Department of Sociology
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Public Sociology Award

Public sociology has a long tradition at the University of Minnesota as we continue to provide research and council to individuals and organizations who make good on our mission of engaged scholarship. Our faculty and alumni have been national leaders in both public outreach and community engagement. To expand on this theme, in 2005 we began, to formally acknowledge individuals or groups who are continually reaching beyond rigors of their research to engage a wider audience who are working to understand the issues that engage us and to our understanding of events and change.Each year, we recognize the importance of work that engages wider audiences outside the university setting.

2013 - Minnesotans for a Fair Economy

We are honored to present this year's award to the coalition members of Minnesotans for a Fair Economy (MFE). This statewide initiative of aligned organizations brings together labor, faith and community groups representing service workers, healthcare employees, residents of urban neighborhoods, farmworkers, church-goers, immigrants, low-wage workers, communities of color and other constituencies. For the last two years, MFE has been working to aggregate the energy of these diverse groups and other advocates of social justice under the banner of an economy that works for everyone. Their mission is to build and implement the progressive infrastructure to bring about a different economic arrangement that would reduce income inequality, promote social justice and increase racial equity

2012 - Lisa Wade and Gwen Sharp - Sociological Images

This year we honor Professor Lisa Wade (Occidental College) and Gwen Sharp (Nevada State College) the creative masterminds behind Sociological Images: Seeing is Believing --- a remarkable blog and website that brings cogent sociological analysis to the pictures we see in everyday life. Sociological Images encourages both academic and non-academic readers to exercise and develop their sociological imagination, presenting brief sociological discussions of compelling and timely imagery that spans the breadth of sociological inquiry. Sociological Images is described as a “relatable, interesting way to draw both students and the lay public into sociology,” in keeping with the department’s tradition of outreach and engaged scholarship. It is a “vibrant and refreshing work… at the intersection of teaching and public scholarship”.

2011 - Contexts Graduate Student Board

The 2011 Public Sociology Award goes to the graduate student editorial board members of Contexts magazine. Over the past four years, these students have read, written, argued, laughed, learned, and created. They’ve become engaged scholars of the first rank. Our students have written hundreds of exciting “Discoveries” which draw in lay readers and serious academics. They exemplify the magazines mission of reaching outside the Ivory Tower. Over the four years Contexts has been at Minnesota, these 25 students have made it what it is: an award-winning, peer-reviewed journal that we’re proud to show off to those both inside and outside academia. Ryan Alaniz, Arturo Baiocchi, Erika Busse, Amelia Cotton Corl, Keith Cunnien, Sinan Erensu, Shannon Golden, Kyle Green, Kristin Haltinner, Kia Heise, Meghan Krausch, Sarah Lageson, Wesley Longhofer, Liying Luo, Suzy Maves McElrath, Heather McLaughlin, Jeremy Minyard, Hollie Nyseth, Timothy Ortyl, Sarah Shannon, Chika Shinohara, Jon Smajda, Daniel Winchester, Jesse Wozniak, Chen-Yu (Andy) Wu.

2010 - Professor Phyllis Moen

We are excited to announce that Professor Phyllis Moen is our recipient of the 2010 Public Sociology Award. Throughout her career, Prof. Moen explores research topics that have direct social relevance and concrete policy implications (such as gender roles and career development, retirement policies, or the impact of flexible work plans on work and family well-being).

In addition, Prof. Moen has worked tirelessly to bring her knowledge and that of other sociologists to broader public attention and influence. Whether in serving on local and national panels, boards or advisory committees, writing editorials and op-eds, or talking with community groups, New York Times reporters, or on National Public Radio, Prof. Moen has understood the need to translate sociology to lay audiences as well as draw out its significance for policy, politics, and culture. In each of these roles and all of these settings, Phyllis Moen has not only performed admirable public service, she has become a wonderful ambassador of and role model for the Minnesota model of publicly engaged sociology. Prof. Moen will be honored at the 20th Annual Sociology Research Institute on Friday, April 23rd at 1:00 in the Cowles Auditorium, HHH Center

2009 - Wilder Research

This year's recipient is Wilder Research in recognition of the launch of Twin Cities Compass developed to provide a common foundation to identify, understand and act on community issues that affect the Twin Cities and surrounding communities. By tracking topics that impact quality of life, including civic engagement, early childhood, economy and workforce, education, health, housing, public safety and transportation, they provide unbiased, credible information about how our region is faring; to alert policy makers, community leaders and the public to significant trends; to promote coordinated efforts to address them; to measure and communicate progress; and identify solutions and build consensus to promote productive action.

More than 300 volunteers, including educational institutions, private industry, public and non-profit sectors have helped to shape Twin Cities Compass. Through presentations, their web site www.tccompass.org, and most recently on Facebook, Wilder Research reports new findings, discusses how issues are being addressed, and informs groups working to promote positive change in our region.