Good point! I'll also try to monitor it more closely to see if weird stuff gets in. Again, thanks for the heads up!

I think it's fixed now. Let me know if there's any remaining problems!

I'll look into it!

Monika Krause: Theorizing from Cases YouTube video by Norwegian Microsociological Network

Monika Krause recently gave a lecture at OsloMet titled "Theorizing from cases," integrating insights from her "Model cases" book with her later paper on "Theorizing from neglected cases." The lecture was recorded and can be seen here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=U12G...

It is! It has family resemblances with Reed's work, but adds some interesting points and nuances. Well worth a read.

Abstract Recently, sociology saw a surge of interest in practical theorizing. Many contributions to this discourse adopt an empiricist approach to theory building characterized by data centrism, a separation between discovery and justification, and an unclear or restricted role of existing theory. The article develops “hermeneutic theorizing” as a distinct approach that reconceptualizes engagement with prior theory as a central driver of novel theorizing. This hermeneutic mode has implicitly shaped the self-understanding of many classical sociological theorists and finds its roots in Hegel’s concept of determinate negation and the broader hermeneutic tradition. By explicating this way of thinking with and against tradition and showing its relevance for contemporary sociological theory building, the article aims to broaden the conception of theorizing and find a systematic place for the critical engagement with established theory in theory development.

Reading list:

The Art of Saying No: Hermeneutic Theorizing and the Force of Negation (2026) by @fanicker.bsky.social

"aims to broaden the conception of theorizing and find a ... place for the critical engagement with established theory in theory development"

journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

Selfie of me skiing in incredibly cold conditions

It's that time of year: The Winter Seminar of the Norwegian Sociological Association. We're on a mountain, people are happy (mostly) and drunk (most of the time), and I even got to go skiing this morning. A much needed break from everything else in the world!

Pictured is the authors' figure, titled, "The downward spiral of junkification." This starts with "commodification of research," which leads to "pay-to-publish proliferation," which leads to "decline in quality and integrity," which leads to "increase in low-quality publications" and "innovation decline", the end result of which is "junkification."

Christmas reading:

The junkification of research - Rhodes & Linnenluecke (Organization, 2025)

journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.... #academicsky

Pictured: the downward spiral of junkification ⬇️

Abstract Metaphors operate as symbolic infrastructures that shape how the social world is conceptualized and rendered intelligible. This article develops a cultural sociology of metaphor, arguing that metaphors encode epistemic, normative and aesthetic logics within the architecture of theoretical reasoning. Moving beyond cognitive and illustrative models, it introduces the concept of metaphorical infrastructure to describe how dominant metaphors condition what becomes visible, sayable and legitimate in sociological discourse. These infrastructures are not passive frameworks but performative forms that organize symbolic authority and guide theoretical interpretation within sociological fields. Drawing on cultural sociology, the sociology of knowledge and conceptual metaphor theory, the article proposes a typology of four metaphorical regimes – mechanistic, spatial, sacral and musical – each enacting a distinct vision of the social and its analytical and moral stakes. This framework is illustrated through two paradigmatic cases: Crenshaw’s intersection, which functions as a spatial infrastructure of critical reflexivity, and Berger’s sacred canopy, which encodes a sacral logic of moral order. Together, these metaphors demonstrate how performative infrastructures shape the scope, authority and symbolic form through which sociology envisions the social world. By theorizing metaphors as infrastructures rather than illustrations, the article advances a reflexive framework for uncovering the symbolic foundations of sociological theory. It invites further inquiry into how metaphors sustain theoretical authority, mediate disciplinary change and anchor the cultural power of sociological knowledge.

Reading list:

Metaphors at work: The symbolic infrastructures of sociological theory - Francesco Cerchiaro (2025)

journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.... #sociology #socialtheory

Thanks for sharing! I've added your studies to my reading list :)

i've only skimmed this so far but it looks really interesting. comments on things i've raised in the past regarding EMCA's relation to autism that need addressing. but i saw this endnote (first pic) and would like to use it as a prompt to re-up my own EMCA work on autism (the other three pics).

