disputes

    •Concepts, techniques required for public involvement

    I view this subject matter as being taught in one or more upper class courses or even a graduate course. Furthermore, the course or courses must emphasize experiential learning. It may also be necessary to focus a public issue dispute resolution course on a particular set of issues, such as a set of community issues, environmental issues, or health issues. Learning collaborative problem-solving methods for their own sake may not be sufficient. Students may want to focus on specific content issues. Finally, consider the needs of other disciplines when designing the course, and possibly even work with other faculty to design and conduct the course. I also suspect the course may require a prerequisite that focuses on interpersonal communication skills. Many of these courses also introduce interest-based negotiation, which would be very helpful.

    I believe a course on dispute resolution is very viable as a candidate for the Applied Sociology curriculum. But, when I put together a reference list for such a course, there’s not one author who is a sociologist. Furthermore, if you look around to see where such courses are taught, you will find them in UNC’s School of Public Health and in the Department of City and Regional Planning. These courses may also be found in specialized extension programs associated with the Duke’s School of the Environment, as well as NC State’s NRLI program. Very likely you can find them in the law schools throughout our state. And of course, there are plenty of grad schools offering degrees in conflict management (such as George Mason, Antioch, MIT).

    This may raise the question in your mind. Does the teaching of public dispute resolution in an Applied Sociology curriculum represent a cutting edge opportunity, or am I merely urging that you step across the boundary into a different applied discipline? I believe that applied sociology students who plan to work in communities need these skills. If such a course is already available to your students on your campus and you are satisfied with the course, send your students to where it is being taught. If the course does not exist, I invite you to consider developing one.
 

David Pratto of UNCG received the NCSA’s award for Contributions to Sociology in North Carolina. He was nominated by his colleague, Rebecca Adams. Here is what she had to say about Pratto and his many contributions to our discipline.

    I am writing to nominate David Pratto for the North Carolina Sociological Association’s Contributions to Sociology in North Carolina Award. I cannot think of anyone who deserves this award more. David embodies the values that the NCSA promulgates. More than any other sociologist I know, he lives to serve, whether his city, county, state, department, university, or profession benefits. He applies sociology every day of his life and thereby makes the lives of others better. He has clearly demonstrated that sociologists can make a difference.

    I had never read David’s vita before writing this article, and I must admit I was a bit overwhelmed by the extent of his accomplishments. As a teacher, he has taught over 17 course preparations, chaired 17 and served on 19 sociology master’s thesis committees, chaired two dissertations in Educational Administration, and served on 29 other master’s and doctoral committees outside of sociology. As a researcher, he has published a book, chapters, articles and reviews in over 25 different journals. Many of his publications make contributions to methodology, but most of them suggest applications mainly in the areas of family sociology and medical sociology. Perhaps his most important substantive contribution was the work he did to help us understand the situation facing children who arrive home while their parents are at work.

    Most admirable, perhaps, is the way in which David has served the community in which he lives. His vita lists approximately 30 technical reports. The variety of organizations that have sought David’s help reflects his willingness to serve whenever and wherever he can and his reputation for solving problems when they present themselves. He has had contracts or grants from foundations, government agencies, health care organizations, utility providers, religious organizations, and numerous other types of organizations as well. It is not surprising that David is as well-known and well-liked as he is.

    David’s contributions to professional organizations are far too lengthy to enumerate. He belongs to 14 professional organizations and is active in many of them, including the American Sociological Association and the Southern Sociological Society. In our own NCSA, David was a charter member and served as President as well. He has also served as NCSA Program Chair, Archivist, Chair of Nominations, Local Arrangements Committee Chair, and as a member of the Executive Council. I was surprised to note that he was the founding editor of SOCIATION.

    I cannot think of any other faculty member at UNCG who has served the institution more or better. He has been appointed or elected to almost 100 committees during his tenure. He has also ably served as Head of Sociology, once from 1988 through 1990 and since 1994 as well.

    Not only does David use his sociological skills to help people, he encourages others to do so as well. He has been an important role model for me, as my department head, and he has made it possible for me to serve the profession and university as well. Other department heads might have said, "Publish or perish" instead of "Serve well." I will be eternally grateful to him for repeatedly demonstrating that service is a form of scholarship and making it easier for those of us who firmly believe this to follow his example.
 

Jeffrey Roberts, a graduate student at NCSU, was recognized as the winner of the Himes Award for the best graduate paper. His research was entitled Towards a Classical Interpretation of First World Nationalism.

John Shelton Reed was recognized for Contributions to Sociology in North Carolina. Reed is retiring this year and plans to travel abroad. His nomination was put forward by two colleagues, Ida H. Simpson and Richard Simpson. Excerpts from their comments are printed below.

    John Shelton Reed has had a distinguished career as a scholar of southern culture, an administrator, an editor, and an interpreter and promoter of sociology to the public. John is a cultural sociologist who has largely specialized in the culture of the South. His writings in this area include twelve books, numerous articles, and many lectures. These works have helped develop the field of cultural sociology, and they have also helped to sustain the viability of the Odum and Vance paradigm on regionalism among geographers and ecologists. Unlike most sociologists who write exclusively for other sociologists, John also writes for a larger and broader scholarly audience and for the lay public. This choice of directing his scholarship beyond the boundaries of sociology has won him credibility and collegiality among literary and historical scholars. John’s prominence in these circles has enabled him to interpret and promote the discipline to the lay public through lectures and articles in popular magazines and lofty journals, and through service to the National Council of the Humanities, the Appalachian Studies Center, the Center for the Study of Southern Culture and other civic, educational and governmental agencies. Few sociologists have given sociology such favorable social visibility. We are a more respected discipline that we would have been without John’s successful venture into the broader scholarly and educated worlds.... John Shelton Reed epitomizes exceptionally well the highest standards of excellence in scholarship, public promotion of sociology, and professional service.

John Shelton Reed has had a distinguished career as a scholar and writer on southern culture, in editorial positions with sociological and interdisciplinary journals and encyclopedias, and as an administrator of an influential research institute. He has been an outstanding undergraduate teacher. His array of honors is breathtaking....

    I will focus on two other achievements for which we are all, as North Carolina sociologists, in John’s debt....

    It is fashionable among some of our academic disciplinary neighbors to hold sociology in low repute. John Reed’s work has gone far toward improving our image in these quarters. Humanists respect it. Historians respect it. How many sociologists have served as presidential appointees on the National Council on the Humanities? Exactly one, John Reed, I suspect. How many have won the Fellowship of Southern Writers Prize for Nonfiction? Again, none except John is my guess. How many have served on the Southern Historical Association annual program committee? Probably one. How many have been honored by the Southern Historical Association in a session on "Assessing the Influence of John Shelton Reed"? Just one, definitely.

    Reed has contributed to the state and the social impact of sociology, simultaneously, in a way that is less glamorous than prizes and visiting professorships, but may be more important in the long run, in building respect for higher education generally and sociology specifically. He is a great public speaker. He communicates equally well with sociologists and other academics, and political and civic leaders. He has given innumerable talks, gratis, to civic organizations all over North Carolina. The word "sociology" calls forth more respect, and the discipline’s ideas are listened to more attentively by public decision-makers outside the academy as a direct result of their hearing John Reed’s talks.

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