Critical & analytical thinking

Yusuf Karipek stands against a neutral background. He wears a collared shirt and vest and is smiling slightly.

Yusuf Karipek recieves 2026 Aristide Zolberg Distinguished Student Scholar Award

Congratulations to Sociology PhD student Yusuf Karipek, whose paper “Ties that Bind, Documents that Trap: Transnational Repression through Abuse of Consular Services,” was selected to receive the 2026 Aristide Zolberg Distinguished...

Soodeh Mansouri wears a colorful knit scarf and smiles at the viewer.

Soodeh Mansouri recieves Illinois Global Institute language fellowship

The Illinois Global Institute has selected Sociology PhD student Soodeh Mansouri to receive a language fellowship to study Arabic during the 2026-2026 academic year. Mansouri is one of seventeen students to receive this language fellowship. Congratulations, Soodeh!

A graphic with photos of Nikel A. Bailey and Dr. Loren Henderson over an orange and blue background.

Announcing the recipients of the 2026 Outstanding Alumni Awards

The Department of Sociology is pleased to present the winners of the 2026 Outstanding Alumni Awards.Each year, the department solicits nominations for graduates of our program who have made a significant impact on their field. Up to three awards (BA, MA, and PhD) are presented each year. This year'...

Dr. Tim Liao publishes new co-authored paper on infrastructure prioritization

Dr. Tim Liao, alongside Drs. Abigail L. Beck and Eun Jeong Cha, has released a new paper in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. The paper, "A metric to support higher-resolution equity-based infrastructure prioritization," establishes parameters and a metric for equitable...

Read Dr. Tim Liao's new article, out now in the Journal of Happiness Studies

Dr. Tim Liao has released a new co-authored article. "Understanding the Effect of Adult Children’s Education on Older Parents’ Subjective Well-being: Evidence from China" is available to read now through the Journal of Happiness Studies. ...

Dr. Asef Bayat offers perspective on Iran in interview in the Boston Review

In an interview with the Boston Review, sociology professor Dr. Asef Bayat offered a nuanced view on the political situation in and around Iran, citing historical context as well as presently unfolding events.Read the interview...

Graduating? Register for the Sociology, Anthropology, & Interdisciplinary Studies convocation!

Seniors graduating in August 2025, December 2025, and May 2026 are invited to participate in the 2026 Sociology, Anthropology, & Interdisciplinary Studies Convocation, taking place on May 16, 2026 at the Virginia Theatre. This is a separate ceremony from the all-university Illinois Commencement, in which you can be individually recognized and walk across the stage.

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Socius

The Department of Sociology proudly houses Socius, the American Sociological Association’s only open access online journal that publishes peer-reviewed high-quality research of a wide range of topics as rapidly as possible.

Editorial team:
Editor: Tim F. Liao
Managing Editor: Gretchin Gifford
Editorial Associates: Ting-Syuan Lin, Alex Kaiser, & Quinesha Bentley

Recently published papers can be viewed on the Socius webpage.

Faculty Spotlight

Congratulating Professor Leicht on his recent publications!

Dr. Kevin Leicht is a professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Professor Leicht's book Middle Class Meltdown is in its third edition and is out now, click here for more information. Professor Leicht also published a paper titled "Inequality and the Status Window: Inequality, Conflict, and the Salience of Status Differences in Conflicts over Resources" in The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences. To read this paper, click here. Abstract...

Publication Spotlight

"Revolution in Parallel Times: An Egyptian Village’s Lived Revolution" by Heba M. Khalil

PhD candidate, Heba M Khalil, recently published "Revolution in Parallel Times: An Egyptian Village’s Lived Revolution." Abstract: "This paper explores revolutionary and rural politics through the case study of Al-Tahseen, a small village in the Egyptian Delta that witnessed an administrative secessionist movement in 2012 and a lineage of protests since 2008. The paper interrogates the relationship between politics at the rural level and the 25 January revolution in 2011, the 18-day mass protest that led to the ouster of long-time President Hosni Mubarak. Indeed,...