Another year of Sociology of Guns at Wake Forest University is in the books. This is the 7th time in 7 years I have taught the course. COVID made some things different this semester. In fall 2020, I taught the course online. I was happy to be able to meet this semester face-to-face, but weContinue reading “Sociology of Guns Ver. 7.0 Is In The Books, Student Final Reflections Coming”
Tag Archives: sociology
A Sociology of Firearms for the Twenty-First Century – Editor’s Introduction Now Available
Although the printed journal is not due out until February 2022, by the magic of the internet, the articles appearing in the special issue of Sociological Perspectives that I co-edited are now available online (though mostly pay-walled, sorry). The Special Issue Editors’ Introduction that Trent Steidley and I wrote, A Sociology of Firearms for theContinue reading “A Sociology of Firearms for the Twenty-First Century – Editor’s Introduction Now Available”
Sociology of Guns Module 2: Guns Are Normal, Normal People Use Guns
Everyone approaches the study of and teaching about guns from a particular perspective. My own perspective comes from my involvement in gun culture over the past decade, which has profoundly shifted my perspective on guns and gun owners. Over the years I have refined this perspective into a sort of motto: Guns are normal, andContinue reading “Sociology of Guns Module 2: Guns Are Normal, Normal People Use Guns”
Queers with Guns? Against the LGBT Grain
For the past 18 months, I have been co-editing, with Trent Steidley of the University of Denver, a special issue of the scholarly journal, Sociological Perspectives. The theme is “A Sociology of Firearms for the 21st Century.” A major goal we had in soliciting and selecting articles for the special issue was to expand theContinue reading “Queers with Guns? Against the LGBT Grain”
Gun Culture 3.0? I Don’t Think So (Not Yet)
I have been trying to understand what I call, following gun journalist Michael Bane, Gun Culture 2.0 for over 10 years now. I am currently in a race to finish my book on the topic before Gun Culture 3.0 arrives. I have not yet seen any convincing evidence that American gun culture has reached aContinue reading “Gun Culture 3.0? I Don’t Think So (Not Yet)”
Article Published on “Who Are the Liberal Gun Owners?”
Early in 2020 I wrote an entry on this blog asking “Who are the liberal gun owners?” I was responding to media interest in liberals who own guns in an election year. In response to an inquiry from the Associated Press, I did some quick and dirty analyses using data from the National Opinion ResearchContinue reading “Article Published on “Who Are the Liberal Gun Owners?””
A COVID-19 Handgun Purchasing Boom? – By Trent Steidley
In his third and final guest post in this series (see his first and second), Trent Steidley takes up the claim that the COVID-19 gun purchasing spree of March 2020 was driven by handgun purchases (a claim I made myself, which helped begin this dialogue). Was March 2020 the best month for handgun sales ever?Continue reading “A COVID-19 Handgun Purchasing Boom? – By Trent Steidley”
How Unprecedented Was The Gun Buying Spree of March 2020 – By Trent Steidley
In his guest post yesterday, Trent Steidley challenged the simplistic use of data from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) as a measure of “gun sales.” Today he critically engages the second of three common narratives emerging from the great gun buying spree of March 2020: that March 2020 saw the most gunsContinue reading “How Unprecedented Was The Gun Buying Spree of March 2020 – By Trent Steidley”
Caution and Sense with NICS Data and Gun Sale Spikes – by Trent Steidley
My recent posts about the great COVID19 gun buying spree of March 2020 (especially handguns) elicited some helpful clarifying and corrective tweets from my colleague Trent Steidley (bio below). I don’t know any sociologist as familiar or adept with National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) data as he is. I am grateful, therefore, thatContinue reading “Caution and Sense with NICS Data and Gun Sale Spikes – by Trent Steidley”
Call for Papers: A Sociology of Firearms for the 21st Century
I am very pleased to announce that Trent Steidley (U. of Denver) and I are editing a special issue of Sociological Perspectives on guns. Please see the full call for papers for more information. Proposals are due April 30th and final manuscripts September 1st.
Gun Curious 