Call for Submissions
Sociology in Practice Mission Statement
As applied and active sociologists in non-academic work environments, we are fundamentally sociologists at work. In our day-to-day working lives, we aim to:
- Promote the discipline and the sociological imagination as a paradigm for understanding;
- Engage in rigorous scientific-based research and evaluation;
- Advocate for, and encourage others to explore, sociologically-informed career pathways outside of academia that provide fulfillment and dignity, and/or
- Contribute to ethical and justice-based approaches to social and institutional transformation.
About the Sociology in Practice Settings Symposium
Sociologists employed in government, non-profit organizations, commercial industry research centers, think tanks, and other practice settings such as technology, program evaluation, or marketing are invited to submit abstracts that address the context-specific opportunities and challenges of their work to the sixth annual Sociology in Practice Settings Symposium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The symposium will consist of four back-to-back sessions including “lightning” presentations, a special topic panel, and interactive workshops. Participants and audience members will have networking opportunities throughout the symposium. We invite submissions to the special topic panel related to the 2023 ASA theme titled, “The Educative Power of Sociology”.
Submission Topic Guidelines
Symposium submissions can address a broad range of topics, including but not limited to:
- Advice and examples of how you have responded to opportunities and challenges (e.g. methodological, substantive, communicative, expectation setting, working with teams, satisfying stakeholders, etc.) in your work.
- The use of theory and sociological methods in the workplace, work/life balance, decision-making, and company culture.
- Case study or evaluation of a specific application or implementation of sociological science in a practice setting.
- Sociological tools or skills used in everyday sociological work.
- Training workshops that emphasize research methods, analysis techniques, communicating findings, and other “how to” topics.
- Be creative—we’re open to your ideas!
Special Topic Panel for ASA 2023: “The Educative Power of Sociology”
We invite proposals for a Special Topic Panel that aligns with the ASA 2023 Annual Meeting Theme, “The Educative Power of Sociology.” In this panel, participants may consider issues framed around the following questions: As practicing sociologists, how do we address such systemic inequities noted in the theme? What challenges do we encounter in our practice settings that might worsen or improve these inequities? How do we use our sociological imaginations and knowledge in our working lives when we ourselves or our stakeholders face such exclusions or marginalizations? And, as this group’s mission urges, how do we contribute to ethical and justice-based approaches to social and institutional transformation?
Proposal Requirements
When making your submission, the following will be required:
- Preferred format, please indicate: 10-minute lightning presentation (quick, dynamic presentations meant to engage the audience on a specific topic or challenge); 20-minute panel on special topic, “The Educative Power of Sociology” or 45-minute interactive workshop (training experiences organized around specific learning goals and audience engagement). Workshops can be an individual or a collaborative effort.
- Title
- Structured description (200-300 words), with the following headings: practice setting background; description and contribution of presentation topic; and intended target audience (including take-away messages).
- Names, affiliations, and contact information for each author. If multiple authorship, please indicate who will be presenting. The lighting presentation and panel presentation formats will be limited to a single presenter.
Traditional Research Papers and Research Reports
Sociologist practitioners who wish to present applied or traditional research papers/reports are encouraged to consider submitting their papers to the Applied Social Research regular session; the Section on Sociological Practice and Public Sociology; and/or another topic-specific section.
If you have any questions about submitting a Sociology in Practice Settings Symposium proposal, please contact Research, Professional Development, and Academic Affairs at [email protected].
How to Submit
All submissions must be made via the online submission portal. The online forms will guide you through the steps required to submit your proposal. You will have one hour to complete your submission. The system will log you out after one hour of inactivity.
1. Go to the online portal. Log in using your ASA username and password.
2. Under the Submitter Menu, select Submit or Edit a Proposal.
3. Select Submit to the Sociology in Practice Settings Symposium and then choose your submission category.
Confirmation of Proposal Submission
All electronic proposal submissions will receive an email confirmation from [email protected]. Please save the confirmation email for future reference. If you do not immediately receive your confirmation email, please check your junk or spam folder. Contact [email protected] if you do not receive an email confirmation of your submission within 12 hours.
Acceptance Notification
You can expect to receive an acceptance or decline email for each proposal you submit in April.
