Ken Kolb
@kenkolb.bsky.social
Sociologist. Reluctant dept. chair. Currently writing book about shipping on lower Mississippi. Past books about food access and victim advocacy.
My latest feature story just went live 64parishes.org/tugs-and-lines
Tugs and Lines - 64 Parishes
Those who work on tug and mooring crews on the Mississippi River often live on ships for a days at a time.
64parishes.org
December 1, 2025 at 4:59 PM
My latest feature story just went live 64parishes.org/tugs-and-lines
Reposted by Ken Kolb
We been here for years (1828).
November 6, 2025 at 7:49 PM
We been here for years (1828).
Ugh. Fire sale. I'm guessing Kamara is next. Dark days ahead www.nola.com/sports/saint...
The Saints have made a move prior to the trade deadline, sending Rashid Shaheed out west
The first of potentially several dominoes fell for the New Orleans Saints prior to Tuesday's trade deadline, as they sent Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks.
www.nola.com
November 4, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Ugh. Fire sale. I'm guessing Kamara is next. Dark days ahead www.nola.com/sports/saint...
Just submitted my first "big" grant application as the lead project director ($650k, USDA AFRI/NIFA). Process took up 6 weeks of my life. But I learned a lot.
October 30, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Just submitted my first "big" grant application as the lead project director ($650k, USDA AFRI/NIFA). Process took up 6 weeks of my life. But I learned a lot.
Cubs win. Never a doubt!
October 3, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Cubs win. Never a doubt!
Never thought I'd go back to handwritten exams, but here we are. To speed up grading, I scan them all and type in my comments/feedback with Adobe comment tool and then just email them back.
September 25, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Never thought I'd go back to handwritten exams, but here we are. To speed up grading, I scan them all and type in my comments/feedback with Adobe comment tool and then just email them back.
Reposted by Ken Kolb
🍎 Millions of children in the U.S. struggle with food insecurity. In this policy brief, @orgulozturk.bsky.social (@sc.edu) makes the case for expanding the Community Eligibility Provision Program, the largest schoolwide free meals initiative in the U.S.
Read the brief: scholars.org/contribution...
Read the brief: scholars.org/contribution...
September 24, 2025 at 5:32 PM
🍎 Millions of children in the U.S. struggle with food insecurity. In this policy brief, @orgulozturk.bsky.social (@sc.edu) makes the case for expanding the Community Eligibility Provision Program, the largest schoolwide free meals initiative in the U.S.
Read the brief: scholars.org/contribution...
Read the brief: scholars.org/contribution...
I got my hands on new data regarding evictions in South Carolina (h/t Legal Services Corporation). This is gonna be a big story.
August 21, 2025 at 6:59 PM
I got my hands on new data regarding evictions in South Carolina (h/t Legal Services Corporation). This is gonna be a big story.
Reposted by Ken Kolb
The GOP's recent tax and spending law makes cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that many low-income Americans rely on to buy groceries. Professor @kenkolb.bsky.social shares what this will mean for grocery stores on @npr.org's The Indicator.
Interviewed on NPR about importance of local food retail.
"they offer healthy food, but they also provide jobs. They're businesses where people are coming and going. They produce foot traffic... They fill all sorts of other community needs besides just filling people's shopping carts."
"they offer healthy food, but they also provide jobs. They're businesses where people are coming and going. They produce foot traffic... They fill all sorts of other community needs besides just filling people's shopping carts."
Why Trump's spending bill could close your grocery store : The Indicator from Planet Money
Trump’s tax and spending law makes the largest cut in history to one of the nation’s biggest safety net programs. Today on the show, we explore how cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Progra...
www.npr.org
August 19, 2025 at 2:15 PM
The GOP's recent tax and spending law makes cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that many low-income Americans rely on to buy groceries. Professor @kenkolb.bsky.social shares what this will mean for grocery stores on @npr.org's The Indicator.
What is going on with the cubs?
August 15, 2025 at 8:59 PM
What is going on with the cubs?
Do Mississippi River pilots really make too much money? A thread 🧵 1/17
August 15, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Do Mississippi River pilots really make too much money? A thread 🧵 1/17
Interviewed on NPR about importance of local food retail.
"they offer healthy food, but they also provide jobs. They're businesses where people are coming and going. They produce foot traffic... They fill all sorts of other community needs besides just filling people's shopping carts."
"they offer healthy food, but they also provide jobs. They're businesses where people are coming and going. They produce foot traffic... They fill all sorts of other community needs besides just filling people's shopping carts."
Why Trump's spending bill could close your grocery store : The Indicator from Planet Money
Trump’s tax and spending law makes the largest cut in history to one of the nation’s biggest safety net programs. Today on the show, we explore how cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Progra...
www.npr.org
August 14, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Interviewed on NPR about importance of local food retail.
"they offer healthy food, but they also provide jobs. They're businesses where people are coming and going. They produce foot traffic... They fill all sorts of other community needs besides just filling people's shopping carts."
"they offer healthy food, but they also provide jobs. They're businesses where people are coming and going. They produce foot traffic... They fill all sorts of other community needs besides just filling people's shopping carts."
Saw a presentation with a qualitative data analysis coding technique that might be done better with AI. I'm still a skeptic, but it could work #ASA2025
August 12, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Saw a presentation with a qualitative data analysis coding technique that might be done better with AI. I'm still a skeptic, but it could work #ASA2025
I've gotten lost in the Chicago Hyatt Regency about three times already. Room layout is baffling. Having fun at the conference though. Enjoying this year's theme #ASA2025
August 11, 2025 at 7:20 PM
I've gotten lost in the Chicago Hyatt Regency about three times already. Room layout is baffling. Having fun at the conference though. Enjoying this year's theme #ASA2025
Dan is the best!
