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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · 7h

As you create your Spring 2026 course schedules, consider taking one or more of these electives in Sociology! As a bonus, all of them have zero textbook cost! 🧑‍🏫📓✏️

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Spring 2026
Sociology 4725/5725
Environmental Sociology
"We won't have a society if we destroy the environment." -- Margaret Mead
Counts toward Social Justice
Concentration and Minor
Upper Division Credit
Zero Textbook Cost
For more information:
Angela.Mertig@mtsu.edu

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Social Media & Society
SOC 4150-5150
Learn about social media:
the good, the bad, and the ugly!
For more info: Rachel.Davis@mtsu.edu
SPRING 2026

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FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY & ANTHROPOLOGY
Online
Spring 2026
SOCIOLOGY 4450/5450
EMOTIONS IN SOCIETY:
CONTEXT, STRUCTURE, AND IDENTITY

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN
OUR FEELINGS INTERACT WITH SOCIETY?

TOPICS INCLUDE: CAREWORK, EMOTIONAL LABOR, SELF PRESERVATION,
AND WORK IN THE SOCIAL SERVICES.

Upper division credit
Mixed with Graduate Students
Flipped Classroom
Zero Textbook Cost
Engage Course (pending)
COURSE REDESIGNED AND TAUGHT BY
DR. JORDAN SOLOMON
JORDAN.SOLOMON@MTSU.EDU

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · 2d

We're shining the spotlight on Sociology Master's student Cassie Sistoso! 🔦🔍

Fun Fact: Cassie is a musician with an EP titled COLLATERAL, released under the name cassie joy! 🎶

Cassie studies gender, sexuality, neurodiversity, and domestic violence. 🎓👩🏫

Photos of Cassie Sistoso

Student Spotlight
Cassie Sistoso
Master of Arts in Sociology
Graduating 2026

Future Plans:
Cassie plans to pursue a PhD in Sociology, focusing on research and teaching. Support from MTSU faculty and mentors like Fred Arroyo helped her see a future where writing, advocacy, and scholarship can coexist. She is committed to building a career rooted in inquiry, creativity, and community care.

Academic Interests:
Cassie studies gender, sexuality, neurodiversity, and domestic violence. She entered sociology through the Women's and Gender Studies certificate and found deeper purpose through research on maternal mortality. Her academic work is shaped by courses like Dr. Oldham’s Violence in the Family and by mentorship from women faculty. She also writes poetry through the Sewanee School of Letters, blending creative and scholarly expression.

Fun Facts:
Cassie is a musician with an EP titled COLLATERAL, released under the name “cassie joy.” She is an avid reader who aims to finish at least 75 books each year. Her two cats, Taro and Tuna, are her greatest companions. In her downtime, she enjoys playing video games and exploring creative worlds beyond academia.

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · 8d

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Middle Tennessee State University invites applicants for a full-time, tenure-track faculty position (#129030) in sociology at the rank of assistant or associate professor whose research and teaching focus is health, illness, and healthcare systems.

MTSU Jobs | Middle Tennessee State University

careers.mtsu.edu

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · 9d

We're shining the spotlight on Sociology Professor Dr. Brandon Wallace! 🔦🔍

Fun Fact: Dr. Wallace was a student pastor in the Methodist Church for 4 years. ⛪

His advice to students is, "You need to be able to articulate what about your sociology degree would make you a good employee." 🗨

Photo of Dr. Wallace

Faculty Spotlight

Areas of Expertise:
Research Methods
Statistics
Aging
Family
Medical
Social Psychology

Fun Facts:
Dr. Wallace was a student pastor in the Methodist Church for 4 years.
Dr. Wallace likes to travel, play pool, and trivia.

Classes Taught:
SOC 2010 Social Problems
SOC 3050 Data Analysis
SOC 4360 Medical Sociology
SOC 6550 Seminar on Aging
SOC 6620 Quantitative Research Methods
SOC 6661 Program Evaluation

Advice to Students:
“You have to sell yourself and sociology when looking for jobs. You need to be able to articulate what about your sociology degree would make you a good employee. This often requires explaining what sociology is to prospective employers.”

