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Melissa Quesada Completes Dissertation on Social Forces and Networks Guiding Latines into Teaching

February 14, 2025
Melissa Quesada has successfully defended her dissertation, titled "Just Be a Teacher: How Social Forces and Networks Guide Latines into Teaching." Her committee included Irenee Beattie (chair), along with Professors Laura Hamilton, Daisy Reyes, and Glenda Flores (from UC Irvine)....

Congratulations to Dr. Jovana Ramos!

December 17, 2024
The Sociology Department is proud to announce that Jovana Ramos has successfully defended her dissertation and earned her PhD. Her research, titled “The Journey to a Bachelor’s Degree: Latine Community College Students’ Access to Alternative Sources and Types of Social Capital,...

Bryan Amos Successfully Defends Dissertation on Eugenics Movement

December 10, 2024
We are pleased to announce that Bryan Amos has officially earned his Doctorate! After successfully defending his dissertation titled “The Roots of Eugenics: Tracing the Origins and Development of the Movement from 1850 to 1910,” Bryan is now Dr. Amos. A special thanks goes to...

René Becerra Successfully Defends Dissertation on the Lifecycle of Veganism Movement

December 6, 2024
We are thrilled to announce that René Becerra has successfully defended his PhD dissertation! His research, titled "The Lifecycle of a Lifestyle Movement: Exploring Patterns and Trajectories of Recruitment, Persistence, and Disengagement within Veganism," marks a significant milestone in...

Study Highlights Filipino College Students Experiences of Racial Microaggressions

November 26, 2024
Sociology PhD candidate Jay Colond and Professor Irenee Beattie have published a new article, entitled "Differential Racialization of Filipino College Students," in Sociology of Race and Ethnicity. This article sheds new light on the racialized experiences of Filipino students in higher...

Jarrod Brown Speaks at Rising Scholars Network Inaugural Symposium

November 22, 2024
Congratulations to Jarrod Brown, a doctoral candidate in sociology, who was invited to speak at the Rising Scholars Network Inaugural Symposium at Modesto Junior College on November 14, 2024. In his presentation, "Post-Secondary Education & Reentry", Brown highlighted the importance...

Professor Flores Discusses Impact of Mass Deportations on Valley Public Radio

November 8, 2024
Sociology Professor Ed Flores was recently featured on Valley Public Radio, where he discussed the potential economic and social consequences of mass deportations in California’s Central Valley. Flores, Faculty Director of the UC Merced Community and Labor Center, warned that deportations...

Professor Mireles Wins 2024 Social Learning Innovator Award for Transformative Teaching

October 17, 2024
Hypothesis has awarded Dr. Amanda Mireles with a 2024 Social Learning Innovator Award! This honor celebrates her impactful contributions to education through the innovative use of Hypothesis social annotation in her sociology courses at UC Merced. Dr. Mireles has transformed her classroom into a...

On Joy and War: Black Feminism/Intersectionality

October 4, 2024
Whitney Pirtle, associate professor of sociology at UC Merced, has co-authored a new article titled "On Joy and War: Black Feminism/Intersectionality" in the Annual Review of Sociology. This work explores the evolution of Black feminist theorizing, offering critical insights into its...

Research Reveals How U.S. Immigration Law Undermines Cancer Care for Noncitizens

September 23, 2024
Professor Meredith Van Natta has published a new article, "Second-Class Care: How Immigration Law Transforms Clinical Practice in the Safety Net" in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior. She shares: This article examines how U.S. immigration law extends into the health care...

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