EDUCATION
Ph.D., Sociology. Northeastern University, June 2001
M.A., Sociology. Northeastern University, June 1997
B.A., Sociology. Colby College, May 1994
Latin American Language and Culture: Chile and Peru. School for International Training, Santiago, Chile, January–June 1993
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Director, Eckardt Scholars Program (Honors Program of the College of Arts & Sciences), Lehigh University, July 2011–present
Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Lehigh University, July 2006–June 2010
Associate Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Lehigh University, October 2007–present
Assistant Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Lehigh University, August 2001–June 2006
Research Associate, Assets and Educational Inequality Project, Northeastern University, August 2000–August 2001
Research Assistant, Assets and Educational Inequality Project, Northeastern University, July 1998–July 2000
Instructor of Sociology, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Northeastern University, September 1998–June 2000
Special Assistant to the President, Office of the President, Northeastern University, June 1997–June 1998
Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant, Department of Sociology and Anthropology Northeastern University, September 1995–May 1997
PUBLICATIONS
Books
- The American Dream and the Power of Wealth: Choosing Schools and Inheriting Inequality in the Land of Opportunity – Second Edition, Routledge.
- The American Dream and the Power of Wealth: Choosing Schools and Inheriting Inequality in the Land of Opportunity, Routledge.
Edited Volumes
- Children and Youth Speak for Themselves, Volume 13 (Guest Editor for Special Volume), Sociological Studies of Children and Youth, Emerald.
Chapters in Books
- “White Mama, Black Sons” in George Yancy, ed., Our Black Sons Matter: Mothers Talk about Fears, Sorrows, and Hopes, Rowman and Littlefield.
- “Schools: The Great Equalizer and the Key to the American Dream,” p. 271-285 in Jeanne Ballantine and Joan Spade, eds., Schools and Society: A Sociological Approach to Education, 3rd Edition, Pine Forge Press.
- “Family Assets and School Access: Race and Class in the Structuring of Educational Opportunity,” p. 112-127 in Michael Sherraden, ed., Inclusion in the American Dream: Assets, Poverty, and Public Policy, Oxford University Press (with Thomas M. Shapiro).
- “Race, Assets, and Choosing Schools: Current School Choices and the Future of Vouchers,” p. 244-262 in Amy Stuart Wells and Janice Petrovich, eds., Bringing Equity Back: Research for a New Era in American Educational Policy, Teachers College Press (with Thomas M. Shapiro).
- “Good Neighborhoods, Good Schools: Race and the ‘Good Choices’ of White Families,” p. 173-187 in Eduardo Bonilla-Silva and Woody Doane, eds., White Out: The Continuing Significance of Racism, Routledge (with Thomas M. Shapiro).
- “Violence in City Schools,” in Jack Levin, Sociological Snapshots: Seeing Social Structure and Change in Everyday Life, 3rd edition, Pine Forge Press (with Jack Levin).
Articles in Refereed Journals
- “From the Chicago School to the New Sociology of Children: The Sociology of Children and Childhood in the United States, 1920 – 1999,” p. 53-93 in Sandra L. Hofferth and Timothy J. Owens, eds., Advances in Life Course Research, vol. 6, Children at the Millenium: Where Have We Come From, Where Are We Going?, JAI Press.
- “Youth Violence and the Urban Public School Response,” Journal of Research in Education, volume 7, number 1 (with Jack Levin).
Other Scholarly Publications
- Book Review of “White By Law: The Legal Construction of Race,” by Ian F. Lopez, New York University Press, 1996, Bimonthly Review of Law Books, May-June.
- Urban Law and Public Policy Report: Youth Violence and the Urban Public School Response, Urban Law and Public Policy Institute, Northeastern University School of Law (with Jack Levin).
HONORS AND AWARDS
Stabler Award for Excellence in Teaching, Lehigh University, 2015. Awarded to a member of the faculty who comes closest to the following standards: a) Mastery of his or her field and superior ability in communicating it to others; b) An exceptional talent for encouraging students to want to understand alternatives and to make choices; c) Knows how to extract from students the full measure of their potential to learn; d) Guides their thoughts in a spirit of free inquiry and learns from them as he or she teaches; e) Never rests from being a teacher and is so infectious in his or her manner that the students scarcely know how deeply he or she is teaching; f) Impresses on his or her students that they have only begun to learn while at Lehigh and that their real quest for knowledge and application of what they are taught will come after graduation; g) Ultimate goal is not only to lead his or her students to excellence in their chosen field, but also to excellence as human beings and as leaders of society. Only current undergraduate students are permitted to submit nominations for this award each year.
