Welcome to Roblox: A Lesson in Culture

On October 27, 2026September 16, 2026 By Karen SternheimerIn Monica Radu, Popular Culture and Consumption, Statistics and MethodsLeave a comment

By Monica Radu

I’m a sociologist, so I like to think I know a thing or two about culture. I teach about culture. I write about culture. I talk with students about cultural differences, and why we should be careful about judging ways of life that are different from our own.

Then my sons started playing video games. Suddenly, there was an entire culture operating inside my own home that I knew absolutely nothing about. Minecraft. Roblox. Fortnite. At first, these were simply names of games to me. I knew Minecraft was the one with the blocks. Roblox was…well, I wasn’t entirely sure what Roblox was. And Fortnite involved a lot of jumping around and apparently some dancing. I was an outsider. But slowly, I started learning.

I learned the terminology and discovered that Roblox isn’t really one game at all, but a platform filled with different games and experiences. I started figuring out which ones my kids liked and which ones everyone seemed to be talking about. And somewhere along the way, I also learned that there were YouTubers who built enormous audiences around playing these games. And after enough exposure, I did something I never expected to do: I developed preferences. For the record, Foltyn is my favorite Roblox YouTuber. (Sorry, Caylus).

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House Hunting for Social Class: A Sociological Look at Zillow

On October 13, 2026September 16, 2026 By Karen SternheimerIn Class and Stratification, Monica RaduLeave a comment

By Monica Radu

I have a confession: I look up people’s houses on Zillow.

You might think we’re exchanging addresses so I can send you a Christmas card. Sure, maybe a Christmas card is coming. But there is also a very good chance I’m going to Zillow. How much did you pay for your house? What is it worth now? How many bedrooms do you have? When was it built? Oh, you remodeled the kitchen? I love it!

Why do I do this? I don’t know! Part of it is simple curiosity. Looking at houses is fun. I’m also a sociologist, which means apparently, I cannot stop observing people even in my free time. And Zillow has made it far too easy to be nosy from the comfort of my own couch.

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Tell Me Lies: Power, Privilege, and What Goes Unsaid

On April 6, 2026 By Karen SternheimerIn Class and Stratification, Monica Radu, Popular Culture and Consumption, Race and Ethnicity, Theory1 Comment

By Monica Radu

I have been waiting years to write this. Tell Me Lies has wrapped after three seasons; For those unfamiliar, the TV series follows a group of college students as they navigate relationships, friendships, and identity over several years, with a central focus on Lucy and Stephen’s complicated and increasingly destructive relationship.

The main timeline begins in 2007, when Lucy starts college, and unfolds through her college years, while a flash forward to 2015 shows how those earlier dynamics continue to affect their lives into adulthood. When people talk about Tell Me Lies, the conversation usually centers on how “toxic” the relationships are. And they are. The lies, the manipulation, the emotional push and pull, the way certain dynamics keep repeating even when they clearly are not healthy. It is hard to miss.

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Not Always Relatable, But Still Meaningful: A Sociological Take on the Kardashians

On February 11, 2026 By Karen SternheimerIn Class and Stratification, Monica Radu, Popular Culture and Consumption1 Comment

By Monica Radu

Whenever the Kardashians come up in conversation, a common reaction is that they are not “relatable.” While that is true, relatability is not necessarily the goal. Much of everyday life already reflects familiar struggles, including balancing work, family responsibilities, financial pressures, and exhaustion. Those experiences are well known and widely shared.

For anyone less familiar, The Kardashians follows the Kardashian-Jenner family, a group of celebrities and business owners whose fame began with reality television and expanded into fashion, beauty, social media, and brand entrepreneurship. Their lives are highly visible, carefully curated, and shaped by extraordinary economic privilege and public attention.

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“You Don’t Look Like You Have Four Kids:” Challenging What We Think Motherhood Should Look Like

On December 8, 2025December 8, 2025 By Karen SternheimerIn Monica Radu, Relationships, Marriage and Family, Sex and GenderLeave a comment

By Monica Radu

Motherhood comes with a whole set of cultural expectations about what it should look like, feel like, and even who is seen as a “typical” mom. I was reminded of this recently during a quick doorstep conversation with a delivery driver. I mentioned how much I rely on their services with four little ones at home, and she said, “Oh, wow. You don’t look like you have four kids.”

I think it was meant as a compliment; I’m pretty sure it was. But it stuck with me. Not because I was offended, but because it made me think about what we expect motherhood to look like.

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Man vs. Bear: A Sociological Hike Through Fear, Gender, and Stereotypes

On June 9, 2025October 20, 2025 By econnellIn Monica Radu, Sex and Gender1 Comment

By Monica Radu

I hadn’t thought about the “Man vs. Bear” debate in quite a while—not since TikTok first erupted with heated takes on whether a man or a grizzly bear would be more dangerous to women. But then today, I took my three youngest kids on a hike in the woods (something I’ve never actually done before), and the question took on a whole new meaning.

We were about 30 minutes into our hike. It was mid-morning, a little cool and rainy, and we hadn’t seen another person on the trail. My kids and I joked about what we’d do if we saw a bear: run away, play dead, or (in my 4-year-old’s plan) fight it off with a stick. It was lighthearted fun. We were thinking about wildlife, not people.

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The Balancing Act: Why “Showing Up” For Kids Matters, But so does Showing up for Work

On January 22, 2025October 21, 2025 By econnellIn Monica Radu, Relationships, Marriage and Family6 Comments

By Monica Radu

If you’ve spent any time on TikTok lately, you’ve probably come across the “showing up” trend. It’s a feel-good trend where parents proudly showcase how they try to be present for their kids, whether it’s for school events, games, or random day-to-day moments that mean the world to children. The message is heartwarming: being there matters, and kids notice when parents show up. I also know that research consistently suggests that parental involvement is important. But as a working mom, I can’t help but feel a little tug of anxiety every time I see those videos.

The pressure to be physically present for every milestone or school event ties into the larger societal expectation that good parents—especially mothers—are always available. This isn’t a new idea, but social media has amplified it, making it harder for working moms to ignore. These pressures align with the concept of intensive mothering, which demands that mothers devote immense time, energy, and emotional labor to their children, often at the expense of their own needs or professional aspirations. Whether it’s a holiday party or a preschool graduation, there’s an unspoken (and sometimes spoken) expectation that we’ll be there. And while these moments are important, they often come at a cost.

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