Attention!!!

            If you’re a Sociologist, why can’t we hear you? For years now the voices of Sociologist are minimizing, and its time to make a change. Scientist and politicians are always being listened to, and it seems to me that the work that Sociologist do is being categorized as being irrelevant. For instance, Orlando Patterson stated “I could find no evidence that any sociologist was even consulted in the critical first three months of the group’s work.” This was in regards of My Brothers Keeper which is for the black youth. This is an issue because clearly Sociologists were apart of this program but they had no one to step up to show their awareness. Patricia Hill Collins brought a good point she spoke about how it’s difficult to speak when it has to do with race. I agree with her because the majority of us victimize our self and it leads to racial issues, which is why some people might not want to speak upon the topic. To add on Orlando Patterson also mentioned “Not only have sociologists been nervous Nellies in avoiding cultural explanations, they’ve mostly shied from engaging in public discourse.”

            Patricia Hill Collins wrote “Truth-Telling and Intellectual Activism.” In this article she speaks upon having to use our resources to be able to speak to those in power. She brings up a good point while speaking about how corporate colleges and University is a monopoly. I agree with her because they control the amount of resources they provide to students to remain in power. The text stated that there is only two ways to speak to those in power which is speaking the truth to power as well as speaking the truth to the people using images. Patricia Collins mentioned “we may think of our education as our individual intelectual property…” We can not satisfy our self at that particular level, we must rise and use what we were giving to be able to speak to those with authority. To relate back with this article Jurgerson published an article called “How Academics Can Become Relate” which is very similar to each other. This article speaks upon why we don’t use our resources. What grasp my attention was “who reads Sociology journal?” This is a great question because honestly when do you ever hear that someone reads a Sociology journal? I never have, but there has to be a reason to that. The reason to this is accessibility, Sociologist ideas have to be more relevant, engaging, and easier to access. This is why in the text they mentioned “ideas should not be locked behind paywalls.” This is only leading to one thing, which is Sociologist work basically going to waste. PJ Rey spoke upon the reason on why many are not using their resources, it’s because of the environment change. I agree with PJ Rey because now that technology is advanced we don’t want to read out of textbooks we want to use our gadgets. Patricia Hill Collins disagreed upon this she sated “referring to the evolutionary process where something evolves in one environment for one purpose but comes to take on a new purpose in a different environment.” The text spoke about how its to expensive to continue to publish books, in regards of printing, editorial, gas to publish all around the world. The solution to this would be to just blog, tweet, or if you have your own website it would only be the maintenance fee. They both agreed on how the academics journal system is broken because they are hidden from the public.

            Orlando Patterson wrote an article called “How Sociologists made themselves irrelevant.” This article ties up with the argument along with the rest of the articles. In this article Orlando Patterson speaks upon Sociologist keeping quiet when they could be a solution for others. What grasp my attention was when Orlando Patterson stated “I’m talking about using our expertise to help develop public policies and alleviate social problems in context where in the experience and data, reciprocally, inform our work.” From my point of view this is the objective that Sociologist must have, they must be active wanting to help issues in different environments. Fabio Rojas spoke upon this as well in “Why activism and Academic don’t mix.” What I mainly focused on in this article was the activism. The reason on why I did that is because this is a form of social change, student of color do not have the tools in compare to white students. In other words, white people have the money, they would have the voters, and support. This is exactly why Sociologist need to step up a difference is needed, and that difference might just be a voice. Which brings together on what Karen Sternheimer was speaking about “Michael Burawoy encouraged Sociologist to think beyond the academic tradition of sharing our ideas only with other professional in academic journals.” This is exactly what I be thinking to myself, why not help others? Why not help others to make this a better place? A place that we would all be educated if we can just educate each other. I feel as though when we don’t help each other that’s when confusion occurs and things begin to get misinterpreted. Karen Sternheimer “The challenge of public sociology us to do our best to explain complicated issues in simple terms.”

            I believe that C. Wright Mills would have something to say about this. C. Wright Mills would speak upon feeling trapped in this monopoly, and that “peasants’ would remain in the same class while those in power would remain to rise. To avoid this chances must be taken but only that individual would know their circumstances. I would say the same upon this situation because everyone goes through different things at different times. I enjoyed reading these debates, honestly it doesn’t matter to me if they had their PH. D or not. I feel as though it is time for Sociologist to speak up for a difference could happen. The voices of Sociologist must be heard, doesn’t make any sense that their work just keeps going to waste. But to others it might be a difference because of just a degree, some of us have the tendency of not listening to those without the higher learning education.