SAANZ Conference 2024

Chair: Marcelle Dawson

Jessica Gray 
Sociology in Action: Shaping Cities, Communities, and Humanity Beyond the Academy
 
Sociology extends far beyond the confines of academia, playing a crucial role in shaping the world today and preparing for the future. Academic rigour in sociology must be adaptable, applying lessons from the past to address present-day challenges such as urbanization, social cohesion, and human development. This paper draws on the author's work as an applied sociologist with a background in psychology and investigative journalism, focusing on the intersection of sociology with everyday life. Drawing from research on people, place, and identity, as well as experiences in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and advocacy for international conflict resolution, the presentation highlights the practical impact of sociology in diverse settings. By examining these real-world examples, the author demonstrates that sociology is not merely an abstract academic discipline but a vital tool for designing future cities, shaping communities, and addressing global issues. This argument challenges the notion that sociology is a “nice to have”; rather, it asserts that sociology is essential for crafting human-centric, resilient spaces. The presentation envisions possible futures for sociology beyond the academy, advocating for a discipline deeply connected to real-world applications, grounded in both theory and practice.


Mike Grimshaw 
LinkedIn sociology?  Annotative sociology as daily practice for the digital era.

What does it mean to undertake sociological thought and commentary on a public platform like LinkedIn?
Over the past couple of years, I have undertaken an experiment of – drawing from the notion of practice from art school – posting at least twice a day, 7 days a week, sociologically-informed annotative commentary to articles from a variety of sources, on LinkedIn.

I have quickly assembled (currently) 824 connections (that is those who my posts and comments get alerted to and who follow me in some way) and I average somewhere between 12000-15000 impressions (views/reads) of my posts a week. Some individual posts receive up to 7000 views a week alone. My posts often get reposted to new audiences. On top of this I write sociological commentary pieces for the website Plain Sight that also get re-posted on the Point of Order blog. I am – from within the academy – undertaking and crafting a practice of public sociology to an expanding public audience.
This paper discusses the possibilities of public-facing digital era sociology that can provide commentary and subversive engagement with where people are.


Lynda Hills
Could we be wrong?

While coming off life support after overdosing and jumping off a bridge, I remember thinking “they were wrong” – they being the institutions of Psychiatry and the Church. Fifteen years later, and now I’m wondering “could we (sociology) be wrong?”. In my presentation, I will argue that the reason sociology is failing to make an impact outside of the academy is that it is disconnected from the very people it should be serving. Valuable sociological knowledge is unable to be accessed by someone experiencing akathisia as I was. Akathisia is the devastating side effect of psychotropics that can lead to suicide. By sharing how indigenous approaches to mental distress are grounded in the taiao (natural environment), I will challenge us, as sociologists, to consider where we are disconnected from the very people who could most benefit from our work. I will contrast our disconnection with the work of indigenous kaiārahi who ground their work in the taiao. Using my story, I will compare the ‘mental health patient’ to an ika (marine animal) and society to the awa (body of water) and show how when the river ‘sick’ the ika becomes the victim. Ka rere te awa, ka ora ai te iwi.