Rethinking Face‐to‐Face Interaction: Lessons from Studies of “Autistic Sociality” Face-to-face interaction is a foundational concept in microsociology. This article surveys the social experiences of autistic people, who are commonly known for having a strained relationship with in...

New on Early View: "Rethinking Face-to-Face Interaction: Lessons from Studies of “Autistic Sociality”" by Lars E. F. Johannessen doi.org/10.1002/symb... #sssi #sociology #interactionism #autism #sociality

Rethinking Face‐to‐Face Interaction: Lessons from Studies of “Autistic Sociality” Face-to-face interaction is a foundational concept in microsociology. This article surveys the social experiences of autistic people, who are commonly known for having a strained relationship with in...

✨ New publication ✨

Face-to-face is often treated as the “gold standard” of interaction. My new article shows how autistic sociality complicates this view, revealing alternative ways of connecting.

Available open access in Symbolic Interaction:
#sociology #anthrosky #autism #neurodiversity

Sage Journals: Discover world-class research Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

Reading list:

Theorizing in Times of Crisis, Fragmentation and Disorder (2025)

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Abstract This article argues that in an age of artificial intelligence (AI), sociologists have not adequately thought about the challenges posed to their work and pedagogy. Drawing on examples from Hong Kong, we foreground the challenges that AI poses to sociological education, student success and working conditions, amid the marketization of higher education and broad shifts in funding toward STEM disciplines. We then suggest four tactical strategies for sociology to respond and live with AI: (1) incorporating computational training into sociological education; (2) incorporating AI into instrument design for sociological research; (3) incorporating AI into models of inference; and (4) incorporating AI into classroom and campus design. We contend that, in doing so, we may rethink the repertoires of professional sociology with new frontiers for AI applications and modalities of student education.

Reading list:

The promises and perils of AI for sociology (Au & Fong, 2025, published in Sociology)

journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...

Thanks! She has been a nice little companion so far! :-)

A selfie of me trying to rock a dual monitor-setting in our couch while our new baby sleeps on my chest

Work-life (im)balance

First-person picture of our new baby sleeping on my chest while I'm reading a nice little book

Optimal combo

I seems to be fixed on my end now, but let me know if you still experience any issues!

Thanks for the notice! I'm on vacation but will see if I can fix it nonetheless.

30+ microsociologists in Trondheim

Time for day one of the Norwegian microsociology meeting! Look at this beautiful room of people 😍

Nice water view at 10 pm in Trondheim

It's finally here: the second annual meeting of the Norwegian Microsociological Network! This year we're in Trondheim, with Gary Alan Fine and Iddo Tavory as special guests. The drinks reception is over; now we have two full days of talks to look forward to 🤠

Reading list:

Monika Krause (2024): Theorizing from Neglected Cases

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

My not so impressive view of the livestream

Hartmut Rosa just gave the Vilhelm Aubert memorial lecture at the University of Oslo. The guy packed two auditoriums (!) and half of us had to watch on livestream.

Generative AI for Academics

Currently reading "Generative AI for academics" by @drmarkcarrigan.bsky.social It's a refreshing, sociological take on a topic dominated by self-help books, and Mark is particularly good at articulating his ambivalence towards GenAI and what it means for scholarship.

The list of words the Trump administration has banned from research grants is even longer than the lists I’ve seen online. Here are screenshots of the words confirmed by the NYTimes and listed in this article www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Isaac Ariail Reed: “Interpretation reframed: On theory and truth in the human sciences” YouTube video by Norwegian Microsociological Network

Isaac A. Reed gave a brilliant guest lecture at @oslomet.bsky.social earlier this week, discussing the balance between under- and overinterpretation when using theory in empirical social research. The lecture can be seen here: youtu.be/3vmmafrv9kY?...
#sociology #philsky

That would be a "drita full professor"

It's a Nordic thing!

Rookie mistake!