Category: Lisa Smith

Finding Health in Rainways

On By Karen SternheimerIn Cities and Urbanization, Lisa SmithLeave a comment

Author photo Lisa Smith

By Lisa Smith

What comes to mind when you think of the people and places who impact your health and well-being?

If you’re like me, you probably think of nurses, doctors, clinics, and hospitals. I have grown up in North American society, and my view of health has been shaped by largely western values, beliefs, as well as social expectations that uphold and legitimize the authority of medicine and medical professionals. You are probably less likely to think about municipal planners, community members, public works and maintenance workers, or what streets, sidewalks and walkways look like.

Continue reading “Finding Health in Rainways” →

Humans, Dogs, and Social Interaction

On By econnellIn Cities and Urbanization, Lisa Smith, Social Psychology2 Comments

By Lisa Smith

When I hear someone refer to their dog as a “fur baby” I cringe. Apparently, I’m not alone. I recently came across a reddit thread titled r/Dog-free, where someone posted, “There is no such thing as a dog ‘parent.’” Another user said, “Anyone who thinks owning a chihuahua is the equivalent of being a father or mother is mentally ill and should be shunned by polite society.”

As a parent of two human children and an owner of one dog, I can attest that parenting and dog owning are not the same thing. I don’t know if the extreme social sanctions proposed by this disgruntled poster are quite in line with the offense. That said, it got me thinking about the ways we work out what human and dog relations mean through social interaction—online and off.

Continue reading “Humans, Dogs, and Social Interaction” →

Crows, Cities, and Sociology

On By econnellIn Cities and Urbanization, Lisa Smith5 Comments

By Lisa Smith

“Crow o’ clock” is that time of day in Vancouver when crows make their way at dusk and dawn, to and from their roost. After a busy day in the city hunting for snacks, watching out for predators, and chattering in the trees, rest is a must. And as deeply social creatures, crows rest up together. These winged fixtures of the city scape congregate in different spots, but most head to a wooded area adjacent to an industrial park—Still Creek in Burnaby, British Columbia. It is estimated that around 10,000 crows settle in every night in the same spot. You can check out footage of the daily trek and typical routes, which have been well documented.

Continue reading “Crows, Cities, and Sociology” →

Plastic Waste: The Scary Aftermath of Halloween

On By econnellIn Lisa Smith, Popular Culture and Consumption1 Comment

Picture - Lisa Smith

By Lisa Smith

I’ve often heard students lament that while they love sociology, it often ruins things they used to enjoy. It’s true that once you start to peel back the layers of the society you live in and understand what’s truly going on, you can’t look at things the same way.

Halloween is fast approaching as I write this post. I have done my fair share of pumpkin carving, planning costumes, spookifying my windows, and of course handing out candy to trick or treaters. I grew up in a cultural context where these activities were normal and encouraged.

Continue reading “Plastic Waste: The Scary Aftermath of Halloween” →

Gender Under Construction

On By econnellIn Cities and Urbanization, Lisa Smith, Sex and Gender, Social Institutions: Work, Education, and Medicine2 Comments

By Lisa Smith, Douglas College, Department of Sociology and Menstrual Cycle Research Group 

In May 2023, Phyllis arrived at Broadway-City Hall Station–a transit hub not too far from downtown Vancouver, Canada. Phyllis is one of two tunnel-boring machines (Elsie is the other one) hard at work as ­­­part of a major public transit upgrade that will expand the existing network considerably. Tunneling under the city streets was a must; enter Phyllis and Elsie.

Continue reading “Gender Under Construction” →