Department of Society, Culture, Crime, and Justice Studies

Sociology of Gender, Socialization, Sociology of Religion, and Popular Culture.

Currently my research interests include the sociology of popular music and gender. My recent publications on popular music performers include analyses of drug use among musicians (Deviant Behavior), performers' ideologies (Qualitative Sociology), female rock 'n' roll performers (Gender & Society), the culture of bluegrass musicians, and nonverbal dimensions of music performance (both in Popular Music & Society). My work in the sociology of gender has resulted in a number of publications on various aspects of interaction between doctors and both female and male patients (Language in Society, Sociology of Health and Illness, and Sociological Focus). I am currently writing an article that examines the structure and strength of sexual scripts among male and female college students. I also have published a theoretical article on sociology and literature (Sociological Inquiry) and a practical piece on using films to teach the sociology of popular music (Teaching Sociology).

In addition to teaching our required graduate courses in Sociological Theory and Qualitative Research Methods, I have enjoyed working closely with many of our MA students on thesis projects covering a wide range of sociological topics. Some of the more memorable in recent years include Stigma and the Negotiation of Identity by Rural and Small-Town Lesbians (Margaret Cooper), Patriots and Scuds: A Content Analysis of Letters to the Editor in The Tennessean and The Washington Post (Donna Dorris), Face Saving at the Singles Bar: Effects of Women's Perceptions of Men and Their Performances on Women's Methods of Rejection (Rob McCracken), The Importance of the Concept of Conscience-Collective in Emile Durkheim's Thought: A Theoretical and Historical Analysis (James Ridenour-Jones), African-Americans in Television Advertisements: A Content Analysis (Amy Anderson), and Marital and Personal Life-Satisfaction among Married Female Graduate Students: A Qualitative Analysis of Value Conflicts (Alecia Gall).

PhD, University of Tennessee at Knoxville - 1986.