Once again offering to meet with folks at #ASA2025 in Chicago starting Saturday. If you need someone to read your cover letter or talk about the job market or just to sit quietly and keep you company during what can be a very stressful time, reach out. I'll buy coffee/tea. #sociology
August 6, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Dan is the best!
Reposted by Ken Kolb
Congratulations to 2025-2026 ASA POP Fellow Ken Kolb, Furman University! @kenkolb.bsky.social bit.ly/POPfellows
August 6, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Congratulations to 2025-2026 ASA POP Fellow Ken Kolb, Furman University! @kenkolb.bsky.social bit.ly/POPfellows
It's been a while. First ASR article featuring ethnomethodology and conversation analysis I've seen in a long time. Maybe like 10 years, unless I'm missing one.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
August 5, 2025 at 1:37 PM
It's been a while. First ASR article featuring ethnomethodology and conversation analysis I've seen in a long time. Maybe like 10 years, unless I'm missing one.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
I've been selected to be an inaugural fellow of the American Sociological Association's new Policy Outreach Program.
For the next year, we will meet with legislative offices, think tanks, and policymakers to learn how to gain more influence on public policy and popular opinion.
For the next year, we will meet with legislative offices, think tanks, and policymakers to learn how to gain more influence on public policy and popular opinion.
Policy Outreach Program Fellowship | American Sociological Association
NOTE: Applications are closed for the 2025-2026 Cohort. Please check back in April 2026 for details about the 2026-2027 application process
www.asanet.org
July 30, 2025 at 9:08 PM
I've been selected to be an inaugural fellow of the American Sociological Association's new Policy Outreach Program.
For the next year, we will meet with legislative offices, think tanks, and policymakers to learn how to gain more influence on public policy and popular opinion.
For the next year, we will meet with legislative offices, think tanks, and policymakers to learn how to gain more influence on public policy and popular opinion.
Going to Chicago for #ASA2025 next week. Been watching this channel to get my food goals in order. Found this review of a brunch for James Beard awards nominees in '24. I'm in the background at 2:08, jogging to the mimosa bar for a refill. Lost that award, but gained 5 lbs
youtu.be/J1hA_RtMfa4?...
youtu.be/J1hA_RtMfa4?...
Eating Korean Fried Chicken N' Waffles at the James Beard Awards Brunch
YouTube video by Number Six With Cheese
youtu.be
July 30, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Going to Chicago for #ASA2025 next week. Been watching this channel to get my food goals in order. Found this review of a brunch for James Beard awards nominees in '24. I'm in the background at 2:08, jogging to the mimosa bar for a refill. Lost that award, but gained 5 lbs
youtu.be/J1hA_RtMfa4?...
youtu.be/J1hA_RtMfa4?...
One hour after my post, same story came up from another New Orleanian in the local paper www.nola.com/entertainmen...
July 29, 2025 at 6:31 PM
One hour after my post, same story came up from another New Orleanian in the local paper www.nola.com/entertainmen...
RIP Ryne Sandberg. I'm a cubs fan to this day because when cox cable came to our block in New Orleans when I was 8 years old it was either WGN (cubs) or TBS (Braves) and the cubs were always on when I got home from school. Used to tape Cey-Sandberg 5-4-3 double plays to learn his footwork at 2b.
July 29, 2025 at 4:23 PM
RIP Ryne Sandberg. I'm a cubs fan to this day because when cox cable came to our block in New Orleans when I was 8 years old it was either WGN (cubs) or TBS (Braves) and the cubs were always on when I got home from school. Used to tape Cey-Sandberg 5-4-3 double plays to learn his footwork at 2b.
Reposted by Ken Kolb
Want to know why demographers aren't panicking over low birth rates? @lesja.bsky.social, @shelleydclark.bsky.social, & I have a new piece in @theconversation.com explaining the faulty logic that underlies the low birth rate-induced population panic than fuels the pronatalism movement. 1/n
Fears that falling birth rates in US could lead to population collapse are based on faulty assumptions
While the changes in population structure that accompany low birth rates are real, the impact of these changes has been dramatically overstated.
theconversation.com
July 25, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Want to know why demographers aren't panicking over low birth rates? @lesja.bsky.social, @shelleydclark.bsky.social, & I have a new piece in @theconversation.com explaining the faulty logic that underlies the low birth rate-induced population panic than fuels the pronatalism movement. 1/n
When it comes to home cooking, household size matters.
Average household size in US is 2.51. Percentage of households of people living alone is now 29%.
Was 2.94 and 19% fifty years ago.
The everyday realities of home cooking (is it worth the time? Will it save enough $$?) are changing.
Average household size in US is 2.51. Percentage of households of people living alone is now 29%.
Was 2.94 and 19% fifty years ago.
The everyday realities of home cooking (is it worth the time? Will it save enough $$?) are changing.
July 24, 2025 at 3:37 PM
When it comes to home cooking, household size matters.
Average household size in US is 2.51. Percentage of households of people living alone is now 29%.
Was 2.94 and 19% fifty years ago.
The everyday realities of home cooking (is it worth the time? Will it save enough $$?) are changing.
Average household size in US is 2.51. Percentage of households of people living alone is now 29%.
Was 2.94 and 19% fifty years ago.
The everyday realities of home cooking (is it worth the time? Will it save enough $$?) are changing.