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Reposted by MTSU Sociology

MTSU Anthropology @mtsuanthropology.bsky.social · 14d

Please join us for the Fall 2025 Anthropologica lecture on October 9 from 1:00 - 2:25 pm in the College of Education building room 160 to hear Dr. Alisse Waterston deliver a lecture entitled "Writing to be Read: Crafting and Communicating Knowledge as if the World Depends Upon It."

Anthropologica for fall '25

Guest Speaker: Alisse Waterston

"Writing to be read: Crafting and communicating knowledge as if the world depends upon it"

October 9, 2025, 1-2:25 pm, COE 160

As students and academics, must we succumb to splitting ourselves between being a scholar and being a responsible global citizen or between the artistic and the scholarly in representing what we have come to learn? In this talk, I describe my experiments in multimodal anthropology with intimate ethnography and with the graphic novel designed to bring knowledge and understanding into the public conversation on critical issues. Identifying my own assumptions and the sense of urgency that has driven much of my work, I question
the value of public scholarship amid terrible political, economic, and military violence. I
wonder: Is it fantasy to think this work matters? What does it do for the world? Does that question even matter? What are we doing and why are we doing it?

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · 15d

We're shining the spotlight on research by Sociology Assistant Professor Dr. Rachel Davis, who is reshaping how scholars understand intimacy, social class, and digital life! 🔍

She is developing a book on hypergamy, a form of romantic partnership marked by economic inequality. 💰⚖️

Photo of Dr. Rachel Davis

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Research Spotlight

Inside the Mind of a Digital Feminist
Dr. Rachel Davis is reshaping how scholars understand intimacy, class, and digital life. From the hills of Tennessee to a secluded island, she is developing a book on hypergamy, a form of romantic partnership marked by economic inequality. Dr. Davis sat down with us to discuss matrix logics, media myths, and the feminist contradictions that shape online sexual labor.

Q: What questions or problems are you currently exploring?
I am currently writing a book for Bloomsbury Publishing about hypergamy, a strategic intimate partnership between a man of high socioeconomic status and a woman of lower socioeconomic status, on Tumblr and TikTok. Some feminists denounce hypergamy as exploitative, while others celebrate it as empowering. This tension raises the question: How do we define and identify women’s exploitation and empowerment, and how can a phenomenon be labeled as both at once?

Q: What methods or theoretical approaches are central to your work?
For my book project, I utilized digital ethnographic research methods informed by a combination of intersectionality theory, particularly Vivian May’s concept of matrix logics, and Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of class distinction. As part of my digital ethnography, I combined social media content analyses, in-depth qualitative interviews, and statistical analyses. Overall, I prefer mixed-methods approaches like this.

Q: What insights or challenges have shaped your recent projects?
Studying social media involves constant challenges, as social media sites change features, algorithms, and data policies daily, often without disclosing them. This requires researchers to constantly change our data-gathering tactics and ethical considerations in response. It can be exhausting sometimes! But it keeps me on my toes.

Q: What insights or challenges have shaped your recent projects?
Studying social media involves constant challenges, as social media sites change features, algorithms, and data policies daily, often without disclosing them. This requires researchers to constantly change our data-gathering tactics and ethical considerations in response. It can be exhausting sometimes! But it keeps me on my toes.

Q: What led you to this area of research?
I became interested in the phenomenon of hypergamy in my undergraduate career, when I noticed that several feminists I followed on social media expressed an interest in having a sugar daddy, despite many other feminists denouncing sugar arrangements as exploitative and sexist.

Q: How would you describe your research to someone outside of academia?
I look at how social media shapes romantic relationships and the economic transactions that take place within them. More specifically, I study the similarities and differences between women who identify as sugar babies, high-value women, and spoiled girlfriends.

