Hosted by Jennifer Carlson, sociologist, MacArthur Fellow and Director of Arizona State University's BRIDGS Initiative: Bringing Research & Innovation into the Debate on Guns in Society. This podcast features the latest, cutting-edge social science research on all things gun-related--from gun culture to gun trauma.
Dr. Ieva Jusionyte, the Watson Family University Associate Professor of International Security and Anthropology at Brown University, joins us in this episode of Guns Unpacked. We discuss her new book, Exit Wounds: How America’s Guns Fuel Violence Across the Border, which examines the flow of guns from the United States to Mexico and the impact on gun violence and gun culture across borders. Dr. Jusionyte gives us insight into the cultural and historical context of guns in Mexico, the connections between gun politics and immigration, and how the availability of US guns shapes migration. You can purchase Exit Wounds from the ASU CSGS "Books for a Better Gun Debate" bookshelf on bookshop.org.
Dr. Jesenia Pizarro joins us in this episode of Guns Unpacked to dive into the complex dynamics of gun homicide. Dr. Pizarro is an ASU professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, a member of the Homicide Research Working Group, and a board member and recently elected President of the Research Society for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms. This episode explores her perspectives on gun violence, especially gun homicide and intimate partner violence, from a transdisciplinary perspective. Learn more about Dr. Pizarro and her extensive expertise in firearms violence here.
In this episode of Guns Unpacked, Dr. Samantha Simon, an Assistant Professor in the School of Government and Public Policy and the School of Sociology, joins us from the University of Arizona. Dr. Simon discusses her new book Before the Badge: How Academy Training Shapes Police Violence, which examines the effects of police training on officers. She also discusses her experiences while researching for the book, a year-long process of ethnographic fieldwork at four police training academies. You can purchase her book Before the Badge from the ASU CSGS "Books for a Better Gun Debate" bookshelf on bookshop.org.
In this episode of Guns Unpacked, we are joined by Dr. David Yamane, a sociology professor at Wake Forest University, to discuss his book, Gun Curious: A Liberal Professor's Surprising Journey Inside America's Gun Culture. Dr. Yamane shares his journey into gun studies and becoming a gun owner as a lifelong liberal. He explains the evolution of gun culture, its contemporary focus on self-defense, and what the future may hold. We also explore his experiences navigating gun debates from various perspectives and his thoughts on bridging the conversation between opposing camps. You can purchase his book Gun Curious from the ASU CSGS "Books for a Better Gun Debate" bookshelf on bookshop.org.
Dr. Alexandra Filindra, associate professor of political science and psychology at the University of Illinois in Chicago, joins us to discuss her new book, Race, Rights, and Rifles: The Origins of the NRA and Contemporary Gun Culture. Dr. Filindra examines the NRA's beginnings and how ideologies of citizenship intersect with support for guns . She explains how historical links between militia service, political rights, and social exclusion evolved into contemporary beliefs that animate gun ownership today. We also explore the contrasting “inclusive civic republicanism” mindset, which values diversity, community service, and reducing militarism. You can purchase her book Race, Rights, and Rifles from the CSGS "Books for a Better Gun Debate" bookshelf on bookshop.org.