I’m Dr Zuleyka Zevallos; a Peruvian-Australian applied sociologist, living on Gadigal land (Sydney). I hold a PhD in Sociology and have 20 years’ experience in research, policy and consultancy. I currently work as a senior policy researcher.

I pay respects to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of this land.

You can read more about me and my work on my personal website.

Here’s how to pronounce my name:

The first wisdom of sociology is this: Things are not what they seem. -Peter Berger
The first wisdom of sociology is this: Things are not what they seem. -Peter Berger

About My Blog

My writing is informed by my professional practice and knowledge as a sociologist. I present research, data and informed commentary based on my cumulative experience as a sociology researcher, lecturer, policy analyst and consultant.

My aim for this blog is to share my knowledge and experience, and hopefully help others to better understand issues of equity, diversity, inclusion and social justice.

I am also motivated to make sociology more accessible by sharing my writing with the public. (Copyright statement below.)

Feel free to ask questions or share your thoughts on my posts. I welcome polite and respectful discussion of social differences. Off-topic and abusive comments are deleted (see my commenting policy). Sorry but I can’t help with assignments. Enjoy my blog! 🙂

What is an Applied Sociologist?

Sociology is the study of society, particularly the impact of culture and institutions on identities, behaviour, group membership and life outcomes. Institutions is a term covering all major areas of socialisation and power, including the law, economy, media, family, religion and so on. Applied sociologists are researchers and activists who work beyond universities, such as in community service, government and private industry. We answer questions posed by our clients. This includes helping clients understand the impact of socio-economic factors on individuals, interpersonal relations, group dynamics and the functioning of organisations. Applied sociologists work in a variety of jobs, such as policy advisors, community workers and consultants. Learn more about applied sociology on Sociology at Work.

Why ‘The Other Sociologist’?

The title of my blog refers to the theme of difference, or Otherness, that has dominated most of my personal and professional life. I analyse themes of social exclusion and social justice related to race, gender, sexuality, education, media, politics and world events. I also write about how to improve public education and science.

What is Intersectionality?

My blog features sociological commentary from an Australian perspective, using intersectionality. Intersectionality is a feminist social theory conceptualised by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw (1989), and further developed by sociologists Patricia Hill Collins and Sirma Bilge (2016), as well as other scholars from around the world. Intersectionality recognises the interconnections of social inequality. In particular, how gender and race are shaped by other axes of power (such as sexuality, disability, and class). Rather than seeing these in isolation, intersectionality recognises that disadvantage is compounded and complex. This includes how sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism (discrimination on the grounds of disability), and other forms of institutional discrimination have multiple impacts on minorities.

Collins and Bilge position intersectionality as an analytical tool that helps us to understand how axes of social division work together an influence one another. For example, the needs and experiences of able-bodied, queer women of colour from working-class backgrounds are very different from the opportunities and challenges faced by disabled White, heterosexual, middle-class women who are cisgender (that is, people who are not transgender). My writing explores such nuances.

Copyright

My writing is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License. Feel free to use my graphics and to share my posts, but be sure to include a full credit to me and a link back to my site. Using any of my images, writing, videos or other work for a commercial purpose is not allowed without my express permission.

Disclaimer

This is my personal blog; as such, my posts reflect my sociologically informed opinions. The contents of my blog and social media writing do not in any way represent the organisational views of my current or previous employers, nor do they reflect upon any of the clients and professional organisations to which I am affiliated. Comments about products, services and organisations as well as the links I share do not reflect commercial endorsement.

28 thoughts on “About Me”

  1. HELLO, This is the first time I have seen your blog but am impressed. I am working with a group of Ashaninkas in Peru, centered in the Junin area, Satipo region, community of Cheni on Rio Tambo. I came across you by entering Ashaninka. I would like to establish communication with you. I am retired university professor of 35 years
    you will see my memoir published in 2010 on amzon.com
    Richard P Stevens A JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD; REFLECTIONS OF AN ITINERANT PROFESSOR

    Like

    1. Hi Richard,

      Thank you very much for writing and for your kind words. I had a look at your book on Amazon, it looks fascinating. I’d love to hear more about your work in Rio Tambo. What a wonderful experience it must be to work amongst the Ashaninca. Please write me an email so we can talk more. I look forward to hearing from you. Best wishes,

      Zuleyka.

      Like

  2. I’m doing a class on Introduction to Sociology at University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. I am enjoying my course very much and to know more I searched in internet and found your Blog which is wonderful and so informative. Thank you for being there as a helping hand to beginner students like us. I wish you good luck and keep up with the good works.

    Like

    3. Your encouraging research article is really enjoyable and creative. It’s really very helpful for the policy makers who are working in this sector.This article help me a lot for designing the micro family project in Bangladesh.
      Prof. Abdul Jalil Choudhury
      Former Director and Professor of BIBM
      Adjunct Professor, Department of Development Studies, University of Dhaka.
      Dhaka

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Enjoyed very much your thoughts about feminist separating the “classes”. I am trans and feel that until we all see each other as humans… and not particles dangling in one arena or another… we can never feel the true meaning of a deeper humanity. No one is better than the other…under whatever circumstances.

    Like

  5. Hiii…. I am a Student of UNTL In East Timor and I am interested in learning about Sociology, and I am trying to apply to the Scholarship in order I may increase more my Understanding about Sociology and I have dream to be a teacher in one day in Timor Leste

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    1. Hi Joao,
      Thanks for visting my blog. That’s wonderful that you’re looking to apply for a scholarship to study sociology and that you are working towards being a teacher in Timor Leste. Keep up the good work and best wishes for your studies and path to a sociology career!

