President Stephanie Medley-Rath
Professor of Sociology, Indiana University – Kokomo
NCSA President, 2026-2027
The decline in number of students earning bachelor’s degrees in sociology is a pressing concern for U.S. sociology. Majors and degrees are the metrics that matter for administrators and legislatures. Focusing on other important metrics – like minors, credit hours, graduation rates, contributions to general education or other programs, or even post-graduate outcomes — might paint a more positive picture.
However, declining majors is what matters, which leaves individual departments vulnerable to closure, faculty at risk of job-loss, and students without the choice to study sociology. As departmental closures spread, U.S. sociology is at greater risk of decline because of the smaller pool of students for graduate schools to draw from and fewer faculty who can provide service to the profession.
Internal critics without data or even anecdata contend that sociology as a discipline has become too activist-oriented, too focused on inequality, quantitatively and scientifically weak, among other criticisms. Many more of us engage in armchair theorizing to explain declining numbers – students are choosing more career-oriented majors, for instance. And some of this anecdata may be true for one’s campus, but this isn’t solely a private trouble for individual departments to solve on their own. Declining numbers is a public issue for U.S. sociology – and the broader public.
The explanations for the apparent declining interest in sociology largely lack a sociological imagination connecting (external and internal) historical factors to the declining numbers of sociology degree-earners. Sociologists need to re-engage their sociological imagination to push back against unhelpful asociological claims to find a path forward.
The public lacks understanding of what we do in our discipline and sociology struggles with discoverability as a major. The public is not thinking about sociology much at all. Instead, sociology’s discoverability problem stems from structural factors. For example, we lack an AP sociology course and—for better or for worse—pop sociology that is identifiable as sociology in the broader culture. Without exposure to sociology in high school or popular culture, how would students ever consider sociology as a major? I challenge members of NCSA to consider sociology’s discoverability problem and the structural forces contributing to this problem so that sociology and sociologists can thrive.
SOCIOLOGY’S SOLUTIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION: EXPLORING THE DISCIPLINE’S INSIGHTS FOR FOSTERING STUDENT SUCCESS
Ruth and John Useem Plenary Address
Blake R. Silver, PhD
Associate Professor of Sociology, George Mason University
Blake R. Silver is Associate Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at George Mason University, where he also serves as Director of Educational Pathways & Faculty Development in the Honors College and Director of the Education & Health Research Hub in the Center for Social Science Research.
Dr. Silver completed a PhD in sociology at the University of Virginia, where he was a Jefferson Fellow. His research focuses on culture, social stratification, and higher education, addressing questions about students’ pathways to, through, and beyond college. His current projects examine honors college students’ educational pathways, the senior-year transitions of second-generation immigrant students, and student decisions about navigating college resources and opportunities.
His books, The Cost of Inclusion: How Student Conformity Leads to Inequality on College Campuses and Degrees of Risk: Navigating Insecurity and Inequality in Public Higher Education (both published with the University of Chicago Press) address the contours of inequality in student experiences on contemporary college and university campuses.
Dr. Silver’s research has been supported by groups including the American Sociological Association, the Jefferson Scholars Foundation, ACPA-College Student Educators International, the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, and the NASPA Foundation.
FINDING PURPOSE IN CHALLENGING TIMES: THREE STORIES ABOUT SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS
John F. Schnabel Award Winner-Address
Jamie Oslawski-Lopez, PhD
Associate Professor of Sociology, Indiana University Kokomo
When I was an undergraduate student, I happened upon the discipline of sociology; the field welcomed me, a young woman from a working-class background. The sociological perspective both captivated me and spoke to my own experiences in the world. As I moved through graduate school and my years as a junior faculty member, I was allowed a “seat at the table” in higher education, a position from which I could teach and contribute to knowledge. This first story, my own, is a reminder of the transformative power of creating inclusive educational spaces.
My other stories come from data – both quantitative and qualitative – and investigate descriptive patterns and constructed meaning. With nationally representative survey data, I investigate demographics: who are our students? How might we best serve typical sociology students and communicate the discipline’s strengths to attract others? And finally, I rely on the voices of my own students to answer questions about meaning: what do our students identify as key takeaways from the study of sociology? How might we best prepare our students to use these strengths in their future lives and careers?
Together, these stories speak to the reason I, like many others, love the work of teaching. In our faculty roles, we provide accessible educational experiences to many while helping develop students’ sociological imaginations and analytical skills. These lessons equip students to navigate an increasingly complex social world, preparing them to pursue meaningful futures. Even amid the great challenges of our times, these stories remind us that our work holds great purpose.
