Michael Sauder, professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences shares about community connections.
Tell us about your hometown; how did it shape you?
I grew up in Eureka, Illinois -- a small town consisting of a lot of people who worked at Caterpillar and a lot of farm families. Growing up there in the 1980s during the farm crisis and the loss of industrial jobs (Caterpillar laid off many workers) sparked my interest in how large social processes affect individuals.
Tell us about your hobbies/outside interests.
I enjoy reading fiction and doing crossword puzzles; taking creative writing classes; working on music projects with my family; playing pick up basketball and ultimate frisbee.
What is your favorite hang out place?
Film Scene, Prairie Lights, and the Englert.
Can you share a recent book/movie/performance that you found compelling and why?
Patty Smith's recent lecture and concert (at the Englert and Hancher, respectively) were fantastic. She was so honest and incisive and wise in talking about her poetry, music, and thoughts about life; the music was awesome, especially with the stories she told to contextualize it.
What attracted you to the University of Iowa?
Before moving to Iowa City, I had really enjoyed visiting and living in college towns. Iowa City -- with its fantastic cultural and artistic traditions, and its active music scene -- was a big draw. I was also attracted to the university's strong research reputation and the opportunities Iowa offered for interactions across fields.
What surprised you the most about the university?
That the University of Iowa can seem very big and not so big at the same time. There are a lot of students and programs, and there is so much fascinating research ongoing on so many different topics . . . but there is also a real sense of community and familiarity within the university.
What shaped your interest in your discipline?
I studied psychology and philosophy as an undergraduate, taking my first sociology course as a senior. What drew me to sociology, I think, was its focus on how larger social structures and processes -- history, capitalism, our education system, our family structure, our friend groups -- influence our individual behaviors.
Tell us about a project or achievement of which you are particularly proud.
I conducted some of the first empirical research on educational rankings and the unintended consequences that can be produced by quantifying things (e.g., creating rankings of colleges or organizations or people) that hadn't been quantified before. It's been gratifying to watch the ideas from this research be applied to so many different empirical settings across fields of study and national contexts.
How do you see your work impacting your field?
In recent years, I've studied how chance events influence social mobility and individual trajectories; this includes exploring how people view the role of luck in their lives. I hope that this work prompts sociology and other fields to take luck -- a topic that has been largely ignored because it is hard to measure -- more seriously.
What piece of advice would you give to today's students?
Try to identify work--whether it be a major, an area of research, or a mode of teaching--that engages you and that you enjoy. Try to find ways to be creative and bring creativity into your work no matter what that work is. Keep on the lookout for ideas or findings that surprise you -- those are the ones worth pursuing.
In closing, what words of wisdom would you like to share, what quotation or person inspires you, what does the next chapter look like?
We have a comic strip on our refrigerator with the caption "optimism is for the brave" as a cartoon penguin tries to fly with the help of a clutch of colorful balloons. This is easier said than done, but it is a good thought to have at hand. My spouse, Jean Littlejohn, started the Family Folk Machine (an intergenerational community choir) here in Iowa City. Its goal is to build community through music, and it has been inspiring to watch this happen each season as people connect with each other and connect to the local community. It was an optimistic idea--a brave idea--and it led to something really special.