I teach in the areas of social stratification and inequality, work, urban sociology, and research methods. In each of my courses I seek to develop students’ research skills and advance engaged citizenship.
My courses on eviction incorporate experiential learning opportunities – including volunteering for an eviction legal helpline and participating in community outreach for eviction record expungement – to help students build applied skills and draw connections between academic research and real-world issues. I was supported by the Sharpe Community Scholars Program at William & Mary in the development of these courses.
I regularly oversee student research on the Virginia eviction crisis, following a community-responsive model in which students are trained to collect and analyze data that supports the work of community partners. Most recently this has meant training students to observe eviction court hearings and record adherence to procedural justice across civil court jurisdictions. The project seeks to understand how the social organization of the court shapes eviction in Virginia.
Click on the following links to learn more about this student research.
“Richmond tenants face eviction unprepared, unrepresented study finds” (ABC 8 News, December 2022)
“Observing Virginia’s eviction courts in summer 2022: The importance of legal representation and judicial approach” (RVA Eviction Lab, November 2022)
“Our summer in eviction court” (RVA Eviction Lab, October 2021)