Meeting the Moment: How Sociological Research Can Inform Public Policy

Description

The American Sociological Association (ASA) hosts a conversation with Louise Seamster (University of Iowa) and Beth Pearson (Office of U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren) on the crucial role that sociology can play in shaping public policy.

ASA membership is not required to attend.

Schedule:

• Networking: 5:30–6 p.m.
• Conversation: 6–7 p.m.
• Refreshments: 7–8 p.m.

Seamster and Pearson represent different but equally powerful pathways for sociologists to become involved with policy engagement.

Seamster is a sociology professor at the University of Iowa whose research on racial and economic inequality has directly informed many major policy debates. Most notably, her work on "predatory inclusion" in student debt helped shape Sen. Elizabeth Warren's student debt forgiveness plan. She's also a former Brookings Institution fellow and frequent media commentator.

Pearson took a different path—she's currently chief of staff in Warren's office, with a doctorate in sociology from UC Berkeley. She started as a science and technology policy fellow for the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2015.

Together, they provide a comprehensive picture of how sociological expertise can influence real policy outcomes.