Department Newsletter, Spring 2016
Faculty Spotlights
- Ivy Ken
- Hiromi Ishizawa
- In Memoriam: Ruth Wallace
Student Spotlights
Alumni Spotlights
Faculty Updates
Department Fan Letters
Class Notes
Faculty Spotlights
Ivy Ken in Chile: Jobs and Justice Along the Food Chain
Professor Ivy Ken has recently returned from spending her fall semester as a Fulbright Scholar at the Universidad Austral de Chile in Valdivia, where she studied corporate influence within the public school feeding program. School food in Chile is big business. It has one of the five most efficient school feeding programs in the world, providing breakfast and lunch for 2.3 million students each day. This efficiency, though, hinges on the use of a computer model through which lunch services are auctioned to private companies. Interested in the sociological implications of this system, Professor Ken conducted ethnographic fieldwork at specific points on the commodity chains—or networks of labor and production processes—that supply schools with food.
One vital link along these chains is the manipuladoras de alimentos, or “lunch ladies,” who interact on a daily basis with school children. They are employed by companies that have implemented a “Cook & Chill” system, which means that the primary responsibility of the manipuladoras is to boil large pots of water, drop plastic bags of food in the water and serve the warmed contents of the bags on lunch trays. Unsurprisingly, students think the food tastes “funny” and do not eat much of it. The manipuladoras are unable to offer their actual cooking skills or respond to student preferences. Their daily tasks are carefully designed for efficiency and profitability, leaving no room for creativity, autonomy or meaningful engagement with the food or students. Furthermore, the manipuladoras work without vacation or sick leave and they have been waiting months for a meager bonus the government agreed to pay them—and then cancelled—to supplement their very low wages. In response, the women have organized and conducted strikes and demonstrations throughout the country to secure better terms of employment.
These are but a few of the labor issues and intersecting sociological factors along this particular community’s school food chain, which become manifold as more food supply and service jobs are outsourced to private companies. Not just in Chile, but in Washington, D.C., and many other places around the globe, the government deems food preparation “nonessential” and outside of its “core competencies,” so it contracts with for-profit companies to fulfill the need. Professor Ken studies the implications of introducing the profit motive into this public exchange, which weakens the responsibility and accountability of the state to serve the populace
Upon her return to the United States, Professor Ken will be encouraging students to conduct fieldwork projects of their own on the institutional delivery of food services. As her current research reveals, food delivery is ripe for the sociological analysis of labor, food justice, gender, state power, race and ethnicity, privatization, inequality and social movements.
Hiromi Ishizawa in Japan: Volunteerism and Civic Participation in Small Civil Societies
Professor Hiromi Ishizawa is spending this academic year on sabbatical at Kyoto University in Japan where she is continuing her research on civic participation and volunteerism in a non-U.S. context.* As a key indicator of civil society, volunteerism has received increasing attention in recent decades. It is associated with participation in democratic governance—a measure of the ability of a community or nation to respond to individuals and families in need, both in normal times and following disaster. It is also shown to promote national and international understanding. Professor Ishizawa uses new, comparable micro-data from two nations with relatively small (formal) civil societies, in which one nation has low measured volunteerism (Japan) and the other has high measured levels (South Korea). She examines the determinants of volunteerism in each nation, how these are related to gender and how volunteerism can be promoted within each country in the future. The resulting study will highlight generalizable or shared as well as country-specific explanations for how social capital predicts volunteerism.
As a GW University Facilitating Fund recipient for 2015-16, Professor Ishizawa has also obtained access to data from the Japanese Life Course Panel Surveys. This nationally representative longitudinal data provides a unique opportunity to assess the impact of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake on civic participation. During her stay, Professor Ishizawa has also guest lectured at Kyoto University and Sophia University, begun collaborative work on immigrant integration in Japan and is looking forward to presenting her research at several academic venues in the coming months.