Q: What themes or arguments does your research address?
My research suggests that some women are actively seeking economically unequal (hypergamous) relationships in lieu of egalitarian ones, potentially perpetuating gender inequality while simultaneously claiming feminist politics. On the other hand, hypergamy may be understood as a strategy for class mobility in an otherwise largely closed class system. In this context, hypergamous women have been harmed by legislative and corporate actions like FOSTA that restrict their freedom of speech, sexual autonomy, and sense of community, all in the name of feminism and social justice. By utilizing matrix logics, I hope to push our responses to these issues beyond binary concepts of victimization and exploitation so that we can better understand (and change) contemporary life.

Q: How does your research engage with contemporary issues?
My research engages with debates about sexual labor and criminal law. After the passage of Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA) in 2018, social media platforms purged adult content, disproportionately affecting racial, gender, and sexual minorities. Ironically, this pushed the sex trade further underground, making it harder to identify and assist trafficking victims. My work aims to expose these contradictions and suggest more just policy approaches.

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · 22d

As a result, will need to know how to crosswalk your skills for employers. To do this, you need to do your homework, learn their language, and present yourself and your background in terms they will understand.”

MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · 22d

Her advice to students: “Social scientists are increasingly in high demand because of the context we can provide to data and statistics. That being said, you will likely be applying to positions that aren't explicitly labeled as "sociologist" or "social scientist" ...

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · 22d

At EcoMetric, Presley evaluates utility energy-efficiency programs using social science research methods, including surveys, interviews, and market analysis, contributing to evidence-based improvements and policy decisions to promote equitable access to energy.

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · 22d

Presley was recently elected Chair-Elect of the Rural Sociological Society's Rural Policy Research Interest Group and presented her research at the society’s annual conference.

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · 22d

We're shining the spotlight on Sociology Master's program alum Presley Powers, who graduated in 2021 and currently works as an Energy Analyst! 🔦🔍

Photo of Presley Powers

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Alumni Spotlight

Current Job Title and Organization:
Energy Analyst III at EcoMetric Consulting

Presley Powers was recently elected Chair-Elect of the Rural Policy Research Interest Group within the Rural Sociological Society and presented her dissertation at the society’s annual conference. Her research explores public trust as an indicator for urban to rural migration, reflecting her commitment to understanding the social dynamics that shape communities. At EcoMetric, Presley evaluates utility energy-efficiency programs using social science research methods, including surveys, interviews, and market analysis. Her work focuses on customer experiences, trade partner engagement, and broader program impacts, contributing to evidence-based improvements and policy decisions. She also advances efforts to promote equitable access to energy.

Influence of MTSU Sociology Education
Presley describes her sociology education at Middle Tennessee State University as exceptional. Through rigorous coursework and thoughtful mentorship, she learned to think critically as a social scientist and developed a strong foundation in research methodology. Her studies also deepened her understanding of the cultural and social influences that shape decision making. One of her most memorable courses was Social Theory, where she especially appreciated reading The Women Founders. That text highlighted the contributions of women to sociological theory and expanded her perspective on the discipline’s intellectual history. This academic foundation has guided her professional development and continues to inform her work in applied research and policy.

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · 28d

Fun Fact: Vaun enjoys using games as teaching tools. He has used the board game Monopoly to illustrate concepts of inequality and is currently developing a custom Dungeons and Dragons adventure designed to highlight key sociological theories. 🎲

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · 28d

We're shining the spotlight on Sociology Master's student Vaun Baltimore! 🔍 His thesis examines algorithmic media curation across social media platforms, with attention to how platform personalization shapes adolescent content exposure. He plans to pursue a PhD in Sociology! 🎓

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · Sep 14

This session is a great opportunity to explore program requirements and opportunities, learn how our program can support your career goals, and ask questions about the admissions process.

