The Joy of Sociology in an Uncertain Future: What We Can Learn from Queer Joy

In many ways, the discipline of sociology—and higher education more broadly—is under attack. Threats to funding, academic freedom, and other core principles such as diversity and inclusion efforts are especially salient for sociologists, many of whom study topics branded as dangerous, including gender, race, and structural inequality. In this presidential address, I share my thoughts on how a turn to joy in our scholarship might be useful for navigating this uncertain future for sociology. In particular, I argue that we can learn from research on queer joy about the importance of joy as a form of resistance for a community under attack. By reclaiming the narrative about social science and social justice, reconnecting with what drew each of us to sociology, and building community with our colleagues, we can continue to advocate for our discipline and for the communities we serve.