* See Ishizawa, Hiromi. 2015. “Civic Participation through Volunteerism among Youth across Immigrant Generations.” Sociological Perspectives 58(2): 264-285. And Ishizawa, Hiromi. 2014. "Volunteerism among Mexican Youth in the US: The Role of Family Capital." Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences 36(3): 247-264
In Memoriam: Ruth Wallace
The department lost a dear friend with the passing of Ruth Wallace on March 2, 2016. Ruth was an integral part of sociology at GW where she taught for 31 years. And she was a giant in the field of sociology in the United States and around the world. Through her many books, journal articles, public lectures and other venues, she was a pioneering voice in sociological theory, gender and religion. Among her publications were the following books: They Call Him Pastor: Married Men in Charge of Catholic Parishes; Contemporary Sociological Theory: Expanding the Classical Tradition (co-authored with Alison Wolf); Gender and the Academic Experience: Berkeley Women Sociologists, (coedited with Kathryn Meadow Orlans); They Call Her Pastor: A New Role for Catholic Women; and Feminism and Sociological Theory. Among the many awards she won were the American Sociological Association's Jessie Bernard Award for scholarly work on the role of women in society; the District of Columbia Sociological Society's Stuart Rice Award for Outstanding Contributions to Sociology; the Religious Research Association's H. Paul Douglass Lecturer; Marquette University's Joseph McGee Lecturer; and Santa Clara University's Distinguished Visiting Scholar. She will be missed by everyone who had the opportunity to know her.
Student Spotlights
Maya Weinstein was awarded the 2015 Undergraduate Paper Award in the Division of Critical Criminology of the American Society of Criminology. Maya is a senior double majoring in criminal justice and human services & social justice. Her paper, "The Potential for Restorative Justice in Cases of Sexual Assault on College Campuses,” is based on her senior thesis research in criminal justice, directed by Professor Martin Schwartz.
Maya writes: “This paper evaluates restorative justice practices and the potential for use in cases of sexual assault on college campuses. Given recent controversies surrounding the ways in which universities handle these cases, this is a relevant topic to the times. The project seeks to develop an alternative to the current criticized system. I describe the history and application of restorative justice programs, and examine previously performed evaluations and outcomes of such programs. A handful of universities are selected for review and critical analysis of sexual assault procedures. I then propose a model restorative justice program for implementation on college campuses. Both criminal and university sexual assault processes are often unclear and do not leave either the victim or offender feeling satisfied or a sense of justice. Restorative justice models have resulted in positive feedback from both parties, and with special considerations, have been appropriate for cases of intimate violence. Restorative justice is victim-driven and provides the offender with an opportunity to learn. The unique environment of college campuses is an appropriate place for the implementation of such a model. There is value in further research and potentially offering the program on campuses.”
Carmen Navarro has won the 2015 Irene B. Taeuber Graduate Student Paper Award by the District of Columbia Sociological Society (DCSS). Carmen is currently a master’s student in Sociology, and earned the award for her paper on "Displacement, Stigma, and Deforestation: The Environmental Destruction of the Rainforest through Development, Progress, and Modernity upon the Brazilian Amazon through Standpoint Theory." Carmen writes: “This paper highlights the continuous struggles of indigenous groups from the Brazilian Rainforest, who are at risk of losing their livelihoods through the construction of the 'Belo Monte' dam or 'Beautiful Mound,' potentially the world’s third largest hydroelectric dam. This will displace 20,000 indigenous people including the Juruna, Xikrin, Arara, Xipaia, Kuruaya, Parakana, Arawete, Kayapo, among others (Diversi 2014: 242). The Amazon Rainforest is drastically being decimated at an annual rate of 28% through deforestation (Marcovitch and Pinsky 2014). Progress, in the name of deforestation, has led to the construction of highways, dams, cattle ranches, soy farms, and continuous timber logging (Rylands and Brandon 2005), causing soil and water pollution, dam-related flooding, and loss of indigenous populations (Cadman 1989). The estimated 30 million residents of the Amazon Basin share its territory with Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela over an extended area of about six million square kilometers (Marcovitch and Pinsky 2014). My study examines Brazil’s dominant ideologies about modernity through standpoint theory – or the influence of Western science upon the lives of marginal populations (Harding 2008) – and the destruction of their natural habitat through modern technology and national development that is often justified as progress. In order for Western science to continue exerting a powerful influence, it must define itself against 'other' non-Western practices. Thus, there is a scarcity of research based on traditional knowledge due to the negative perception that traditional cultures are backward, which may even become a hindrance to modern social progress. Consequently, Western modern science distinguishes itself from traditional research through its modernity vs. traditional binary (Harding 2008).”
