The Sociologist:
Analysis From & About The DMV
Gay Young, Editor
The Sociologist: Analysis From & About The DMV is the publication of the District of Columbia Sociological Society (DCSS). The Sociologist began as a newsletter for DCSS members. In 2014, under the leadership of Yoku Shaw-Taylor and with the proficiency of Briana Pocratsky, we transformed the newsletter into a periodic magazine, issued about three times per year, presenting analysis from and about the DC metropolitan area.
The Sociologist is an open-access publication. It includes features intended to promote critical thinking about the social world; reviews casting a sociological eye on recent books and/or (other) cultural productions; spotlight interviews with local sociologists about their work and/or social issues in the metro area; photo essays focused on pertinent sociological themes; and advocacy/activist-oriented analyses of social policy issues. Through The Sociologist we intend to foster the DCSS project of connecting sociologists in the DMV.
Gay Young is Professor Emerita of Sociology at American University and served as DCSS President 2022-2025.
The issues of The Sociologist from 2014 through 2024 were previously hosted on a separate website. As of January 2025, we are in the process of moving those files here. If you have questions about a specific issue or article during this transition, please contact us.
Guidelines for submissions
The Sociologist is an open-access publication of the District of Columbia Sociological Society (DCSS) that aims to advance sociological analysis from thinkers in the Washington, DC area and/or about the DC metro area. Thus, all submissions should be
- grounded in sociological thinking and jargon-free;
- from sociologists based in the Washington, DC area and/or writing about the DC metro area; and
- formatted in ASA style.
Features should present theoretically and empirically driven critical thinking about the social world in about 2,000 words; three to five recommended resources are preferable to citations/references.
Reviews should cast a sociological eye on a recent book and/or (other) cultural production and address a question about the book or cultural artifact in about 1,500 words; reviews may also include comments by the author or creator.
Spotlight interviews should engage a local sociologist (or sociology student) about their research and/or other ways they “do” sociology in their work and/or their sociological analysis of issues relevant to the DMV, in about 2,000 words.
Photo essays should comprise an essay of no more than 1,000 words elaborating a pertinent sociological theme(s) along with three to five relevant images with descriptive captions.
Advocacy/activist-oriented analyses of social policy issues should address a current social issue in about 1,500 words, elaborating its effects and offering sociologically grounded strategies for remediation.
To submit or propose an item for The Sociologist, send an e-mail to dcsociologicalsociety@gmail.com with “Submission for TS” in the subject line.