295 - Special Session. The Social Census of the Digital Age: Honoring the Contributions of Lee Rainie and the Pew Internet & American Life Project to the Public Understanding of Sociology

Session Submission Type: Invited Session

Abstract

This session highlights the contributions of Lee Rainie and his team at the Pew Internet & American Life Project (PIAL) as this year’s recipient of the ASA award for Excellence in Reporting Sociology. This award recognizes professionals who have been especially effective at using the media – either written, performed live, photographed, recorded, or filmed – to inform the public of social issues, giving them a broad awareness of the sociological approach and sociological findings. The Pew Internet & American Life Project has become the standard bearer for surveys about how technology is shaping our families, our civic life, our health, and our society. This year we are pleased to honor Lee and his team for their broad reaching impact in reporting findings, working with sociologists to report on social trends, and in making their data publicly available – benefitting scores of sociologists and other researchers interested in understanding the intersection of web-based technology and the human experience. This session features a conversation among Lee, sociologists who have used PIAL research or data for their own research and teaching and recognizes the impact that public, empirical sociological investigation for the social good can have on scholarship and news. The panel will focus on the impact of Lee and PIAL’s data and research have had across various areas of sociological inquiry and public policy.

Sub Unit

• Special Sessions

Session Organizers

• Ryan D. Kelty, Washington College

• Gina Neff, University of Washington

Presider

• Ryan D. Kelty, Washington College

Panelists

• Lee Rainie, Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project

• Pepper J. Schwartz, University of Washington

• Barry Wellman, University of Toronto

• Gina Neff, University of Washington