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John Milton Yinger (July 6, 1916 – July 28, 2011) was an American sociologist who was president of the
American Sociological Association The American Sociological Association (ASA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the discipline and profession of sociology. Founded in December 1905 as the American Sociological Society at Johns Hopkins University by a group of fif ...
1976–1977. Yinger received his Ph.D. from the
University of Wisconsin, Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
, in 1942, and was Emeritus Professor of Sociology at
Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational liberal arts college in the United S ...
.


Biography

Yinger was born in
Quincy, Michigan Quincy is a village in Branch County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,652 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Quincy Township on U.S. Highway 12. Note: there is also another Quincy Township in Houghton Count ...
, in 1916. His parents, George and Emma Bancroft Yinger, were both
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
ministers. He grew up with five brothers and two sisters. Under the direction of his father, he and various combinations of his siblings sang in hundreds of concerts as the Yinger Singers. Yinger studied
sociology Sociology is a social science that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. It uses various methods of Empirical ...
at
DePauw University DePauw University is a private liberal arts university in Greencastle, Indiana. It has an enrollment of 1,972 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the G ...
, and continued to sing with his siblings. At university, was part of the athletics track team, running flat races and
hurdles Hurdling is the act of jumping over an obstacle at a high speed or in a sprint. In the early 19th century, hurdlers ran at and jumped over each hurdle (sometimes known as 'burgles'), landing on both feet and checking their forward motion. Today, ...
, at one point racing against
Jesse Owens James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens (September 12, 1913March 31, 1980) was an American track and field athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games. Owens specialized in the sprints and the long jump and was recognized in his lifet ...
. After graduating from DePauw, Yinger received a master's degree from
Louisiana State University Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 nea ...
and a doctorate from the
University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
. While he was a student at Wisconsin, he met his future bride, Winnie McHenry. There were married in 1941 and remained so for 61 years, until she died in 2002.


Career

Yinger began his professional career at
Ohio Wesleyan University Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio. It was founded in 1842 by methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five – a consortium ...
. He moved to
Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational liberal arts college in the United S ...
in 1947 and remained there until he retired in 1987. In addition to being a professor of sociology and
anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of behavi ...
, Yinger was an author, writing 13 books and a number of journal articles. His textbook co-authored with George E. Simpson, ''Racial and Cultural Minorities'', went through five editions and won the 1959
Anisfield-Wolf Book Award The Anisfield-Wolf Book Award is an American literary award dedicated to honoring written works that make important contributions to the understanding of racism and the appreciation of the rich diversity of human culture. Established in 1935 by Clev ...
for the best scholarly work on race relations. The award was shared with
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...
Yinger's writing appeared in the 1960
American Sociological Review The ''American Sociological Review'' is a bi-monthly peer-reviewed academic journal covering all aspects of sociology. It is published by SAGE Publications on behalf of the American Sociological Association. It was established in 1936. The editors- ...
, in which he originated the concept of a "contraculture". He defined this as a group whose values contain "as a primary element, a theme of conflict with the values of the total society." Yinger's work on this topic culminated with the 1982 publication of his book, ''Countercultures: The Promise and Peril of a World Turned Upside Down''. Yinger was elected president of the
American Sociological Association The American Sociological Association (ASA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the discipline and profession of sociology. Founded in December 1905 as the American Sociological Society at Johns Hopkins University by a group of fif ...
for 1976–77. He received honorary degrees from DePauw and
Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...
and was a Guggenheim Fellow, a Fellow of the
National Endowment for the Humanities The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency of the U.S. government, established by thNational Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965(), dedicated to supporting research, education, preserv ...
, and a Fellow of Clare Hall at
Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
.


Personal life

Yinger had three children: Susan, John, and Nancy. He had five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He died in
Oberlin, Ohio Oberlin is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States, 31 miles southwest of Cleveland. Oberlin is the home of Oberlin College, a liberal arts college and music conservatory with approximately 3,000 students. The town is the birthplace of the ...
on July 28, 2011, with his daughter, Susan, at his side. His son John McHenry Yinger is a professor of Economics and Public Administration and International Affairs at the
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs (Maxwell School) is the professional public policy school of Syracuse University, a private research university in Syracuse, New York. The school is organized in 11 academic departments and 13 ...
of
Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...
.


Works

*''Religion in the Struggle for Power: a Study in the Sociology of Religion'' (1946) Durham, NC: Duke University Press. *''Religion, Society, and the Individual: an Introduction to the Sociology of Religion''. (1957) New York : Macmillan. *''Toward A Field Theory of Behavior: Personality and Social Structure'' (1965) New York, McGraw-Hill. *''Countercultures: The Promise and Peril of a World Turned Upside Down'' (1982) New York: Free Press; London: Collier Macmillan Publisher. *''Racial and Cultural Minorities: An Analysis of Prejudice and Discrimination'' (1985). 5th ed. New York: Plenum Press. Co-authored with George Eaton Simpson. *''Ethnicity: Source of Strength? Source of Conflict?'' (1994) Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.


See also

*
Sociology of religion Sociology of religion is the study of the beliefs, practices and organizational forms of religion using the tools and methods of the discipline of sociology. This objective investigation may include the use both of quantitative methods (surveys, ...
*
Structural functionalism Structural functionalism, or simply functionalism, is "a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability". This approach looks at society through a macro-level o ...


External links


J. Milton YingerFinding guide, J. Milton Yinger Papers, 1937–2003
Oberlin College Archives. *Vujacic, Veljko. Spring 2013.

" Oberlin Alumni Magazine, 108 (2).


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yinger, John Milton 1916 births 2011 deaths People from Quincy, Michigan University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni Oberlin College faculty American sociologists Presidents of the American Sociological Association