Social sciences research -- usually published in academic journals and books -- doesn't often make it out to the masses.

But that's something Texas A&M University professor Joe Feagin said he hopes to change with his research-based blog.

The blog, Racism Review, is a series of entries, photos and audio and video files that focus on race, ethnicity and racial relations. After less than 11 months online, the site gets 800 to 1,000 page views per day, Feagin said.

"I wanted to find a way to get the research we do on race issues discussed by and known to a larger audience than the usual scholars, professors and students," Feagin said.

Feagin started the Web site with one of his former graduate students a year ago. It is one of only 25 blogs focusing on sociology, Feagin said. The blog is among several manned by Texas A&M professors, though many, like the Mays School of Business blog, serve to inform students and the general public of events and departmental news.

The research-based blog -- a burgeoning breed of expert blog that has grown in popularity in recent years -- still isn't as common as personal blogs.

Jessie Daniels, Racism Review's co-founder, said most blogs don't survive longer than three months.

"People just stop keeping them up," she said. "You have to provide content every day or so."

Blog entries on Racism Review range in scope from links to articles or research on related topics to original entries that focus on racial and ethnic discrimination.

"We've recently increased the number of stories we do, bringing research to bear," Feagin said. "I write about the presidential race quite a bit; race keeps on coming up in the race."

Feagin's and Daniels' entries on the presidential race have kept the blog's comment boards active, particularly when the pair have posted transcripts of candidate interviews or debates, along with their own analysis.

Daniels said expert bloggers generally do not see any professional benefit from the time-consuming activity.

"There is no way in which the system of academic tenure and promotion recognizes blogging or blog posts as a legitimate academic endeavor," Daniels said. "And from the standpoint of the academy, it's seen as public service, if it's noticed at all."

In some cases, blogs are risky for academic types.

University of Michigan professor Juan Cole's blogging, often critical of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, cost him a post at Yale University, according to published reports. The highly publicized flap over Cole's blog, Informed Comment, drew increasing numbers of visitors, Feagin said.

"He really pioneered a research-style blog concept that has grown," Feagin said. "All the middle-of-the-road to progressive political blogs link to his blog."

Though some of her colleagues argue against blogging, Daniels, said most of the problem relates to personal blogs.

"While we write primarily for other academics, there's a part of our work that's very much interested in civic engagement in the public sphere of a democratic society," she said.

• Holli L. Estridge's e-mail address is holli.estridge@theeagle.com.

Title:


Comment:


Your Name: (optional - shown on website)

Enter text seen above:

---