The Social Climber
Volume 6 Number 1 November 3, 2003
Newsletter of the department of sociology and anthropology
FROM THE DESK OF
THE DEPARTMENT HEAD
I want to welcome you to the latest version of The Social Climber, our Department newsletter. Even though many of you remember me; some may not, so let me introduce myself. I’m Karl Kunkel and I was named Head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology effective July 1, 2003, having been a faculty member in the Department since 1994. My Ph.D. is in sociology with an emphasis in criminology and social control. Most of my teaching over the past nine years is in the Crime and Society program.
As you can see from the various articles and other pieces of information in this edition of The Social Climber, there are many exciting things happening in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. First, we recently hired two new office staff members. Christy Titus (on the far right) is the smiling face (and voice) who greets people when calling the Department Office. Christy comes to us after working as an office administrative assistant in various off-campus businesses. Janet Graham (on the left) is the new Administrative Secretary who literally “keeps the show running.” She comes to the Department after working in the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER) Department for the past year and a half.
In addition, we hired three new faculty members who began
their positions at Missouri State in August 2003. Jeff London (on the far left), who
is finishing his doctorate in Sociology at the Colorado University, and Gayle Rhineberger
(in the center), who recently
completed her Ph.D. in Sociology from Western Michigan University, both joined us as criminologists. Dr. Bill Meadows
(on the right) is a new anthropologist in
our Department. Bill comes to us after teaching for several years as a visiting
professor at Indiana State University and earning a Ph.D. from the University of
Oklahoma. We are pleased to have these teacher-scholars join us and look
forward to a long-term working relationship. By all accounts, these people are
excellent teachers adding to a long-standing tradition of good teachers in the
Department.
During the past year, Dr. Bill Larkin and Dr. Burt Purrington retired from the faculty, both having served our students for several decades. Avon Bradshaw, our Department Secretary also retired after working in the office for over 20 years. We will miss these long-time Department members and wish them well in their retirement.
The new “Crime and Society” major program is now in its fifth year and has grown to nearly 220 majors. The Anthropology major, another relatively new major program, currently has about 100 majors. In addition, beginning in Fall 2002, the Department provides a graduate option in Criminal Justice as part of the Master of Science in Administrative Studies degree program. Various faculty members are publishing in well known journals such as the Sociological Quarterly, the International Review of Modern Sociology, Men and Masculinities, American Review for China Studies, and the Journal of Criminal Justice Education. Several of our faculty contributed chapters to academic edited books and encyclopedias, and many presented papers at professional conferences. In addition, we have many faculty very active in service activities in community and professional organizations. Obviously, our offerings, enrollments, and involvement are growing and creating an exciting time to be part of Sociology and Anthropology at Missouri State.
Several faculty members won University and College Awards this past August. I was fortunate to receive a University Award for Teaching, Jeff Nash (on the left) won a College Research Award, and Margie Buckner (in the center), along with Suzanne Walker (on the right), each received a College Award for Service.
I also am very pleased to announce the addition of three
new department-based scholarships. In addition to the long-standing Cralle
Scholarship award (Dr. Walter Cralle is pictured on the far left), beginning in Fall 2004 we will award the Scholarship for
Societal Studies, the Lloyd R. Young (pictured in the center), and Dr. Donald D. Landon
(pictured on the right) Public Affairs
scholarships. Each of these awards helps current students meet their
educational and career goals. Please consider donating to one of these funds or
possibly creating a new scholarship fund for students majoring in one of our
three programs – Sociology, Anthropology, or Crime and Society. If you
want to learn more about these established scholarships,
click here. If you would like to
contribute to a scholarship fund, please
click here.
To learn more about the current Department, please visit our newly revised website at http://soc-ant.missouristate.edu. This site contains general information about faculty, scholarships, along with previous versions of our newsletter and pictures of Department activities. Also, we are making an effort to learn the whereabouts and current activities of our alumni. When you have a minute, please go to http://soc-ant.missouristate.edu/#alumni and complete the brief “Alumni Information Form.” As we inform you of current happenings at the Springfield Campus, we also are excited to know what you are doing these days. Also, you can e-mail the Department at SociologyandAnthropology@missouristate.edu.
BILL MEADOWS
Bill Meadows, who joined our faculty in this last year, recently published an article, "Lead Creek Chert" in Ohio Archaeologist. The article focuses on the geologic location and range of use of this type of chert in the archaeology of southwest Indiana.
SUZANNE WALKER
In March of 2003, Dr. Walker presented a workshop presentation, "Health Issues, Concerns, and Barriers to Healthcare for Latinos in Southwest Missouri" at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. Also in March of 2003, Dr. Walker gave a conference presentation, "Health Needs of Latinos in Southwest Missouri: Issues and Barriers to Healthcare," at the Society for Applied Anthropology. She also was involved with a group receiving a $2000 grant from the Missouri Community Service Commission for purchasing books and craft materials for a reading group for immigrant Latino children.
 GARY BRINKER |
Dr. Brinker
completed the year long study entitled, "Lakeshore
Development Study."
This survey
involved 1200 residents in the vicinity of six recreational lakes in
Missouri and Oklahoma measuring their opinions on levels of development
and pollution in their area, along with policy preferences for dealing with
these problems. The research was supported by an $8,000 grant Sponsored by the United States Geological Survey (USGS)
and the Missouri State Department of Geography, Geology and Planning.
