Stories

Patric Lopez-Aguado

Patrick Lopez-Aguado was excited to see his book Stick Together and Come Back Home: Racial Sorting and the Spillover of Carceral Identity released this year through University of California Press. This book focuses on his research of juvenile justice systems and mass incarceration’s collateral consequences - specifically, it details how racial segregation in the prison impacts young people in high-incarceration communities, shaping their experiences with criminal labeling and violence. He has also been able to publicly share and discuss his work this year by recording a podcast for SCU’s Bannan Institute, as well as by appearing on the program Voces Criticas, broadcast out of 88.1 FM KZSC in Santa Cruz. He was also active this year presenting his work at the annual conferences for the American Sociological Association and the American Society of Criminology. Dr. Lopez-Aguado is now working on a paper that critiques how youth cultures are commonly recognized as criminal gangs.

Cara Chiaraluce

Cara Chiaraluce was formally recognized by the Executive Office of Alpha Kappa Delta (the International Sociology Honor Society) for her work as chapter representative of SCU's chapter. AKD noted in its announcement that "Dr. Chiaraluce had an outstanding year of [AKD] activity on your campus in 2017-2018." 

The honor society awarded an AKD initiation speaker grant to the Department of Sociology, the second such grant the department has received in the past two years. In his announcement of the award, department chair Enrique Pumar noted that the grant was the result of "the dedicated efforts of Cara." 

Cara also instructs SOCI 198: Sociology Internship/Field Experience, a program designed to provide students with the opportunity to work hands-on in the community, develop a variety of job skills, and to connect sociological theory to the social world and professional workplace. More information about the internship program.