Eric Bjorklund specializes in health, inequality, and political sociology. His research examines how the distribution of power within society shapes material conditions and formal political processes in ways that generate and reinforce health disparities.
Most recently, his focus has been on the sociopolitical determinants of county-level disparities in alcohol, suicide, and substance/opioid mortality rates. He also utilizes a mixed methods approach to analyze white reactionary conservative politics in the United States. Bjorklund has a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Arizona.
What attracted you to Occidental?
海角社区鈥檚 dual emphasis on high caliber research and teaching aligns with what initially attracted me to academia. I鈥檝e worked at multiple institutions ranging in size/type, and Occidental has just the right mix of size, rigor, history, and culture.
How did you take an interest in sociology, and in your specialty in particular?
Like a lot of students entering college, I had never heard of sociology. I wound up taking SOC 101 because it was the only social science elective still open when I registered. Off the bat I was hooked. The sociological perspective felt like the missing piece of the puzzle. To elaborate, growing up I was passionate about history. It unlocked the past and provided a powerful lens for contextualizing the present. Likewise, I became deeply engaged in politics and direct action via the punk/hardcore scene. That forever changed my life in the best way possible. Sociology captured what I was passionate about while providing the necessary tools to focus my interests on formal research.
Can you talk about a favorite class you have taught (or are currently teaching) and what students can expect to take away from it?
Last semester I taught two very different, but equally fun courses I hope to continue teaching at Occidental. SOC: 320 Health & Illness is an in-depth look at the social organization of health across multiple levels of society. Topics include the medicalization of life, structural health inequalities, the role of healthcare systems, and contemporary challenges in U.S. medicine. SOC 310: Culture, Power & Music is a class I developed as a grad student and have carried across multiple institutions. The class lets me explore my passion for music in an interactive context. I structure the course along the idea that music is an organic social process. Its meaning rests in its ability to point beyond itself to the social world it is embedded in. The course unpacks this through an examination on how various aspects of social life (ritual, identity, protest, intimacy, values, etc.) are represented through music. And equally, how humans use music individually and collectively to make sense of our world
Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing in Los Angeles?
Maybe it鈥檚 clich茅, but whenever possible I try to get to a beach. Since moving here, I鈥檝e also enjoyed exploring new music venues, record stores, and music stores. LA鈥檚 storied musical history means there鈥檚 a copy/version of whatever you can imagine floating around somewhere. Likewise, it鈥檚 been a blast checking out classic theaters in the area, not only for the vibe, but for their wide range of showings, like old 35mm black-and-white movies.