Sociology Professor Meets with Upper School Elective

Students in Upper School History Department Chair Andrew Bigelow’s second semester Civil Rights elective welcomed sociology professor Dr. Eulalie Laschever from DePaul University for an intensive discussion about social movement theory.

“The goal of her visit was to look at the social science lens of the civil rights movement,” Bigelow noted. “As a sociologist, she looks at the impact and foundation of social and collective action. Who is organizing? What are their collective strategies? What are the outcomes they are striving for? Where are their venues for collective action?”

Prepared with a variety of readings and other resources, the students tackled this discussion head on. Dr. Laschever also covered the rise of those behind counter/resistance movements, such as the KKK and the White Citizens Councils, who organized to fight against the civil rights movement. This discussion complemented the students’ reading about the Mississippi freedom movement and their fight for voter registration and voting rights.

Parker is grateful to Dr. Laschever for spending time with students discussing these issues. “The students were extremely receptive to her sociological approach to collective action and her research that focuses on resistance movements,” Bigelow said. “I was impressed with how well our kids understood her complex approach to research and her vast knowledge and cultural literacy of past and present movements.”

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