Dr. Deborah J. Cohan Shares Her Sociology Insights with America’s Readers
Faculty News, USCB in the Media
Deb Cohan, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology, has been sharing her professional insights with readers in several media outlets lately. A self-described “interdisciplinary sociologist, feminist sociologist and public sociologist,” Dr. Cohan was quoted in a story in Romper magazine back in March titled, “7 Signs Childbirth will be Hard for You.” Romper describes itself as “the leading digital destination for millennial moms.”
In April, Dr. Cohan was quoted in a piece in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution titled, “Are We Doing Enough to Protect Children from Predators?” The AJC is the largest-circulation newspaper in Georgia.
Relieving stress by bashing inanimate objects in what are called “rage rooms” may be gaining in popularity across the country, but the practice poses long-term hazards for our society, Dr. Cohan argues. She’s quoted in a story on CNN that appeared June 12 titled, “Why not smash stuff on your next trip to Las Vegas?” Remember the scene in the 1999 movie “Office Space” where three characters relieve pent-up stress by bashing a balky printer/fax machine?
"We have gotten to a point in society where adults will pay to have a temper tantrum rather than openly, directly and compassionately try to have a conversation with a partner, ex-partner, family member [or] colleague with whom we are having difficulty," she says.
"Sure, it might feel cathartic to beat the hell out of something or shatter an object into a million little pieces, [but] while it gives a short-term high for an individual, it likely leaves the society at a long-term low."
And then, in July, she and USCB appeared in Yahoo News, warning that college isn’t all just parties and fun in an article affiliated with Good Housekeeping, “5 Causes of College Depression and Anxiety (and How to Seek Help).” Now a news website, Yahoo News originated as an internet-based news aggregator.
Dr. Cohan provides helpful advice on choosing the right relationships in college—both platonic and romantic—in a story titled, “College Depression and Anxiety are Serious—Here’s How to Help Yourself or a Friend.” The story appears in the July 22 issue of Good Housekeeping.
Dr. Cohan offers more helpful comments on how to support a coworker who reveals his/her sexual orientation or gender identity as LGBTQ in a story that appears in the June 21 issue of Business News Daily. The best way to respond to a coworker who confides in you is to listen, remain present, validate the employee and remember the courage it took to speak the truth, she says. The story is titled, “How to Support a LGTBQ Employee Coming Out in the Workplace.”
On May 10, Dr. Cohan contributed to a blog on adobe.com about how to make big projects assigned to students more impactful and meaningful. In the piece, Dr. Cohan offers four recommendations for faculty who need help taking a tougher approach to the creative projects they assign. The story is titled, “How to Ensure Big Creative Projects Make a Big Difference in Students’ Lives.”
Getting into an argument with your significant other in the middle of a remodeling project doesn’t have to lead to a separation or divorce, although a study found that 12 percent of couples considered one or the other. “Arguing over switch plates and faucets is usually much more about control and who makes choices in the relationship,” Dr. Cohan notes in a story posted Aug. 1 on realsimple.com. The story is titled, “How to Remodel Your Home With Your Significant Other—Without Arguing Even Once.”
University of South Carolina Beaufort
Sociology