Alumni Spotlights
Marcus R. Andrews, BA-SOC ’15, was invited to speak on the keynote panel “Addressing Childhood Obesity” along with Chelsea Clinton at the 3rd Annual Rodham Institute Summit last October. A proud sixth-generation Washingtonian, Marcus is a Presidential Administrative Fellow in the Rodham Institute, currently pursuing his Master of Public Health and Health Promotion degree in the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health. Marcus’s work addresses the intersections of race, religion, urban planning and health, in addition to solutions to childhood obesity. Before joining the Rodham Institute, Marcus interned at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta where he developed a community health asset map for one of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods in southwest Atlanta.
Jacob Sena, BA-CJ ’14, is the author of "Conceptual and Practical Issues of a Mosaic Theory of the Fourth Amendment"—one of four papers chosen to be published in the Columbia University Undergraduate Law Review (Volume IX, Issue 2, Spring 2015). His GW thesis advisor, Professorial Lecturer Terrie Gale, writes: “In his senior year, Jacob produced an outstanding 50-page thesis about the developing mosaic theory of Fourth Amendment analysis. His research focuses on police GPS-tracking of a vehicle on public thoroughfares, as well as other types of police surveillance and access to personal information, which have not been considered searches subject to Fourth Amendment requirements of probable cause or other justification. This paper surveys the scholarship on the mosaic theory and analyzes the arguments for and against the theory's adoption by the courts. In my opinion, Jacob’s work is on par with that of an advanced law school student, and certainly worthy of publication.”
Lindsay Marsh Warren, BA-SOC ’98, SHMS MD ’02, has been awarded the 2015 GW Black Alumni Association IMPACT Award. This honor is awarded to alumni who “have made indelible contributions to their alma mater, their local communities and society at large.” As a sophomore at GW, Dr. Warren was chosen as an Early Selection Honoree for the School of Medicine. As a junior, she co-founded Word Up, a student-led outreach that provides a spiritual and social support system for its members through weekly sessions and gatherings. She received an Excellence in Student Life Award for her student leadership. After her senior year she was ordained as a minister. She then attended GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences and trained there as a resident specializing in anesthesiology. In 2006, Dr. Warren founded the Worth The Wait Revolution (WTWR), an abstinence movement that is the counter-culture to the “sexploitation” of our day. WTWR has hosted galas, runway events, and more to promote the theme of "sexual purity with contemporary style and urban class" over the years. Dr. Warren has published three books: The Best Sex of My Life: A Guide to Purity; The Best Sex of My Life: Confessions of a Sexual Purity Revolution; and a children’s book, I Am Worth The Wait. She has been featured on CNN’s Young People Who Rock, BET’s Lift Every Voice, NPR’s Tell Me More with Michelle Martín and in The Washington Post. Dr. Warren is currently a staff anesthesiologist practicing with Aisthesis Partners in Anesthesia.
Faculty Updates
Fran Buntman continues to serve as director of the law & society minor, in addition to her new role as director of graduate studies for the sociology and criminology MA programs. While remaining focused on teaching and service, she has begun a new research project on Nelson Mandela and the law. She was recently an invited panelist to the Greater Boston Jewish Community Center's symposium, "From Conflict to Peace: Lessons of Diplomacy from Other Nations." This March, she was invited to speak at a GW panel on "Reentry to Civilian Life: Life After Incarceration."
Cynthia Deitch received a Community-Based Participatory Research Grant from the GW Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service for 2015-16. In collaboration with the DC Center for Employment Justice, she is conducting research related to the D.C. paid sick leave law. She recently published a chapter, “Sexual Harassment of Low Wage Immigrant Workers in the United States: Lessons from EEOC Lawsuits," in Sexual Harassment in Education and Work Settings: Current Research and Best Practices for Prevention (Praeger, 2015).
