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Prof. Melcher Publishes Article on BLM and the Sociological Canon with the Assistance of Sociology Students

Prof. Cody R. Melcher has published a new article in the American Sociological Association's official pedagogy journal, Teaching Sociology, entitled "Black Lives Matters and the Changing Sociological Canon: An Analysis of Syllabi from 2012-2023." 

 

This article analyzes 764 syllabi spanning 2012 to 2023 to illustrate how, why, and when the sociological canon evolves. It is shown that in terms of frequency of assignment, W.E.B. Du Bois has clearly entered the sociological canon, overtaking both Weber and Durkheim. The timing of these changes also suggests that Du Bois’s addition to the canon, and the increased assignment of scholars of color in general, is largely a reaction to the various iterations of the Black Lives Matter movement. 

 

Prof. Melcher's research assistants for the article included three sociology majors, Madison McBride, Jamara Rowley, and Sahara Jama. 

 

Find the article here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0092055X241262768