Gang dynamics, effective surveys, rural communities, families, environmental issues—Washington State University’s sociology department explored these societal topics and many others over the last 100 years. The department always kept an eye on the university’s mission to connect research with people and communities across the state.
Fred Yoder was appointed as the first sociologist at Washington State College in 1920 and became the chair of the Sociology Department in 1928. Since then, the department has been a national and international leader in sociological research and undergraduate and graduate education. Many students have gone on to successful careers as academic sociologists, … » More …
They launched their careers at Washington State University in the 1960s and ’70s, becoming full professors during a time when reaching that milestone was extremely rare for women. Forty years later, a friend and colleague urged the “Troika,” as they call themselves, to tell their stories in a volume that she then edited.
We Few, We Academic Sisters: How We Persevered and Excelled in Higher Educationwas published by WSU Press in 2023. The same year, WSU’s department of sociology, where the trio worked, turned 100. The authors and their editor, all longtime friends, took part in the centennial celebration, presenting a panel … » More …
John Pierce and R. Kenton Bird were fellows in the same program nearly 20 years apart.
Pierce served as an American Political Science Congressional Fellow from 1970 to 1971, working part of that time in Tom Foley’s congressional office. Bird was a fellow from 1988 to 1989. Ten years later, he wrote his WSU dissertation on Foley’s congressional career. Pierce, chair of the Department of Political Science for eight years and dean of the College of Liberal Arts for eleven years, was on the committee for his doctoral degree. They spent nearly eight years working on their 2023 biography of Foley, which was … » More …
Substance use disorders and addiction touch everyone’s life, and Washington State University researchers are treating the problems with empathy. » More ...
The Queering the Archives Initiative at Washington State University Pullman evoked emotions while highlighting the LGBTQ+ community’s historical experiences. » More ...
Ancient Tribal earth ovens, predating the Egyptian pyramids, are being excavated in a collaborative project between the Kalispel Tribe of Indians and Washington State University archaeologists to gain insights into the historic food preparation and consumption practices of the Kalispel people in the Inland Northwest over the past 5,000 years. » More ...