Daina Eglitis was a research fellow at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., last spring. Sponsored by the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies, she conducted a project on Jewish and Latvian women in the Red Army in World War II. The project is part of a book manuscript on forgotten histories of women in World War II. She recently published an article in the Journal of Genocide Research (December 2014), and is the co-author of Discover Sociology, an introductory textbook, released in its second edition in 2015.
Amitai Etzioni has published Privacy in a Cyber Age: Policy and Practice (Palgrave MacMillan, 2015), which defines the foundations for a privacy doctrine suitable for the cyber age and examines the implications of the availability of personal information to corporations and major federal agencies. He has recently contributed articles to Barry Law Review, Survival and Intelligence and National Security. This past October, he co-organized the 8th Annual Sino-U.S. Colloquium: Beyond the Current Distrust at the Elliott School of International Affairs at GW.
Hiromi Ishizawa has been promoted to the rank of associate professor with tenure. She is currently on sabbatical at Kyoto University in Japan studying civic participation in non-U.S. contexts and volunteerism as a key indicator of civil society. She is also a GW University Facilitating Fund recipient for 2015-16.
Antwan Jones received a Young Trialist Award from the 2015 Cardiovascular Clinical Trialists Forum Committee. The award recognizes his U.S.-based research on spatial components of cardiovascular disease and his international work on cardiovascular risk among Latino elderly. Last spring, he received a Dean’s Interdisciplinary Collaboration Excellence (DICE) Award, along with Sharon Lambert (psychology) and Ryan Engstrom (geography). Together they examine associations between community violence exposure and health risk behaviors among African American adolescents living in Washington, D.C., (Wards 5, 7, and 8) in order to identify social and structural features of neighborhoods that support and compromise adolescents’ health outcomes.
Michelle Kelso spent the summer and fall co-leading a team that won a European Union Social Fund Grant for Romania. Their work has led to a new eldercare social business as part of an EU initiative to reach out to vulnerable communities. She has recently published articles in the Journal of Genocide Research and Museum Management and Curatorship. Her work on Roma and the Holocaust has been featured on the new human rights educational website, Unsilence Project. She was also interviewed on a national Romanian news program The Evening Journal regarding the sociological aspects of the U.S. presidential election. This April she will be speaking at a GW panel on "Monuments to a Conflicted Past: Memorialization of the Holocaust in East & Central Europe."
Ivy Ken spent this past fall studying the oversized influence of corporations on school food as a Fulbright Scholar at the Universidad Austral de Chile. She was also awarded a Global Women's Institute Fellowship to focus on the conditions of female Chilean agricultural workers involved in the supply of food to schools. And she recently received a Shapiro Policy Research Scholar award from the GW Institute for Public Policy for 2015-16. Her project focuses on the use of research evidence in food companies' rhetoric.
Daniel Martínez was selected to serve as the interim director of the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute at GW for 2015-16. He has recently published several articles in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Journal on Migration and Human Security and Migration Letters, and co-authored two policy reports with his colleagues at the American Immigration Council. He is currently serving as a faculty mentor for Rachel Kahn's, BA-HSSJ ’17, Luther Rice Fellowship research project, entitled "Barriers to Higher Education in San Isidro, Arequipa, Peru."
Emily Morrison recently published "How the I Shapes the Eye: The Imperative of Reflexivity in Global Service-Learning Qualitative Research" in the fall 2015 issue of Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning.
Lynette Osborne is currently evaluating two National Science Foundation-funded projects: the GWU Computer Science program “Partnership in Securing Cyberspace Through Education and Service (PISCES)” and the National Academy of Engineering workshop “Understanding the Engineering-Education Workforce Continuum.” She recently co-authored the chapter, “Energy Ethics in Science and Engineering Education” in International Perspectives on Engineering Education: Engineering Education and Practice in Context (Springer, 2015).
