Abstract
The timing of publishing is such that I am writing this statement at the end of spring term but it will be initially available to readers as we gear up for fall. I find that there is comfort in the predictability of that cycle. I jokingly tell my colleagues that “May Melinda” has been working hard making good on the promises made by “January Melinda.” I know that “August Melinda” will have similarly ambitious course revision goals that “December Melinda” will eventually navigate. But at this moment, I still feel the bittersweet joy of seeing my students graduate and am buoyed by the confidence I have in their ability to thrive. This year, however, my farewell tears were nudged by more angst than in years past. Although I have tremendous confidence in my students, I feel trepidation for the world in which they are heading.
Also at the time of this writing, the summary reports of the first 100 days of the current administration have been making the rounds, and the impact on people and institutions, including higher education, has been swift and dramatic. I can see this impact in the lives of our authors, reviewers, and editorial board members as they share the hardships they are facing on their campuses, in their communities, and in their lives.
These are tremendously challenging times, but I think what is most disheartening is the sense of hopelessness I see around me. I understand that emotional response, and I myself fight against its compelling sway. But what keeps me invigorated is the thought of those amazing students and the powerful tools we have at our disposal. There is no place I would rather be in this moment than bringing the knowledge, perspectives, and skills of the discipline to our students. There is so much we can do in this moment.
Join us this fall for our Sociological Foundations webinar series, where we explore 10 years of the impact of the sociological literacy framework (Ferguson 2016; Ferguson and Carbonaro 2016). We will ask the questions of how the framework has informed teaching in the discipline and how we can use the framework in these current times.
One more thought about our students: I feel so fortunate that I get to walk alongside them during this transformative time in their lives, and because of them, my life is profoundly enriched. I hope you feel this sense of contentment and accomplishment as well. Congratulations to the learners and teachers of sociology. Our work has not concluded.