Twenty-one University of Iowa researchers are presenting their work or serving as panelists at the American Sociological Association annual meeting in New York, which began Aug. 10 and runs through Aug. 13. Here are summaries of some of the work they'll be discussing at the meeting:
Steven Hitlin, associate professor, and Mark Salisbury, who earned his doctorate from the UI College of Education and is now at Augustana College, challenge the growing notion that college students are getting more selfish over time. Their analysis of data obtained from a national survey of college freshman found that though many young adults may be self absorbed, a majority want to give back to their community in addition to seeking personal success. The pair also found that having wealthier parents makes a student less likely to be self-interested.
Their presentation took place at 8:30 a.m. (EST) Aug. 11.
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Sarah Bruch, assistant professor, takes a closer look at our nation’s safety nets, or public assistance programs. Her analysis reveals that eligibility requirements and benefits from programs such as food stamps and cash assistance vary widely from state to state—in some cases by more than $6,000 per family. The difference raises important questions about the adequacy of America’s social safety-net system, says Bruch.
Her presentation will take place at 8:30 a.m. (EST) Aug. 13.
stef shuster, a graduate student, has a study revealing that transgender people are frequently subjected to slights and insults. Known as “micro-aggression,” these affronts include using an incorrect pronoun or questioning the authenticity of a transgender person’s identity. shuster’s findings suggest that micro-aggression is an unavoidable part of transgender people’s experiences and can have a negative impact on mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health.
shuster's presentation will be at 4:30 p.m. (EST) Aug. 12.