Why Florida?
The SSS Executive Committee, the Executive Officer, the Site Selection Committee, and President Jason have been exceptionally thoughtful and intentional in planning our next conference in Jacksonville, Florida. We recognize that the current political climate and laws in Florida (and across the United States) present challenges, and we have taken this seriously. Our primary effort is to ensure that all members are safe and feel empowered to discuss their research and profession by networking with colleagues without concern.
We view this moment not as a drawback but as a critical opportunity to demonstrate the resilience of our profession and discipline. This conference is an opportunity to expand our knowledge of how to apply sociology to our rapidly changing world. We hope this gathering will provide an opportunity to support our discipline, and especially our Florida colleagues who must endure and grapple with changes to higher education.
You will be delighted by the venue. Jacksonville and the conference hotel have undergone tremendous economic growth and physical changes. Following Hurricane Helene, the hotel received significant renovations and now features multiple excellent restaurants both inside and nearby. Our Local Arrangements Committee is busy curating unique opportunities and local adventures for you to participate in while you are there.
Beyond the vital opportunities to expand your knowledge and networks, President Jason is committed to focusing on the health of our community. This program includes sessions focused on wellness activities specifically designed to restore energy and replenish the spirit.
Finally, we are proud to continue supporting the future of sociology through our financial and academic initiatives. We are actively working to provide travel scholarships to help those struggling to secure funding to attend. We are also thrilled to announce the return of the student poster presentation and competition, following its tremendous success at the Charlotte conference last year.
We are planning so much more exciting content and support. Please stay tuned! We cannot wait to see you in Jacksonville.
Sincerely,
The SSS Leadership
Sessions Seeking Papers (as of October 3, 2024)
Submit a Session Seeking Papers using this form. We encourage members to submit their SSPs by Sunday of each week to appear in the following week’s digest. Our weekly digests will continue until October 22nd. For any individual submissions to SSS 2025, please click here.
SSS Mental Health Mini Conference
The Southern Sociological Society (SSS) Mental Health Mini-Conference will take place during the 2026 SSS Annual Meeting in Jacksonville, FL, from April 8-11, 2026.
We are calling for papers and presiders for six Mini-Conference sessions:
- Flash Talks on Sociology of Mental Health
- Social Psychology Meets the Sociology of Mental Health
- Race, Class, Gender and Mental Health
- Policy and Mental Health
- Social Relationships and Mental Health
- Roundtable Workshop on Sociology of Mental Health
If you have questions, please contact the Mental Health Mini-Conference Co-Chairs: Gabe Miller (ghmiller@uab.edu) and Verna Keith (vmkeith@uab.edu). We will reach out to you to confirm participation and coordinate the sessions. Submissions will close November 3, 2025 at 10:00am central time. Please follow this link for session details, to indicate interest in participation, and to submit your abstracts
Empowered Sociologists for Teaching and Learning Mini Conference
The Southern Sociological Society (SSS) and the Teaching and Learning Section of the American Sociological Association are co-sponsoring a Teaching Mini-Conference entitled “Empowered Sociologists for Teaching and Learning” at the 2026 SSS annual meeting in Jacksonville, FL from April 8-11, 2026. We are calling for session speakers for a mix of roundtables, panels, and workshops at the Teaching Mini-Conference. We welcome speakers who teach in any environment; if you teach, you belong. Session include: Sharing Best Practices and Innovations in Teaching (roundtable), Navigating the Curriculum and Classroom Space (panel), Writing Teaching Statements to Prepare for the Job Market (Workshop), How to Translate Your Teaching Practice into Research (Workshop), and Pedagogy-Focused Books (author meets critic, etc.)
Find more information about specific sessions here.
If you are interested in participating please use this form to volunteer / sign up for any of the sessions by October 15, 2025. If you have any questions, please contact the Teaching Mini-Conference Co-Chairs: Stephanie Bradley (sbradl19@charlotte.edu) and Stephanie Teixeira-Poit (steixeirapoit@ncat.edu). We will reach out to you to confirm participation and coordinate the sessions.
Toward Harassment-Free Spaces: Research and Strategies for Change
The Southern Sociological Society (SSS) is committed to fostering a safe and welcoming conference environment for all participants, free from harassment based on age, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, language, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, health conditions, socioeconomic status, marital or domestic status, or parental status. In alignment with this commitment, the SSS Anti-Harassment Committee invites papers that address harassment in its many forms, broadly defined. We welcome submissions that explore: Harassment across diverse contexts, Bullying (cyber and face-to-face), Advocacy and resistance strategies, Allyship and solidarity practices, Profiling and its consequences, and Policy interventions and institutional change. This session provides a space for scholars, practitioners, and advocates to share research, theory, and applied work that advance understanding and promote safer, more equitable communities.
All paper submissions should include: (a) the title of the paper, (b) names, affiliations, and contact information for each author, and (c) an extended abstract. Extended abstracts should be 300-400 words and organized with the headings: Objectives, Methods, and Findings. These section headings may not apply to all submissions, so authors may modify as needed. Please submit materials by October 19, 2025, via email to Jeannette Wade at j_wade@uncg.edu.
Blackness and Antiblackness on the Periphery
This session is focused on constructions of Blackness and Antiblackness People of African Descent (PAD) in locations understudied in American sociological circles. This session seeks to have papers on Antiblackness in Eastern Europe, Central and South Asia and other similar locations but this session is open to conversations on Blackness and Antiblackness in other studied locations in Europe and the Americas. This session seeks to challenge the binary of Blackness and Antiblackness conversations only being present in typical places like the United States and Western Europe.
If you are interested in participating in this session, please submit your information by November 3rd to Bryan Greene (bryanlgreene@gmail.com).