For half a century, Americans have been told that science and technology are the future. We invested in the so-called “hard sciences,” while casting the “soft sciences” as indulgent and unprofitable. Then, Covid hit. In higher education, where faith in STEM was strong and where elite universities leaned into investing in high-profit STEM fields, schools holding in-person semesters enforced strict public health measures, but they underestimated social forces: interpersonal needs especially acute in late adolescence, like friendship, sex, and love. In response to excessive bureaucracy and uneven enforcement, many students lost faith in institutions as they split into Covid-cautious and Covid-incautious factions, deepening racial, class, and geographic divides. Fraternities (already coddled by administrators) thrived while Black residents of New Orleans bore the costs of superspreader student events.In Exposed, renowned sociologist Lisa Wade argues that a healthier response was possible, offering insights for building social solidarity, redefining freedom, and nurturing a more humane society.
Format: Hardback
CONTRIBUTORS: Lisa Wade
EAN: 9781324086956
COUNTRY: United States
PAGES: 256
WEIGHT:
HEIGHT: 229 mm
PUBLISHED BY: WW Norton & Co
DATE PUBLISHED: 2026-12-08
CITY:
GENRE: EDUCATION / Schools / Levels / Higher, EDUCATION / Philosophy, Theory & Social Aspects, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Social Classes & Economic Disparity, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Disease & Health Issues
WIDTH: 152 mm
SPINE:
Book Themes:
Health, illness and addiction: social aspects, Social classes, Philosophy and theory of education, Higher education, tertiary education
Lisa Wade is an Associate Professor and researcher at Tulane University with appointments in sociology and gender and sexuality studies. Wade has written over two dozen research articles and book chapters, and edited and authored four books. She lives in New Orleans, Louisiana.