Jamie Oslawski-Lopez, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Sociology and the Coordinator of the Sociology Program at Indiana University Kokomo. Her main research interests include gender inequality within family life and the scholarship of teaching and learning. She has been recognized for her teaching, including the Scholarly Contributions to Teaching and Learning Award from the American Sociological Association’s Section on Teaching and Learning, the John F. Schnabel Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award from the North Central Sociological Association, and the Claude Rich Teaching Excellence and Trustees Teaching Awards from Indiana University Kokomo. She has published work in Journal of Marriage and Family, Journal of Family Issues, Midwest Social Sciences Journal, Teaching Sociology, TRAILS, and within edited volumes and encyclopedias.
INDIVIDUAL PAPER – RESEARCH
If you want to present or discuss your ongoing or completed research project, submit it as an individual research paper. The program committee will organize the individual submissions into coherent sessions. Include a title and a brief abstract (no more than 150 words) in your submission. Please indicate the general topic that best fits your submission (see “Topics for Submission” list on page 8). If your submission does not fit any of the general research topics, choose the “RESEARCH: other” option. For questions and more information contact Ellen Whitehead at emwhitehead2@bsu.edu.
INDIVIDUAL PAPER – TEACHING
If you want to give a presentation on a teaching topic, submit it as an individual teaching paper. The program committee will organize the individual presentations into coherent sessions. Include a title and a brief abstract (no more than 150 words) in your submission. If your submission does not fit any of the general teaching topics, choose the “TEACHING: other” option. For questions and more information please contact Greg Kordsmeier at gkordsme@iu.edu.
CLOSED SESSION – RESEARCH OR TEACHING
If you are interested in proposing and organizing a closed session, submit the title of the session, a brief abstract for the session (no more than 150 words), and the names and emails of all the participants. If the session consists of papers, submit the titles of everyone’s presentation and a brief abstract for each presentation (no more than 150 words). For questions and more information please contact Ashley Hutson at afeely@butler.edu regarding research sessions, or Greg Kordsmeier at gkordsme@iu.edu regarding teaching sessions.
TOPIC SESSION: A topic session is designed for presentations and discussions focused on a specific subject. A thematic session refers to a session that is specifically oriented toward the conference theme.
CLOSED SESSION: A closed session requires an organizer to select a topic and format. The organizer will recruit all the participants for this type of session. A closed session may be of any format.
ACADEMICS-MEET-ACTIVISTS: Academics-Meet-Activists sessions are closed sessions. An organizer recruits an activist or organization as well as academics to discuss the intersections of academic research and activist initiatives as they relate to a specific social movement or social justice issue.
AUTHOR-MEETS-CRITICS: Author-Meets-Critics are closed sessions. An organizer recruits an author of a recently published book, article or chapter and 2 to 4 critics to participate in a discussion about the significance of the work to the sociological field.
PANEL: Panels are closed sessions. An organizer recruits subject-area experts to discuss a topic. Panelists’ brief presentations are followed by discussion between the speakers and a Q&A facilitated by the organizer.
PAPER: Paper sessions may be closed or open. Paper sessions consist of three to five presentations that revolve around a common theme. Conference organizers will place papers with a common theme into a session.
UNDERGRADUATE PAPER PRESENTATIONS: These are open sessions designed for undergraduate students to present their research. Please see the “Undergraduate Paper Presentation Submissions” section for more information.
WORKSHOP: Workshops are interactive, hands-on closed sessions designed by organizers to develop specific professional competencies through interactive activities and discussions. The skills and tools presented in the session should be clear and have high utility for the workshop attendees.
ALL SESSIONS ARE 75 MINUTES IN LENGTH. Paper sessions typically include four to five scheduled presentations. As a result, each presenter will have approximately 12-15 minutes for their presentation, followed by a combined 15-minute Q&A session with the audience. Presenters organizing closed sessions or workshops will have the full 75 minutes to structure their session as they wish; however, we ask that they include time for audience questions and discussion at some point during the session.
All submissions (except undergraduate papers) must be completed and received by the NCSA no later than 5 p.m. EST on December 1, 2026.
- Review the suggested topics found in the “ Topics for Submission” section of this document to determine if your submission should be considered a research or teaching proposal AND the topic the program committee should consider when assigning your presentation to a session. If your desired session is not included in the topic list, please select one of the “Other” options. We make every effort to schedule sessions of the same or similar topic at different times, so they do not conflict with each other.
- For individual research or teaching papers, submit information online here. Please have on hand all the information required for the submission (see “What to Submit” in the submission form). We welcome abstracts for ongoing or completed projects. We do not collect finished papers.
- For closed sessions, submit information here. Please have the closed session submission form completed and ready to upload when you submit the proposal (see “What to Submit” in the submission form).
