Janice Irvine and Sanjiv Gupta Named 2016–2017 ISSR Scholars

Janice Irvine, Sanjiv Gupta

Sanjiv Gupta and Janice Irvine are two of seven faculty selected by the Institute of Social Science Research as 2016–2017 ISSR Scholars.

ISSR Scholars participate in a yearlong seminar that helps each of them develop a strong research grant proposal. In addition to attending in-depth sessions on grant writing and receiving valuable peer feedback on their proposals, ISSR Scholars are given unique opportunities to consult with nationally recognized experts about their proposals. Mentors Naomi Gerstel, sociology, and Mary Fechner, Office of Resource Development, support the scholars in developing their proposals.

This year’s ISSR Scholars will develop innovative new research that has the potential to shape social theory and policy.

Sanjiv Gupta, associate professor, sociology.
“Prisoners, Soldiers and the Coercive Welfare System of the U.S.”

Gupta’s research has focused on disparities in time spent doing housework. He will use the ISSR residency to further a new line of research into the hidden, coercive “welfare” regime in the U.S. constituted by its military and penal system. The proposed study will analyze the relationship between the provision of health and child services to the general population and their provision to nearly 30 million soldiers and prisoners. It will also evaluate the broader societal significance of this relationship to the well-being of the general, non-institutionalized population.

Janice M. Irvine, professor, sociology.
“Nuts, Sluts, and Perverts: Sociology’s Rocky Romance with Deviance”

This project is a genealogy of the sociology of deviance, situated in its Cold War historical moment (1945–1979). Together, academic research, social movement mobilization and popular culture have brought new cultural visibility to particular deviant types. This, in turn, contributed to their normalization, and a resultant chagrin about, or repudiation of, earlier deviance literature. The field itself became stigmatized. Irvine will be using this ISSR Scholar year to pursue funding for this book project from the National Science Foundation.

ISSR’s mission is to promote excellence in social science research. For more information on ISSR, visit http://www.umass.edu/issr/.

For the full announcement of 2016–2017 ISSR Scholars, visit http://www.umass.edu/issr/news/2016-2017-issr-scholars-named.