Gregory Squires was interviewed for and appeared in Dog Parks & Coffee Shops: Diversity Seeking in Changing Neighborhoods, a documentary about gentrification in three Washington, D.C. neighborhoods. This film was nominated for an Indie Capitol Award for Best Documentary Short. He was also featured in Expert Talks US Race Relations, a video produced by Xinhua News Agency: New China TV (Japan).
Steven Tuch received a Dean’s Research Scholar award to study the racial attitudes of high school students. A book chapter, “The Color of the Dream: Latinos, African Americans, and the American Dream,” is forthcoming in Latino American Dream (S.L. Hanson and J.K. White, eds.) by Texas A&M University Press. He has also been appointed to a three-year term on the American Sociological Association’s Public Understanding of Sociology Award Selection Committee.
Ron Weitzer co-authored a paper with Rachealle Sanford, MA-CRIM ’14, and Professor Daniel Martínez, which examines the media's coverage of human trafficking. The article draws from Rachealle's MA thesis research and will be published in the Journal of Human Trafficking in May 2016.
Department Fan Letters
Amber Henderson, MA-SOC ’14, BA-SOC ’11, writes:
“In my new career as a survey statistician, the training I received from the Sociology Department's Research Methods and Data Analysis courses are used daily. I was hired by the U.S. Census Bureau in September 2014 where I serve under the Education Surveys Branch. I support four surveys that provide the public with data on the educational activities of the U.S. population, ranging from the number of people per household and their educational attainment, to examining school crime and violence in our public school systems. One of my favorite tasks is data processing, in which I review data and resolve any errors that may have occurred after the raw data has been edited. Thanks to my coursework at GW, I have a foundation in understanding the survey life cycle process, and how to edit, manipulate, and analyze the survey data once it has been collected. Another favorite sociology course was Race Relations taught by Professor Michael Wenger. I took it at a pivotal time as the news of Trayvon Martin's death spread across the country, and we approached the fiftieth anniversary of the Civil Rights March on Washington. This discussion of race relations in our country is still necessary as we evaluate the intersections between our criminal justice system and poor communities of color. The education I received during both my undergraduate and graduate studies from GW's Sociology Department prepared me for the career path I navigate today.”
Reem Mahmood, BA-SOC ’95, writes:
“The privilege of having been taught by the likes of Dr. Joseph Tropea and the late Dr. William Chambliss was the highlight of my time at GW. Now, with over 15 years of experience as an educator and advisor in the United Arab Emirates, I often ask myself what I would major in should I be given the chance again. Sociology still comes out the winner. My exposure to how the program was taught at GW is often a topic of discussion among colleagues. The passion brought to the classroom by my professors, and the open-ended discussions saturated with cross-cultural perspectives, all made sociological theory and practice more than just the stuff of lectures—they were brought to life. I was taught that the field of sociology intersects with everything: it is a critical foundation, a way of thought and an intellectual head-start to building the right competencies for any career. In my current role as a scholarship program manager, I am grateful for how this once fledgling passion has flourished and helped build my career. I owe much of this success to my years as sociology major at GW.”
Class Notes
Phyllis Allen-Blake, BA-SOC ’56, was formerly a professional dancer with the National Ballet and Washington Ballet, and now directs the Twinbrook School of Ballet in Rockville, Md. Phyllis quips that she still finds new ways to apply the major to her work every day: “Dancing aside, sociology helps me deal with all the parents and children!”
Donald B. Ardell, BA-SOC ’63, has won national and world titles in triathlon and was named All-American in three multisport disciplines by USAT. He has been awarded two patents (along with classmate Ray Lupo, SEAS BS ’63, JD ’68) for a fast transition running shoe, and published a new book Wellness Orgasms: The Fun Way To Live Well and Die Healthy (with Grant Donovan, 2015). Don reports that he recently completed a lecture tour in Australia, “accompanied by my lovely wife Carol. All in all, it’s been a good year, despite advanced age!” Keep inspiring us, Don!
Sean Beaty, BA-CJ ’98, JD ’04, is a trial attorney with the Southern Criminal Enforcement Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division, which is responsible for prosecuting federal tax crimes throughout the Southern region of the United States.
