academic

I'm currently a PhD student at the University of Strathclyde, in the Department of Geography and Sociology, with supervisors Colin Clark and Patricia McCafferty. I'm partly funded by the Overseas Research Student Award Scheme.

Project: Who Do We Serve? The Social Conscience of Sociology in Scotland.

Overview: By examining and explaining human behaviour, social scientists have enormous power to shape policies and attitudes contributing to social justice. Because of this power, each new generation of social scientists must navigate a political spectrum between complete detachment and full engagement. In this context, I seek to locate the middle ground in Scotland by exploring meanings and expressions of social conscience - moral concern for the structural causes of injustice, and desire to transform society to prevent further suffering.

qualifications

PhD Sociology, expected 2009
University of Strathclyde
Glasgow, Scotland

MSc Human Ecology, 2006
(with Distinction)
Centre for Human Ecology
Edinburgh, Scotland

BA Cultural Anthropology, 2003
(Cum Laude)
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

research interests

Current research interests: Higher education, philosophies of social science, moral theory, Scottish culture & politics, activism, social justice, postmodernism & neoliberalism, life histories.

Other research interests: Feminism, contemporary mythologies, spirituality & religion, class/race/gender issues, globalization, alternative social & economic structures, identity, media, popular music fandom, sustainability.

honours & awards

  • Overseas Research Student Award recipient, 2007-08.
  • A&R Union Scholarship, 2007.
  • USC Dean's Scholarship, 1998-2002.
  • Rotary Club International Scholarship, 1998-2000.
  • Resident Honors (early-entrance) Program, 1998-99.

leadership experience

  • Centre for Human Ecology Board of Directors, August 2006-present (also webmaster and newsletter editor).
  • Vice-President, New Scotland Country Dance Society, 2006-07.
  • Centre for Human Ecology Academic Board (Student Representative), 2004-05.
  • Founder & Leader, Goo Goo Dolls Fans For Peace, 2002-04.
  • Founding Member, USC Interfaith Coalition for Peace & Understanding, 2001-02.
  • Founder & President, USC Students of Ancient Religions, 1999-2002.

other coursework & training

  • Permaculture Consultant Certification: January 2004, Cadzadero, CA.
  • Service Employees' International Union WAVE (organizer) training: July 2003, Washington, DC.
  • Multimedia coursework, Middlesex Community College: 2002-03, Middletown, CT.
  • Year abroad, University of Edinburgh: 2000-01.

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publications

Please see my writing page for all published work.

presentations & teaching

Telling Mythologies: Pasts and Possible Futures in Activist Literature. Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment (UK) Conference, Edinburgh, 11 July 2008.

Poster Presentation: Can Sociology Teach Global Citizenship? Preliminary survey results, presented at University of Stathclyde Research Day, 10 June 2008.

Undergraduate Tutoring. Two groups of first-year sociology students (approximately 45 students in total), academic year 2007-08.

Public Sociology Roundtable discussion. Presented the "anti public sociology" stance to second-year sociology students, 3 April 2008.

GOALS programme, Campus Day. Designed and facilitated a sociology "taster" workshop for 45 secondary school pupils, 14 November 2007.

Social Conscience: a New Model for Understanding Public Sociology and Political Engagement. European Sociological Association Conference, Glasgow, 6 September 2007.

Goo Goo Dolls Fan Culture: A Case Study. Annual guest lecture, Fan Culture course. Media Department, University of Chester, 24 October 2005; 23 October 2006; 13 December 2007.

Stories, Motivation, and Radical Vision: A Participatory talk. Centre for Human Ecology lecture series, University of Strathclyde, 8 May 2006.

previous thesis projects

MSc Thesis: December 2005
Telling Mythologies: Pasts and Possible Futures in Activist Literature

Analysis of the implicit stories that drive activist literature, and the kinds of futures they foretell. Eventually I'll create an overview page. For now:

Abstract (PDF)
Full Text (PDF)

Undergraduate Thesis: May 2002
It Will Always Be There: Ethnography of an Imagined Community

Ethnography of my early-entrance class, the community we built, and its metamorphoses over our four years of college.

Selected text, by chapter

other relevant experience

Editing & Proofreading: Since April 2007, I have been editor of the Centre for Human Ecology's monthly e-newsletter (including soliciting and editing submissions, and maintaining e-mail list of over 600 people). In March 2008, I proofread the manuscript for Alastair McIntosh's forthcoming book, Hell and High Water: Climate Change, Hope, and the Human Condition. In the summer of 2006, I proofread the rough manuscript for an academic book on the history of women in Scottish education (book still forthcoming).

Museum Research: Deaf Education
From 1996-2000, I worked at the Old State House museum in Hartford, Connecticut. For the post, I conducted in-depth historical research, particularly 19th-century deaf education in America and Britain. Based on my research, I wrote historic interpretation scripts, two short plays (which I also performed), pamphlets, and other materials for museum visitors.

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