Kate Burrows

I attribute my success to a deep commitment to independent inquiry and a willingness to challenge conventional boundaries. Being published has played a pivotal role in this journey—it has allowed me to establish credibility as an independent scholar and open doors that might have remained closed within the constraints of the private sector. Through my work, I’ve been able to break down barriers, contribute original perspectives, and engage in thought leadership that pushes the field forward.

**Forge your own path and don't be afraid to challenge traditional academic structures.** My journey as an independent scholar has shown me that you don't need to follow the conventional tenure-track route to make meaningful contributions to sociology - sometimes the most important work happens when you have the freedom to pursue questions that truly matter to you, even if they challenge established power structures in medicine and mental health. **Find your voice through rigorous methodology, especially qualitative methods like autoethnography.** I've found that some of the most powerful sociological insights come from deeply personal and reflexive research approaches. Don't shy away from methods that allow you to bring your whole self to your research - your lived experiences as a woman can be a source of scholarly strength, not a limitation. At the same time, master the full toolkit of qualitative methods so you can choose the right approach for each research question. **Build community and lift others as you climb.** The academic world can be isolating, especially for women, but there's incredible power in creating networks of support. Whether it's through organizations like the National Coalition of Independent Scholars or by founding your own communities like I did with Seattle Independent Scholars, invest in mentoring relationships both as a mentee and eventually as a mentor. Some of my most rewarding work has been helping other scholars find their voice and navigate the publication process. **Don't be afraid to tackle controversial or understudied topics.** My work on medical surveillance, digital pills, and psychiatric control isn't always comfortable for people to hear, but that's exactly why it's necessary. Young women often bring fresh perspectives to entrenched problems - trust your instincts when something doesn't seem right about how society operates, and use rigorous sociological analysis to shine light on those issues.

**Forge your own path and don't be afraid to challenge traditional academic structures.** My journey as an independent scholar has shown me that you don't need to follow the conventional tenure-track route to make meaningful contributions to sociology - sometimes the most important work happens when you have the freedom to pursue questions that truly matter to you, even if they challenge established power structures in medicine and mental health. **Find your voice through rigorous methodology, especially qualitative methods like autoethnography.** I've found that some of the most powerful sociological insights come from deeply personal and reflexive research approaches. Don't shy away from methods that allow you to bring your whole self to your research - your lived experiences as a woman can be a source of scholarly strength, not a limitation. At the same time, master the full toolkit of qualitative methods so you can choose the right approach for each research question. **Build community and lift others as you climb.** The academic world can be isolating, especially for women, but there's incredible power in creating networks of support. Whether it's through organizations like the National Coalition of Independent Scholars or by founding your own communities like I did with Seattle Independent Scholars, invest in mentoring relationships both as a mentee and eventually as a mentor. Some of my most rewarding work has been helping other scholars find their voice and navigate the publication process. **Don't be afraid to tackle controversial or understudied topics.** My work on medical surveillance, digital pills, and psychiatric control isn't always comfortable for people to hear, but that's exactly why it's necessary. Young women often bring fresh perspectives to entrenched problems - trust your instincts when something doesn't seem right about how society operates, and use rigorous sociological analysis to shine light on those issues.

**The biggest challenge we're facing is the rapid advancement of medical surveillance technologies without adequate sociological analysis of their social control implications.** We're seeing digital pills, AI predictive modeling, and sophisticated monitoring systems being implemented in mental health care faster than we can study their sociological consequences. The pharmaceutical industry and medical establishment are essentially conducting a massive social experiment on vulnerable populations, particularly those with mental health diagnoses, while sociologists are struggling to keep pace with documenting and critiquing these developments. **At the same time, this represents an unprecedented opportunity for medical sociologists to demonstrate our relevance.** We have the theoretical frameworks and methodological tools to examine how these technologies are reshaping power dynamics between doctors and patients, how they're redefining what we consider "normal" behavior, and how they're creating new forms of social stratification. My work on "Abilify MyCite" and digital pills is just scratching the surface - there's enormous potential for sociologists to influence policy and practice if we can get our research into the right hands. **Another significant challenge is the marginalization of independent scholars and qualitative methodologies in an increasingly quantified academic landscape.** Universities are prioritizing big data and metrics over the nuanced, reflexive work that autoethnography and other qualitative methods provide. This is particularly problematic in medical sociology, where understanding lived experiences is crucial to grasping the full impact of medical interventions. **However, there's a growing recognition that we need diverse voices and approaches to tackle complex social problems.** The success of organizations like the National Coalition of Independent Scholars shows that there's hunger for scholarship that exists outside traditional academic constraints. Independent scholars often have the freedom to ask uncomfortable questions and pursue research that might be too politically sensitive for tenure-track academics who need to worry about department politics or funding pressures. **The intersection of mental health advocacy and sociological research presents another major opportunity.** My work with NAMI and focus on pediatric bipolar disorder shows how sociologists can bridge the gap between academic research and real-world advocacy. We have the tools to help people understand how diagnostic categories are socially constructed and how medical technologies can both help and harm - this knowledge is desperately needed by patients, families, and policymakers.

**Intellectual courage and social justice are at the heart of everything I do.** My research on medical surveillance and psychiatric control isn't easy or comfortable work - it challenges powerful institutions and questions practices that many people accept without scrutiny. But I believe sociologists have a responsibility to examine how power operates in society, especially when it affects vulnerable populations like people with mental health diagnoses. If we're not willing to ask the hard questions about how technology is being used to control "deviant" bodies, then we're not fulfilling our role as sociologists. **Mentorship and community-building are equally central to my values.** I've experienced firsthand how isolating academic work can be, particularly as an independent scholar operating outside traditional institutional structures. That's why I've invested so much energy in founding Seattle Independent Scholars, editing journals, and coaching junior scholars through the publication process. Knowledge shouldn't be hoarded - it should be shared, and the next generation of scholars should have the support and guidance that maybe we didn't always receive. **Authenticity in scholarship is non-negotiable for me.** My work with autoethnography reflects my belief that our lived experiences and personal perspectives aren't obstacles to good research - they're essential to understanding complex social phenomena. Too often, academia demands that we pretend to be objective observers when our identities and experiences actually give us crucial insights into how society operates. I want my work to model how scholars can bring their whole selves to their research while maintaining rigorous standards. **Liberation through knowledge is my ultimate goal.** Whether I'm examining how digital pills create new forms of psychiatric control or helping other scholars find their voice, I'm fundamentally interested in how understanding social structures can free us from them. Mental health patients deserve to understand how diagnostic categories are constructed and how medical technologies might be used to monitor and control them. Junior scholars deserve to understand how academic publishing works so they can navigate it successfully. Knowledge should empower people, not just satisfy academic curiosity. **Finally, I value intellectual independence above institutional security.** Choosing to work as an independent scholar rather than pursuing a traditional tenure track reflects my belief that sometimes the most important work happens when you're free from institutional constraints and expectations. It's not always financially easy, but it allows me to pursue research questions that matter to me and to speak truth to power without worrying about department politics or tenure requirements.