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · Sep 14

Thinking about a Master’s in Sociology? Join us Tuesday, September 23 at 11 am central for our upcoming virtual information session to learn more about the MA in Sociology program at MTSU! Register today at the link below or using the QR code to reserve your spot!
mtsu.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Text reads: Sociology MA Info Session

Virtual Info Session
- Requirements
- Opportunities
- Career Goals

Tuesday, September 23
11 am central

For more information: Ugur.Orak@mtsu.edu

QR code to register

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Reposted by MTSU Sociology

MTSU Anthropology @mtsuanthropology.bsky.social · Sep 10

You can read more about the poster here: tennesseearchaeologycouncil.wordpress.com/2025/09/08/t...

If you have a favorite memory or photograph from an experience at one of MTSU’s (or another university’s!) field schools—as a volunteer, visitor, or student—please share it below!

The 2025 Tennessee Archaeology Awareness Month Poster

Paul Eubanks and Noël LorsonMiddle Tennessee State University Each year, Tennessee Archaeology Awareness Month celebrates the depth of our state’s archaeological record—and the people working to st…

tennesseearchaeologycouncil.wordpress.com

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Reposted by MTSU Sociology

MTSU Anthropology @mtsuanthropology.bsky.social · Sep 10

It's official: The 2025 Tennessee Archaeology Awareness Month Poster is hot off the presses! This year's poster celebrates public archaeology and outreach efforts in Tennessee, highlighting the role of the late Dr. Kevin Smith and the MTSU Archaeology Field School.

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · Sep 8

We're shining the spotlight on Sociology Assistant Professor Dr. Rachel Davis! 🔦🔍

Fun Fact: Dr. Davis was an Odd Future fanatic in high school! She had the honor of being kicked in the head (accidentally) by Left Brain in the mosh pit of one of their shows. 😳

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Reposted by MTSU Sociology

MTSU Anthropology @mtsuanthropology.bsky.social · Aug 22

Congratulations again to Dr. Ida Fadzillah Leggett for her promotion to full Professor of Anthropology! We're glad you were able to celebrate and be celebrated at the university's recent reception!

Photo of Dr. Ida Fadzillah Leggett with her husband and colleague Dr. Will Leggett

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · Aug 21

Demos' is coming to @mtsuofficial.bsky.social! And the husband-and-wife owners are both MTSU Sociology alums! Kristin highlights the impact their alma mater had on their success. "I think [Peter's] work ethic and stress management was founded in his college experience." mtsunews.com/demos-to-cam...

Pictured outside the new location, from right, are alumni and owners Peter Demos and Kristin Demos and their son, Jamey Demos, who will manage the restaurant. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

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MTSU Anthropology @mtsuanthropology.bsky.social · Aug 7

Congratulations to Dr. Ida Fadzillah Leggett for her promotion to full Professor of Anthropology!

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · Aug 6

Sociology professor Dr. Ugur Orak and his co-authors Ozden Ozbay and Sabuha Bindik have a new article entitled "Social class and deviance among young adults in Türkiye" published in the International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice! Read it at www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Social class and deviance among young adults in Türkiye

Existing criminological and sociological research in the Western world typically presents a negative relationship between social class and deviance, such that individuals with a lower social class ...

www.tandfonline.com

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · Aug 5

Congratulations to graduate student Yuri Lim for successfully defending her thesis proposal yesterday! Her thesis will examine national pride, social trust, and attitudes toward immigrants.

Photo of Yuri with the text "Congratulations to graduate student Yuri Lim for successfully defending her thesis proposal! Her thesis will examine national pride, social trust, and attitudes toward immigrants."

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MTSU Sociology @mtsusociology.bsky.social · Aug 4

Congratulations to sociology professor Dr. Ugur Orak, who has been chosen for the 2025 - 2026 cohort of the MTSU Provost's Faculty Leadership Development Institute!

Image of Dr. Ugur Orak with the text "Congratulations!"

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American Sociological Association @asanews.bsky.social · Aug 1

Learn about Middle Tennessee State University’s Dept of Sociology & Anthropology @mtsuofficial.bsky.social‬ & other soc depts in the 2025 ASA Guide to Graduate Departments of Sociology. Now completely online & free for ASA members. Available for a fee to nonmembers. https://bit.ly/ASAGradGuide

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