California Sociology Forum vi 

Letter from the Editors 

 

Dear Reader,  

 

With great pleasure, we share with you the 5th volume of the 

California Sociology Forum, a student-led journal showcasing the depth 

and breadth of the learning that is being undertaken by students in the 

Department of Sociology at Cal State L.A. This volume comes after a 

protracted hiatus since 2010. Bringing it into the world required a 

commitment to the process of learning and dedication to creating a final 

product that sets a precedent for future editorial boards.  

Together we debated processes and points both big and small. 

We’ve agreed and disagreed. We reimagined accessibility to academic 

spaces by collaborating with CSU Open Journals and added a Creative 

Works section to recognize the many ways sociologists make society 

visible. We returned to one another every week: a neat assembly of tiny 

videos on digital screens; very real windows into our lives and homes. 

When we finally met in person, we were already months into 

our endeavor. It was fitting that Dr. Hyojoung Kim, CSF's founding 

Faculty Editor and Director of the Center for Korean-American and 

Korean Studies, hosted our coming together around a traditional 

barbecue. He shared his culture—the traditional dress he wore for his 

wedding, how one must always pour a drink for their elders as a sign of 

respect, and the meaning of eating wraps (or “ssam”) with one bite to 

enjoy all the flavor and take in the blessing all at once. 

 

 
Dr. Hyojoung Kim introducing CSF to KBBQ 



California Sociology Forum vii 

Dr. Kim illustrated the character language for family—eating 

together under one roof. He explained that in the process of sharing a 

meal we would forge a family. This felt symbolically parallel to our 

assembly of tiny videos. In a time of post-pandemic disconnectedness, 

we have found an academic home and forged an academic family 

through our CSF community. 

Week after week our editorial team came together to participate 

in simultaneous action—moving toward a singular goal to uplift the 

scholarship and voices of Cal State LA students. Together, CSF helps 

create what Émile Durkheim called collective effervescence—a sense of 

harmony through shared purpose. This reflects Dr. Kim’s explanation of 

imbibing in ancient Korean culture, allowing the gods to enter the body 

so people could access a higher plane. 

We are proud of this volume and the future we envision for CSF. 

Within, you will find original and creative works by dedicated student 

sociologists of Cal State LA. This collection is a testament to the varied, 

complex lived experiences and deep curiosity of our campus community. 

We editors are thankful to all of the authors and feel privileged to have 

curated these works with the help of thoughtful and devoted faculty 

editors. We are eager to share it with you. 

 

In Community,  

The CSF Editorial Board 

CSF Dining at KBBQ