      Like

  6. Hola Zuleyka. My name is Manny Martinez. I am a high school teacher in the city of San Francisco. I’m currently putting together an ethnic studies curriculum for my school, which I’ll be teaching, and after much research and extensive reading, I find that your “Other Sociologist” web page provides the best definition and student-friendly analysis of otherness I have found. I want to express my gratitude to you for sharing your knowledge and experience with the world. If you’re ever in the Bay Area, would love to have you come talk to my students. Thanks again and, as we say in Puerto Rico–Pa’Lante!

    MM

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    1. Hola Manny, y muchas gracias! I’m so pleased to learn that you’re using my blog as a teaching resource in San Francisco. High school sociology is so important; I would have loved to have the opportunity to get a head start learning our discipline. I would be happy to visit your class if I’m ever in the Bay Area – or happy to do a virtual visit. Just send me an email on my contact page. Take care and hope to hear more about your students in future.

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  7. Hello Ms. Zuleykha

    I came across your article “Sociology of Gender” while browsing for some information on the subject of gender sensitization. This subject is introduced this year in the second semester of U.G. in Osmania University, Hyderabad, India. Your article has reference to Australian Context. I hope there might be some person who has done this work with reference to Indian Gender Sensitization Scenario.

    I will appreciate your guidance in this matter.

    Sincerely

    Mansoor Ahmed Khan
    Administrator
    Musheerabad Degree College for Women
    Musheerabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

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  8. hii madam came across your article “Sociology of Gender” while browsing for some information on the subject of gender sensitization. in b.ed course. plz help mi madam

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  9. Hello Dr Zuleyka
    My name is zeritu moges I am from Africa ( Ethiopia ) & I am gender officer I am happy to read all your article it help me my work very much.

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  10. Hello ,really impressed and inspired after glancing through your contributions to social sciences…can you just enlighten me on link or similarity between othering and orientalism … what are your candid thoughts on orientalism ,islamophobia and their link to othering theories

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  11. First of All i Acknowledge the Quality and Effort of Your Work in this Field of Study “Sociology” Pretty Zuleyka. Listen, I don’t want to take up too much of your time, but it was great finding your blog online when i was in need of Material for debate and yours has been of help to me.
    I’m a Student of Plateau State University, Bokkos Nigeria; Currently Enrolled in Second Year First Degree Program and how i wish i knew your blog right from my starting point. Please permit me to put a request which i will love to be keeping in touch with You in order to expand my Knowledge in the Discipline.
    Thanks.

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  12. Hi Zuleyka,
    First of all I will join everybody else and say wow, your blog is the nicest sociologist blog I have yet to see.
    I wanted to know your thoughts on if the situation in Sidney would be reversed. If the Gadigal people would be acknowledged as the nationals of Sidney, rather than the subordinates. What do you think would be the implications of subordinating the white dominants? As this is the situation in Latvia, my home country. Where Russians with their USSR ruled over up until the 1990s. Now with Latvians in charge, Russians are subordinated and placed as second-class citizens. Which is historically just and rational. However this is not helping development, social cohesion and stability of the country. I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
    Kristiana

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    1. Hi Kristiana,
      There’s much to unpack about the premise of your questions. The Gadigal People of the Eora Nation are traditional custodians of these lands where I am grateful to live. I support the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which outlines a path to truth telling about our national history of genocide. The comparison you make between this history of colonialism and dispossession of Indigenous people in Australia is not analogous to the Russians and Latvians. Russia is another empirial power that has done great damage to many peoples and continues to deny human rights of minorities.
      It seems you believe that reparations to Indigenous people would be tantamount to ‘subordinating the White dominants.’ That’s simply untrue. Righting the ongoing wrongs of our colonial past does not mean White people will be oppressed. Equality for all is the basis of true democracies. We do not have that yet in Australia but we must keep fighting for it.
      The civil conflict between one set of White people versus another group of White people in the context you’re referencing is a national and ethnic issue, whereas issues between non-Indigenous and Indigenous people are about race and colonialism. They are not the same and should never be confused.
      Moreover, Russians who occupied Latvia once belonged to the ruling classes and had greater political power, later as more Russians occupied these lands they were part of the agrarian classes, and rose back up in influence in the early 20th century. This social mobility alone makes them very different to Indigenous people around the world, who continue to be denied basic rights and protections. Even as a smaller sub-population, declining from one third to one quarter of the Latvian population due to migration, Russians are more than seven times the size of Indigenous people in Australia today. Again, another difference that makes this comparison highly flawed. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people did not leave their lands, they never ceded. Their population was decimated and then a large proportion of their remaining generations of children have been forcibly removed and forced to assimilate through violence for over 230 years. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to resist in the face of great structural inequities. As for more recent changes to citizenship and language rights for Russians in Latvia, these are, again, not comparable to Australia. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were not even classified and counted as people under the law until 1967. Aboriginal languages were prohibited throughout most of Australia’s history since colonisation, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to fight to have their cultures, languages, health, safety, and other basic rights upheld.
      How would I feel about justice, reparations and healing of my nation given all these facts? I am hopeful and welcoming of a Makarrata, or a special treaty, that will truly address the sovereignty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and give them true land rights.

      Like

  13. Hello Dr. Zuleyka,
    I am a Social work student at the university of Rwanda and I am really very impressed. Sociology is more attracting and impressing and I dream to professionalize it in my further education. So, I’m willing to contact you on email for more details. Thank you.

    Like

  14. Pingback: Sociología del género – transexualidad: ATC llibertat

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