Department of Sociology
The department extends heartfelt congratulations to Georgetown University Sociology department chair Dr. Sam Marullo for receiving the Robin Williams Award.
The award is given by the Robin Williams Award Committee of the Peace, War, and Social Conflict Section of the American Sociological Association and " honors an individual with an outstanding scholarly career in the study of peace, war, genocide, military institutions, or social conflict and/or important contributions to teaching these subjects, or outstanding service to the American Sociological Association section on Peace, War, and Social Conflict."
Professor Sam Marullo Honored at ASA Meetings
On August 12th, 2007, GU Sociology Professor Sam Marullo was awarded the American Sociological Association’s Robin M. William Award for Distinguished Career Contributions to Scholarship, Teaching, and Service in the area of Peace, War and Social Conflict. [Sam is quick to point out that the award is named after the famous sociologist, Robin A. Williams, an early pioneer in the sociological study of peace and war; not the comedian of the same name.] The award was presented by Lee Smithey, the Peace, War and Social Conflict Section chair, who presented Sam the award by noting:
Sam’s early work focused on the dynamics of the nuclear arms race and the impact of peace movement organizations’ challenges to the cold war. Two of his three books address militarism, the Cold War, and the peace movement. In addition to these books, I count roughly 37 articles and conference papers related to peace and antiwar movements. . . . Sam is also co-author of Community-Based Research and Higher Education: Principles and Practices, published in 2003. In addition to this book, he has been a prolific author in this area as well, as I count roughly sixty-eight articles and conference papers on community-based learning and public sociology. . .
[The award seeks] to honor someone who has made “contributions to teaching the sociology of peace, war, and social conflict, and/or has given outstanding service to the ASA Section on Peace, War, and Social Conflict.” In Sam’s case you have to use the “and” option as he has both served the Section and been a bold and inventive pedagogue. Sam served as Chair of our Section in 1993, and in the same year, he was the founding Chair of the interdisciplinary Program on Justice and Peace at
It is virtually impossible to disentangle Sam’s research, teaching, and service. In recent years, he has turned his attention to issues of structural violence, community-based learning, and how universities can respond to problems in the social world around them by incorporating social justice concerns into the curriculum and pedagogy. . . . I know that he is most proud of his work at Georgetown University in helping to found the university’s Center for Social Justice, the Sociology Department’s concentration in Social Justice Analysis, and the D.C. citywide association, the Community Research and Learning (CoRAL) Network.
We caught up with Sam recently to discuss the award and how this fits in with his current work.
Hanadi: Congratulations! Tell me about the award. What was it like receiving it?
Sam: Well, I was very surprised when I was notified about the award and most honored because my career has been fairly nontraditional from an academic point of view.
Hanadi: What do you mean by nontraditional?
Sam: Virtually all of my work has been focused on social justice issues, which has often placed me at the margins of sociology. I have spent much more time with and in social movements meetings and in community based organization meetings than I have in academic meetings and writing scholarly papers. I am most grateful the
Hanadi: I can understand that this work is good and just and that it can be important to those in the community. But how does this fit in as “academic” work?
Sam: This type of work really harkens back to some of the original purposes of academia—to create knowledge for the betterment of society and to prepare young people to be future leaders who contribute to the public good. It also derives from one of the founding hopes for the discipline of sociology—to use our sociological theories and research to improve the human condition. For me, my focus on social justice has been about improving our understanding about the conflicts between the rich and the poor, the haves and have-nots, the powerful and the oppressed. But it is not just about trying to understand these structures of inequality, but also about trying to change them. It is also about trying to teach this to students, reaching them where they are and helping them to see through the ideological blinders that justify privilege. And, it has been about getting students involved in efforts to change things by working with those who are committed to this work. The larger national movement of universities toward civic engagement and of sociology toward embracing public sociology is a refreshing swing back toward academia’s more noble purposes. And quite clearly, this is a central focus of our department’s mission.
Hanadi: So how do you see this work benefiting the community? How can you tell you are being successful in this work?
Sam: I like to think that some of the most visible fruits of my work are found in the communities and organizations with which I and my students work. It is in the capacity building work that we do to strengthen the resources and assets of the disadvantaged. It is in the increased resources and effectiveness with which scarce resources are redirected to those who are in greater need. It is in the altered institutional and organizational and community relations that occur as a result of our work.
Sometimes this change happens at the university, when it devotes more resources toward and legitimizes this work, saying that “yes, this is what this institution is about.”
Sometimes it is when authority or power shifts and those with little suddenly have a bit more power so that they can be more effective agents of change.
And it is embodied in our students when they claim their commitment to social justice, when they understand their obligation to serve the greater good, in whatever profession they pursue.
Hanadi: I know that your faith is an important part of your work. How do you see the two fitting together?
Sam: I believe that God has been working through me, long before I have even realized this, and that God has put me in places where I have been able to effect such changes as part of God’s larger plan. I don’t know what that ultimately is, but I do know that it is really about loving one another. We sociologists have been blessed by having an analytical mind, a way of knowing and understanding how systems, structures, cultures and institutions operate in ways that separate us from one another and prevent us from reaching out to one another in love. I believe that this gift comes with the responsibility to change those things that separate us from one another and to teach it to others and ultimately to be a witness against such injustices. I have tried to dedicate my life to that calling the last 25 years.
Hanadi: I understand that you life’s journey is taking you to a new place—that you are currently in Seminary and pursuing ordination in the United Methodist Church. Do you now see yourself as leaving your academic work behind, as you move forward with your work in Seminary?
Sam: Not at all. In fact, in my brief acceptance speech at the ASA meetings, I really stressed the continuity of this journey. For me, the work has always been about finding ways to promote social justice. I now realize that God has been working through me for quite some time to do this work, which is really my calling. I like to think of this akin to the role of the prophets of old, to decry the injustices of the world—our human-made political and economic structures that impoverish the many for the benefit of the few—and seek ways to promote God’s kin-dom of love, mercy and justice.
Hanadi: You spoke in that kind of language to a group of academic sociologists?
Sam: Yes! I was actually pretty nervous about it. I have been joking about this as my Christian “coming out” speech delivered to my academic peers. I let people know that this work has really been a ministry for me, although it has only been in recent years that I have understood it to be quite literally a ministry.
Hanadi: And how did that go over with your sociology colleagues?
Sam: It was really an incredible, powerful, and Spirit-filled event. Even though I was nervous as I started, the words just flowed out and when I was done, the audience gave me a most energetic standing ovation. I was really moved. Afterwards, a lot of my colleagues came forward to congratulate me. Many offered their own witnesses to their work. It felt like such a blessed event, as many felt empowered to share their own faith stories. For the next couple days at the conference, people continued to come up to me both to congratulate me and to let me know about their own faith journeys.
Hanadi: So where are you now on your journey?
Sam: I think the old expression “walking by faith” really captures where I am at. Practically speaking, I am taking courses full time in Seminary this year as I am on sabbatical leave from
Hanadi: Do you have a special message for your students? What do you hope that your past and present students take from this?
Sam: I hope that they realize that wherever they find themselves in their life’s journey that they are able to serve others and be in just relationships. Whether they are financial analysts, lawyers, nonprofit organization staff, teachers—whatever their profession—that they use their talents and gifts to create right and just relationships and influence their community for the greater good. I would encourage my students to find their calling and to pursue it with integrity and with all the skills and resources they have at their disposal. Regardless of the success or failure of any given initiative for social change, it is worth fighting the good fight for the cause of social justice. It is a career worth having. More importantly, it is a life worth living. It is a life of joy and gratitude for all God’s love and gifts, freely given to us.