- For undergraduate submissions, submit information here. The deadline for undergraduate submissions is January 6, 2027. (See “Undergraduate Submissions” section below).
The NCSA welcomes the participation of undergraduate students. For more than a decade, undergraduate students have presented their work at the NCSA conference. Undergraduate presenters must register for the conference as a UG registration WITH membership. Conference registration includes student membership benefits and access to the entire annual meeting.
The submission deadline for undergraduates is January 6, 2027. Please include the author(s)’ first and last names, institutional affiliations, most frequently checked email, and an abstract up to 150 words. Undergraduate submissions will be placed in a topic-relevant session in one of the organized Undergraduate Sessions. For questions regarding undergraduate student participation in the conference, contact Mellisa Holtzman at mkholtzman@bsu.edu.
RESEARCH TOPICS FOR SUBMISSIONS
Aging and the Life Course
Animals and Society
Applied Sociology
Children and Youth
Collective Behavior and Social Movements
Community Based/Participatory Research
Crime and Deviance Disability
Education
Environmental Sociology
Family
Food
Sex and Gender
Global and Transnational Sociology
Health and Medical Sociology
Historical & Comparative Sociology
Immigration & Migration
LGBTQIA+ Studies
Media Studies
Methods
Politics
Popular Culture
Poverty
Race and Ethnicity
Religion
Rural Sociology
Social Justice and Human Rights
Social Stratification
Sociology of Sport
Theory
Urban Sociology
Work and Occupation
RESEARCH: Other
TEACHING TOPICS FOR SUBMISSIONS
Active Learning/Student Centered Learning
Assessment of Learning
Capstone Projects–Best Practices
Challenges in Teaching
Choosing Textbooks and other Course Materials
Community College Instruction
Community Engagement and the Classroom
Curriculum Design
Equity and Inclusion in the Classroom
Ethics and the Classroom
Group work–Benefits and Challenges
High Impact Practices
Innovative Teaching
Mentoring Retention Strategies
Service and Project–based Learning
Student Writing
Teaching Difficult Topics
Teaching Large Classes
Teaching Online Classes
Teaching Sociology through Film/Media/News
Technology in the Classroom
Teaching Research Methods and/or Statistics
Teaching Theory
Undergraduate Research
TEACHING: other
RESEARCH AND TEACHING PAPER SUBMISSIONS: Get Started
CLOSED SESSION SUBMISSIONS: Get Started
UNDERGRADUATE PAPER SUBMISSIONS: Get Started
We believe that participation in conference programming should inspire pride in one’s work. With that professional pride comes professional responsibilities. Among those responsibilities are paying NCSA membership and conference registration fees and informing the program committee if one is unable to take part in the conference after being accepted onto the program.
Please take a moment to review the following policies before you submit a proposal to ensure that you are adequately prepared for your presenter role(s).
PARTICIPANT APPEARANCE LIMITS & SCHEDULING REQUESTS
- An individual may be listed on the program no more than two (2) times per annual meeting unless they have the permission of the Program Chair, Ashley Hutson (afeely@butler.edu).
- Scheduling requests must be made by December 14, 2026, and are not guaranteed. You will have the option of noting scheduling requests in the paper submission form, or you may email the Program Chair, Ashley Hutson (afeely@butler.edu), directly.
ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL INTO THE FINAL PROGRAM
- The lead author of a proposal will be notified via email of their proposal’s status prior to January 18, 2027.
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT
All attendees, presenters, organizers and speakers are required to pay the conference registration fee. Registration for the conference includes one year of membership in the NCSA. Conference fees help to pay for the venue and all related services as well as fund the NCSA’s operating expenses throughout the year. The NCSA seeks to keep costs to a minimum and thus affordable to as many people as possible.
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT: All program participants are required to register for the conference; registration for the conference includes one year of membership in NCSA.
NON-PRESENTING CO-AUTHORS: Non-presenting co-authors are not required to register if they are not attending the conference. However, if they attend the conference, they are required to register for the conference and pay the applicable fees.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: All program presenters must register for the conference no later than thirty (30) days prior to the first day of the conference. Those that do not register (30) days prior to the first day of the conference will be removed from the final program. Paid registration is required to access all sessions.
RECEIPT: We recommend every attendee save the emailed receipt as their record of registration. Have a copy with you when checking in at the association conference desk in case of questions.
CANCELLATIONS: The NCSA’s policy is that any registration may be canceled without penalty up to thirty (30) calendar days prior to the first day of conference. The requirement of registration fees helps to guarantee the presence of presenters listed in the final program. This policy hopes to reduce the number of last-minute drops and no-show presenters, thus greatly increasing the quality of the program for all attendees.