Heather Conrad, BA-CJ ’05, earned her master’s degree in peace and conflict studies from Ulster University in Northern Ireland in 2010. She now works at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University. She is also co-president of Friends of the Red Cross, a young professionals group with Red Cross of Massachusetts, and volunteers as a mentor and English tutor for the School of Leadership Afghanistan.
Priya Dhanani, MA-SOC ’14, is director of prevention education for FAIR Girls, a D.C.-based nonprofit that works to eradicate child sex trafficking. Her work was recently highlighted by GW: “Alumna Shines Light on Dark Truths of Human Trafficking.”
Josh Douglas, BA-SOC (minor) ’02, is a law professor at the University of Kentucky College of Law, specializing in election law and voting rights. He has published a case book, several articles and has two more books in progress. He is also cited frequently in judicial opinions and the media, and the author of several op-eds.
Ceylan Engin, MA-SOC ’14, is pursuing her PhD in sociology with a focus in gender and demography at Texas A&M University. Her article "LGBT in Turkey: Policies and Experiences" was recently accepted for publication in the Journal of Social Sciences. She also received a Graduate Student Distinguished Paper Award from the Southwestern Social Science Association’s WGST section in 2015.
Carlene Fonseca, MA-CRIM ’13, is the dean of operations at Blackstone Valley Prep Middle School in Central Falls, R.I. Last year she ran for and was elected to the Central Falls City Council.
Charlie Galligan, BA-CJ ’90, has worked as a private investigator in Boston and Rhode Island since graduating from GW. Experienced in all types of investigations, he has spent the last 15 years focused on criminal defense—an area in which, Charlie asserts, there is “never a dull moment!”
Brittany Lee Garcia, BA-CJ ’13, has earned her master’s degree in international security from the University of Sydney in Australia. While studying, she interned for the U.S. Consulate in Sydney. She is currently working on a postgraduate diploma from the University of Oxford in diplomatic studies.
Samantha Granski, BA-CJ ’11, graduated with her master’s degree in social work with a focus in social policy and administration from Florida State University last May. She is currently living in Tallahassee, Fla.
David Greenlees, BA-CJ ’92, is the executive director of Trellis Arch, a global organization that ensures at-risk children have access to education in Haiti, Uganda, Nepal, India and the United States.
Clara Hanson, BA-SOC ’12, completed her master's degree in gastronomy at Boston University in May 2015, and this past fall she entered the PhD program in sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Katie Herman, BA-SOC ’06, writes that she is enjoying her work as an advertising professional and social media maven.
Jill Rabbino Hertzler, BA-CJ ’91, is living and working in Rockville, Md., as grants manager for the Jewish Social Service Agency. She procures funding for programs serving individuals throughout their lifespan, including children with special needs and Holocaust survivors living below the poverty line. Jill adds that she also has “two fantastic teen daughters who are beyond compare.”
Heather McKee Hurwitz, BA-SOC ’01, completed her PhD in sociology from the University of California Santa Barbara in June 2015. Her dissertation was titled "The 51%: Gender, Feminism, and Culture in the Occupy Wall Street Movement" and directed by Verta Taylor (Chair), Leila J. Rupp, Maria Charles, and Melvin Oliver. She completed interdisciplinary Doctoral Emphases in the Department of Feminist Studies and the Program in Global and International Studies, as well as the Certificate in College and University Teaching. She is currently a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Athena Center for Leadership Studies and the Department of Sociology at Barnard College in New York City.
Justin Jacobson, BA-SOC ’08, is currently an entertainment, sports, fashion and art attorney at The Jacobson Firm, P.C. in New York City. He has numerous high-profile clients from the creative and entertainment world and teaches music business classes at The Institute of Audio Research in NYC.
Jamila Jarmon, BA-CJ ’05, is an associate attorney at Porter McGuire Kiakona & Chow, LLP in Honolulu, Hawaii. She is a civil litigator in the areas of condominium and homeowner's association law, foreclosure, collections, construction litigation and bankruptcy. This fall, she began teaching business law at the University of Phoenix.