Brinker also was involved in the "Continuation of the Teaching American History Evaluation."
This evaluation measures program participants' progress and
satisfaction with an on-line Master's Degree offered for middle and high
school
teachers of History and Social Studies. The research was sponsored by
a $15,000 grant from the Missouri State
Department of History.
Dr. Brinker also recently received a $52,000 grant from the Forrest Institute and the
Missouri State School
of Social Work for the evaluating a program entitled, "Training for Healthy Marriage and Family Formation." This
program evaluation measures
outcomes of innovative techniques for fostering
stable marriages and home life.
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approximately 750 inmates, although it was designed for only 600. Over the
past several years the prison population has changed so that it now houses
only those Missouri prisoners who have a substance abuse problem and are within one year of being released on parole.
 ROBIN AMONKER |
During his thirty-five years at Missouri State (since 1968), Dr. Robin Amonker, Professor of Sociology, has done considerable work on the population of Missouri and Missouri Ozarks. Dr. Amonker published an article, “Changes in the Age Composition of Missouri’s Population during the 20th Century,” in The Missouri Electronic Journal of Sociology, published by the Missouri Sociological Association. This manuscript was re-printed by the Missouri Census Update, the publication of the Missouri Census Data Center. You can see a copy of this article at http://mcdc.missouri.edu/publications/pdfs/Summer_2002.pdf. In addition, Dr. Amonker was awarded a $5000 Faculty Fellowship Grant by the University for the analysis of 2000 U.S. Census on Missouri.
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 GARY BROCK |
Dr. Gary Brock was on sabbatical during the fall semester of 2002 continuing his research on the relationship between societal forces and American religion. Drawing from his academic interests and training in the areas of religion and social change, he spent the semester working on a manuscript describing the social factors impacting conservative American religion.
Social change is a controversial issue in the contemporary religious scene, but most analysts focus on local social factors or attempt to describe religion at the local level. Dr. Brock is exploring is the relationship between large-scale changes (national and international trends) and religious groups which, in theory, are most resistant to these societal forces—conservative groups. His research stresses more than theological or historical factors affecting conservative religious groups, but long-term societal trends, typically not employed in attempts to understand what’s happening in conservative religious groups. He aims to encourage conservative religious leaders to raise their level of thinking to a larger, and broader, scale as they guide their groups through the winds of social change.
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  JOHN HARMS TIM KNAPP |
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MARVIN PROSONO
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FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK This year has been a busy one for all of us. The web edition of this newsletter has become an established part of our continuing effort to stay in touch with alumni and the community in general. Personally, this was a year of much travel. In January of 2003, I traveled to Porto Alegre, Brazil to attend the 3rd World Social Forum. This was an enormous gathering of over 100,000 people from all parts of the globe who were meeting to solve some of the most difficult and enduring social problems the world now faces, as well as provide a resistance to the unattractive, if not destructive, aspects of globalization. While in Porto Alegre, I was given a place to stay by a remarkable Brazilian family with whom I have maintained contact. The entire city of 1.2 million people have put their heart into hosting this international gathering and have done so three times. In 2004, the World Social Forum will meet in Mumbai, India. I returned to Latin America in the summer and spent six weeks traveling throughout Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. In Argentina, I paid a visit to the Sociology Department at the University of Buenos Aires. Throughout the journey, I took extensive photographs which I utilize in my lectures on issues of culture and globalization. In August of 2003, I attended the American Sociological Association meetings in Atlanta and gave a paper,"The Final Indignity: The Commodification of Alienation," which attempts to analyze talk television and especially the Jerry Springer Show. In November of 2003, I attended a conference at the University of Massachusetts- Amherst, and gave two papers, one of which was a description of the people of Porto Alegre and their contribution to the ongoing critique of globalization. It has been a productive year and all of us in the Sociology, Anthropology, and Crime and Society programs look forward to hearing from you as the years go by.
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ALUMNI NEWS
Taryn Crowley (Crime and Society Minor, 2002)- Currently in her second year of working as Support Staff at an elementary school in the Parkway School District in the St. Louis Area. She works with behavior disorder kids. Taryn also is pursuing a master's degree in School Counseling at Lindenwood University.
Amber Etheridge (Crime and Society Major, 2003)- Was selected Miss Missouri for 2003 and is currently involved with numerous responsibilities including promoting her platform issue, acquaintance rape awareness.
Michael Fitzgerald (Sociology Major, 1997)- Currently a Battery Commander in Iraq awaiting return to the U.S.
Heather Geidd (Crime and Society Major, 2002) - Preparing to enter the graduate program in Criminology at Drury University in Spring 2004. Also, Heather is raising a daughter who just turned a year old.
Darren Malone (Sociology Major, 2001)- Currently working as an Investigator for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management conducting federal investigations on employees.
Tara Tyler (Crime and Society Major, 2002)- Currently working as a Probation and Parole Officer in Greene County, Missouri.
Missy Meyer (Crime and Society Minor, 2003)- Working in Lawrence County, Missouri, with the Division of Family Services.
Brianna Reitzner (Crime and Society Major, 2003)- Currently enrolled in the Master of Business Administration degree program at Missouri State.
Ginny Wrightsman (Crime and Society Major, 2003)- Currently working in a girl's adolescent transitional living facility in the Kansas City area.
If you would like to update us on your current activities, please click here.
For comments about this newsletter or general correspondence with the Department, please e-mail SociologyandAnthropology@missouristate.edu.
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