Dean’s Faculty Award for Excellence in Service, Lehigh University, 2014 (Inaugural Year Award Winner). Presented once every three years “to recognize the extraordinary accomplishments of faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences at Lehigh University.”
Deming Lewis Award, Lehigh University, 2013, presented annually “to one faculty member at Lehigh University. The award honors a faculty member selected by the 10-year class as having most significantly influenced its members’ educational experience. This award was created in 1982 in honor of Deming Lewis’ outstanding service during his tenure as Lehigh’s tenth president.”
Producer of the Year Award, Office of Multicultural Affairs, Lehigh University, 2012, presented annually “to a faculty or staff member committed to improving the Lehigh experience for students of color; actively involved with incorporating multicultural elements into their academic curriculum or into their work environment; and advancing and enhancing the multicultural environment at Lehigh University.”
Honorable Mention, Outstanding Book Award, from the Society for Humanist Sociology, 2007, for The American Dream and the Power of Wealth.
Frank R. Hook Assistant Professorship, Lehigh University, 2003-2005, endowed chair “awarded to Lehigh’s most outstanding junior scholar teachers who also foster personal interaction and mentoring relationships with students.”
Alfred Noble Robinson Award, Lehigh University, 2003, for “outstanding performance and unusual promise of professional achievement.”
2001 Rose Professor, Alpha Omicron Pi, Lehigh University, 2001, for “dedication, enthusiasm, and impact in teaching subject.”
Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, inducted May 2001
Albion Small Prize in Sociology, Colby College, 1994, for “best Sociology student.”
RESEARCH FUNDING
Faculty Research Grant, Lehigh University, 2003 ($2,500)
Travel Grant, President and Provost’s Faculty Development Fund, 2002 ($2,000)
Faculty Research Grant, Lehigh University, 2002 ($1,900)
Paul J. Franz/Class of 1968 Junior Faculty Research Fellowship, Lehigh University, 2002 ($4,000)
SELECTED EXAMPLES OF SCHOLARLY PRESENTATIONS
Invited Presentations
December 9, 2015. “Faculty-Student Engagement and Integrated Living-Learning: Reflections on 3+ Years of Living on Campus as Lehigh’s First Residential Fellow.” Student Affairs Assessment Symposium, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA.
April 23, 2015. “Engaging Students in a Large Lecture Course Through Reflection and Writing.” Symposium on Teaching and Learning, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA.
March 11, 2015. “Talking with Children about Social Class Inequality in an Elite Independent School.” (invited lecture, to school community) Meadowbrook School, Weston, MA.
October 29, 2014. “Creative Curiosities.” Presentation for Student Affairs Staff, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA.
September 23, 2014. “The American Dream: Myth or Reality.” Lehigh University Asa Packer Society Lecture, Chicago, IL.
January 29, 2014. “Race and Courageous Conversations.” Presentation for Inclusive Leadership Program, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA.
October 18, 2013. “Social Class Inequality, Children’s Perspectives, and Bridging the Divides in Elite Independent Schools.” (invited lecture, to Board of Trustees) The Gordon School, Providence, RI.
October 18, 2013. “Social Class and Social Justice in the Classroom and on the Campus: Navigating Inequality in Elite Independent Schools.” (invited lecture, to faculty and staff) The Gordon School, Providence, RI.
May 30, 2013. “Peace, Justice, and Equity in Education and Beyond.” The Swain School, Allentown, PA.
March 27, 2013. “Navigating Social Class and Social Class Inequality in an Elite Independent School.” Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA.
March 22, 2013. Invited Presider & Moderator: “Balancing Work and Family.” Paper Session. Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Boston, MA.
January 17, 2013. “Race and Class, Families and Schools: The Continuing Conundrum.” Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
November 3, 2012. “The Role of Education in Inequality in America: The Power of Wealth.” Massachusetts Humanities Council’s Ninth Annual Fall Symposium, “Mind the Gap: Economic Inequality and Our Democracy,” Boston College, Boston, MA.
January 12, 2012. “Kids’ Views on Social Class and Inequality.” Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA.
August 20, 2011. “Ethical Challenges in Health and Education Research on Children.” Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Las Vegas, NV.