Michael Jones, BA-SOC ’91, is a police officer who recently celebrated his 25th year in law enforcement at the Delaware River Port Authority Police Department in Camden, N.J.
Kenneth Leon, MA-CRIM ’13, is a PhD student in American University’s Department of Justice, Law, and Criminology with a dual emphasis in sociolegal studies and criminology. He spent last summer in Colombia studying the country’s policing model. This research was funded by the Tinker Foundation and the American University Center for Latin American and Latino Studies.
Greggor Mattson, BA-SOC ’97, received tenure in the Department of Sociology at Oberlin College this past year, where he has taught since receiving his PhD from UC Berkeley. He also supports two interdisciplinary programs: Law & Society and Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Studies. His new book, The Cultural Politics of European Prostitution Reform: Governing Loose Women (Palgrave Macmillan, 2015), is a comparative policy analysis of 100 interviews with stakeholders in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Finland.
Marquita Melvin, BA-CJ ’99, earned a master’s degree in forensic psychology from Marymount University in 2003. She is in her thirteenth year at the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, and also serves as an adjunct professor at Marymount. She was honored with the 2015 Outstanding Alumni Award by Marymount’s Forensic and Legal Psychology Program (FLP), and was recently appointed to the FLP Board of Visitors.
Rafik Mohamed, BA-CJ ’92, was recently appointed dean of social and behavioral sciences at California State University, San Bernardino. He is the author of Dorm Room Dealers: Drugs and the Privileges of Race and Class (with Erik D. Fritsvold; Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2009).
Eric Nell, BA-CJ ’06, recently moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and is working at Maritz Travel. He assists Fortune 500 companies with the design and execution of their corporate events, meetings and incentive travel trips.
Rachealle Sanford, MA-CRIM ’14, has coauthored a paper with Professors Daniel Martínez and Ron Weitzer on the media's coverage of human trafficking. The article draws from Rachealle's MA thesis research and will be published in the Journal of Human Trafficking in May 2016.
Robin Sherman, BA-SOC ’73, is corporate director of editorial development for a large business-to-business magazine publisher and a freelance publication editor and designer in Savannah, Ga. He has designed, developed or improved more than 40 publications, and also serves on the volunteer task force for a developing community radio station.
Janet Shope, PhD-SOC ’90, is professor of sociology and associate provost for faculty affairs at Goucher College in Baltimore, Md. Her recent publications include Paid to Party—Working Time and Emotion in Direct Home Sales (with Jamie L. Mullaney; Rutgers University Press, 2012) and "Feeling the Hands of Time: Intersections of Time and Emotion” in Sociology Compass (with Jamie L. Mullaney; 9(10): 853-863, 2015).
Andrea Stewart, BA-SOC ’70, MA-GSEHD ’92, works in the field of organization redesign and volunteers for the Stephen Ministries counseling program in Queen of Apostles Parish of Alexandria, Va., as well as the Annandale Christian Community for Action service program.
Jack Susman, MA-SOC ’61, is a professorial lecturer in the Milken Institute School of Public Health at GW. He is currently helping his department develop a new course on the evolution of human physical activity and diet. He is also preparing a book on theories of aging for publication, and is a 4th degree black belt in Aikido—now that’s leading by example.
Maureen Taft-Morales, BA-SOC ’79, earned a master’s degree in Latin American studies from Georgetown University, and writes that the field of sociology has always informed her work. For over 20 years she has been a specialist in Latin American affairs for the Congressional Research Service at the Library of Congress. She was also a journalist for several years, writing articles and producing radio documentaries on social and international issues for The Washington Post, Latin American Newsletters and National Public Radio.
Chelsea Ullman, BA-SOC ’12, is working as a policy associate at GW’s Global Women's Institute. She received her master’s degree in public policy at GW in 2014 and is currently pursuing her PhD in public policy and public administration from GW with a focus in gender and social policy.
Sommerset Wong, BA-CJ (minor) ’11, graduated from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii in May 2014. She is a practicing attorney in Hawaii at Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert. In 2013, while still in law school, she and her partner won best brief in the Native American Moot Court Competition, which was published in Native American Law Review.