Dear SSS Colleagues,
As we navigate the rapidly shifting terrain in our professional, social, and economic environment, the Southern Sociological Society leadership would like to express our acknowledgment and support for our members. We recognize that the extreme and harmful actions and rhetoric toward groups and toward policies about which our members have significant expertise. We also recognize that many of you are facing professional threats to data access, research funding, and your ability to teach and support students. We understand that some of you may be feeling like your professional efforts, identity, or livelihoods are under siege. The Southern Sociological Society remains committed to promoting the science and practice of sociology and to providing a professional space that is safe and welcoming for all of its members.
We want to remind our members of the Southern Sociological Society’s mission as stated in its constitution:
The Society seeks to promote the development of sociology as a profession and scientific discipline by the maintenance of high academic professional and ethical standards, and by encouraging (a) effective teaching of sociology, (b) valid and reliable methods and research in the study of human society, (c) diffusion of sociological knowledge and its application to societal problems, (d) cooperation with related disciplines and groups, (e) recruitment and training of sociologists, and (f) development of sociology programs in educational and other agencies.
And, we also want to emphasize our commitment to a safe and welcoming conference environment as expressed in our anti-harassment policy:
SSS is committed to providing 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 gender expression, disability, health conditions, socioeconomic status, marital status, domestic status, or parental status.
We look forward to gathering with you in Charlotte this spring to continue the work of advancing our scientific understanding of society and social processes, promoting the application of that understanding to serving the greater good, and supporting the teaching of that understanding at the highest standards.
Dawn T. Robinson, SSS President
Anthony Peguero, SSS Vice-President
David Brunsma, SSS Executive Officer
Rhiannon Leebrick, SSS Recording Secretary
Kendra Jason, SSS President-Elect
Gayle Kaufman, SSS Past-President
Earl Wright II, SSS Past-Past President
David Embrick, SSS Executive Committee Member
Brandon Jackson, SSS Executive Committee Member
Marisela Martinez Cola, SSS Executive Committee Member
Alyasah Ali Sewell, SSS Executive Committee Member
James “JT” Thomas, SSS Executive Committee Member