Why this Substack has a paid tier
And why you should become a paid member
I started That Sociologist because there are limits to where and how sociological thinking about inequality can appear.
Academic journals demand distance, formality, and a particular kind of contribution. Media commentary often demands speed, certainty, and simplification. Teaching happens behind closed doors, in seminars and lectures that rarely make it beyond the classroom.
This newsletter sits somewhere else.
Here I write about poverty, inequality, social policy, neoliberalism, and academic life in ways that are slower, more reflective, and closer to lived experience. Sometimes that means theory. Sometimes it means teaching. Often it means trying to make sense of the gap between what we say about social justice and how institutions actually work.
Some of this writing is public and always will be.
But some of it doesn’t work unless there’s a smaller, more committed audience.
Why some posts are paid
The paid tier exists so I can write things that don’t fit easily elsewhere.
That includes:
Longer essays that go beyond what works in a blog post or journal article
Teaching materials I use with undergraduates and postgraduates — slides, reading lists, activities, and reflections
Writing about academic life, class, and inequality that’s more honest than professional spaces usually allow
Sociological reflections connected to place, land, and history
Occasional drafts, notes, and work‑in‑progress pieces that are part of thinking rather than polished outcomes
Paid posts aren’t “premium takes” or hot opinions. They’re usually slower, messier, and more grounded in teaching, research, and experience.
What paying actually supports
Subscribing isn’t just about accessing extra content.
It supports:
Independent sociological writing outside institutional metrics
Teaching‑focused work that doesn’t count as a REF output
A space to think seriously about inequality without simplifying it for clicks
Some posts will always be free. Others will live behind the paywall — not because they’re better, but because they need room, trust, and time.
If this kind of writing is useful to you, or if it reflects how you think about inequality, education, or policy, then that’s what the paid subscription is for.
You’re very welcome to read along either way.