PRESENTATION CANCELLATION AFTER ACCEPTANCE INTO THE PROGRAM
CANCELLATIONS: To cancel, presenters should notify the Program Chair, Ashley Hutson by email (afeely@butler.edu) as soon as possible. Cancellations must be received at least thirty (30) calendar days prior to the first day of the conference. If you do not attend the conference without canceling, you are still responsible for paying registration fees.
LAST MINUTE CANCELLATIONS: We understand that unforeseen events outside of a presenter’s control (e.g., medical issues, family emergencies, and unforeseen travel problems) may prevent them from presenting as scheduled. In these situations, email Ashley Hutson at (afeely@butler.edu), so that we can remove you from the program. Conference registration refunds will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
SUBSTITUTE PRESENTERS: If you are unable to present, but a co-author is available, contact the Program Chair, Ashley Hutson by email (afeely@butler.edu) with the name of the presenter. Otherwise, your presentation may be removed from the program.
NO SHOWS: Presenters who do not attend their scheduled session and/or do not notify the Program Chair, Ashley Hutson (afeely@butler.edu), will be considered a ‘no show.’ Registration fees for ‘no shows’ are not refundable. Failure to give scheduled presentations without adequate notice is disruptive and leaves gaps in the conference program. This diminishes the experience of conference attendees.
REFUNDS
All cancellations that qualify for a refund will be credited through a refund check payment or credit to the card used to make the original payment.
A processing fee and the 2027 membership dues will be deducted from any refunds made. All refund requests must be made by the attendee or credit card holder. Refund requests must include the name of the attendee and/or transaction number. Please let us know if you would like to donate your registration fee in lieu of a refund. For payments received by credit or debit cards, the same credit/debit card will be refunded. Refunds will not be available for registrants who choose not to attend the conference.
Refund requests must be submitted via email to Anjel Stough-Hunter at astoughhunter@capital.edu.
CONFERENCE CONTACTS
| General program: | Ashley Hutson | afeely@butler.edu |
| Special format sessions: | Ashley Hutson | afeely@butler.edu |
| Research sessions: | Ellen Whitehead | emwhitehead2@bsu.edu |
| Teaching sessions: | Greg Kordsmeier | gkordsme@iu.edu |
| Undergraduate papers: | Mellisa Holtzman | mkholtzman@bsu.edu |
| Registration: | Anjel Stough-Hunter | astoughhunter@capital.edu |
IMPORTANT DATES
| August 17, 2026 | Online portal opens for all submissions |
| December 1, 2026 | Deadline for all submissions EXCEPT undergraduate presentations |
| January 6, 2027 | Deadline for undergraduate presentation submissions |
| January 18, 2027 | Target date for notification of inclusion in the program |
| February 8, 2027 | Target date for 2027 preliminary session list with dates to be posted online and sent to presenters via email |
| March 1, 2027 | Online registration closes |
| March 1, 2027 | Reservation for hotel room block closes |
| March 29, 2027 | Target date for 2027 preliminary program with rooms sent to registered participants via email. |
| April 3, 2027 | On-site registration closes and conference concludes |
HOTEL REGISTRATION
The 2027 NCSA conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza at Union Station hotel in Indianapolis. We have secured a block of rooms for the evenings of Thursday, April 1, through Sunday, April 5, at the rate of $179 per night plus 17% tax. Room rates are guaranteed through March 1, 2027 or until the room block is fully reserved. For those driving to the conference, parking is available at the hotel. For overnight guests of the hotel, valet parking with in/out privileges is available at $50/day (subject to change). The Crowne Plaza is a smoke-free hotel. Smoking is not allowed within hotel guest rooms, restaurants, meeting rooms, or any public area. There are designated smoking areas along the perimeter of the hotel property.
Online reservation links will open December 1, 2026 .
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
All program participants must be NCSA members and register for the conference unless otherwise notified. You may pay your 2027 membership dues and conference registration fees in one simple payment step any time between January 1 and March 1. Fees for the 2027 conference INCLUDE your 2027 membership dues. Late and/or onsite registration fees are higher. For more information on this year’s fees, please visit our membership page.
Online registration will open January 1, 2027.
AV RESOURCES
Unless prior arrangements are made with the session presider, presenters should bring their laptops loaded with their presentation on the desktop and saved to a Flash Drive. We encourage panels to upload their presentations to the presider’s laptop to facilitate speedy transitions. If presenters choose to use their personal laptops instead of the presider’s, they are responsible for supplying an HDMI adapter compatible with their device.
Session rooms will contain a projector and screen unless the format type prohibits the use of technology.
SAFE SENDER LIST
Please add the following email addresses to your safe senders list to ensure you receive conference updates and requests: afeely@butler.edu, gkordsme@iu.edu, and astoughhunter@capital.edu.