I have dedicated my career to teaching about patterns of social inequality in US society. I teach students how to evaluate and construct evidence-based arguments about the social world. As a first-generation college student and a Black woman, I am committed to establishing an inclusive and mutually respectful learning environment in the classroom.
The undergraduate sociology courses I teach include:
"Inequalities in Higher Education"
Course description: US higher education has been touted as “the great equalizer.” In this course, students will examine contemporary sociological research to determine if colleges and universities promote significant social mobility and equality in US society, or if they engender and sustain social inequalities. We will review such topics as student loan debt, Title IX, and affirmative action. We will put US higher education in its historical and comparative context as we consider what policies might best fulfill promises of mobility and equality. Throughout the course, students will engage in projects that require them to evaluate Endicott College in the larger landscape of higher education.
"Introduction to Sociology"
"Race & Ethnicity in US Society"
"Race, Ethnicity, & the Media"
Course description: This course explores in-depth the topic of race in media such as film, TV shows, music, news, and social media. Students will learn how to critically examine the social construction of race, and the representation of racial and ethnic groups, in the media. Students will read social and psychological theories that encourage them to analyze race-related media phenomena in their socio-cultural and historical contexts. Lastly, students will work on action-based projects that further explore contemporary race-related social issues in the media. (Co-taught with Communications Studies faculty)
"Social Problems"
"Work & Society"
Course description: This course explores social issues related to market work (i.e. paid work). The class begins by examining the transition to the new global economy and transformations to the US workforce, and continues with an examination of how these transformations shape workers’ daily lives (e.g. identity formation, community building, reproduction), as well US culture and global social processes. The class ends by conducting deep analyses of gender, race/ethnic, sexual orientation, and occupational labor inequalities.
Syllabi available upon request