February 25, 2012. “Stories of Privileged Lives: New Research on the Sociology of Privilege.” Invited Session Organizer, Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, New York, NY.
September 30, 2010. “Engaging Students: How Do Effective Faculty Engage and Inspire Students?” Teacher Development Program, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA.
August 15, 2010. Invited Session Organizer and Discussant: Children/Youth/Adolescents. Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Atlanta, GA.
March 3, 2010. “A Persistent Paradox: The American Dream and the Power of Wealth.” Princeton University, Princeton, NJ.
September 24, 2009. “Race and Class in American Private Schooling: Breaking Codes of Silence.” River Valley Waldorf School, Upper Black Eddy, PA.
April 10, 2008. “The American Dream and the Power of Wealth: Lessons from the Book.” Lehigh Carbon Community College, Schnecksville, PA.
March 11, 2008. “Class Talks: Talking with Children about Social Class and Social Inequality.” The Philadelphia School, Philadelphia, PA.
August 14, 2007. Invited Critic: “Author Meets Critics: Blue-Chip Black: Race, Class, and Status in the New Black Middle Class by Karyn Lacy, 2007, University of California Press.” Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, New York, NY
March 17, 2007. Invited Author: “Author Meets Critics: The American Dream and the Power of Wealth by Heather Beth Johnson, 2006, Routledge.” Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Philadelphia, PA.
March 2, 2007. “Crossing Social Class Boundaries: The American Dream and the Power of Wealth by Heather Beth Johnson.” Third Seminar in Four-Part-Series: “Crossing Boundaries,” sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Collaborative Research and Practice in Teacher Education. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
February 8, 2007. “The Sociology of Race and Ethnicity in The American Dream and the Power of Wealth by Heather Beth Johnson.” Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA.
August 14, 2004. Invited Discussant, “Youth as Agents,” Panel of the Sociology of Children and Youth Section, Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, San Francisco, CA.
July 10, 2004. “Foothold Steps to Advantage: White Families, Good Schools, and the Use of Wealth,” Invited Presentation, Race and Ethnicity Network Sessions, Annual Meeting of the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics, Washington, DC.
June 28, 2003. “Wealth and the American Dream in Black and White: Race, Class, and Ideology in the U.S.A.,” Annual Meeting of the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics, Aix-en-Provence, France.
June 29, 2001. “Choosing Whiteness: Structuring a Social Construction in Communities and Schools,” Annual Meeting of the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (with Thomas Shapiro).
June 11, 2001. “Race, Assets, and Choosing Schools: Current School Choices and the Future of Vouchers,” The Ford Foundation Constituency Building for Public School Reform Initiative, The Ford Foundation, New York, NY (with Thomas Shapiro).
September 21, 2000. “Assets, Race, and Educational Choices,” Inclusion in Asset Building: Research and Policy Symposium, Center for Social Development, Washington University, St. Louis, MO (with Thomas Shapiro).
August 16, 2000. “Assets Matter: Meritocracy and Inheritance,” Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Washington, DC (with Thomas Shapiro).
August 12, 2000. “Good Neighborhoods, Good Schools: ‘Good’ Choices and Race in the Minds of Whites,” Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Washington, DC (with Thomas Shapiro).
May 16, 1994. “Racism as Subtext: The Contemporary School Desegregation Controversy,” Annual meeting of the Maine Branch of the National Association of Business Women, Waterville, ME.
Refereed Presentations
August 20, 2016. “Bridging Focus: Fostering Cooperation Between Social Workers and Parents to Support Wrap-Around Services.” Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Seattle, WA (with Kristen Elizabeth Schmidt).
March 17, 2016. “Mentoring First-Generation College Students in Elite Universities: Pedagogical Practices for Transitions and Social Mobility.” Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Boston, MA (with Brittany Nicole Ridge).
March 17, 2016. “Breaking the Poverty Web: Multitudes of All-Encompassing Approaches Versus a Whole Child Approach in Combating Effects of Poverty on Educational Attainment.” Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Boston, MA (with Kristen Elizabeth Schmidt).
February 26, 2015. “Hip Hop and Basketball: Sociology at the Intersection.” Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, New York, NY (with Min Jun Kim).
March 22, 2013. “’The Good Life’: Early Findings from New Research on Wealth and Social Class Privilege.” Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Boston, MA (with Nicole Nugent).
March 24, 2011. “Perceptions of Privilege in a Post-Obama America.” Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Philadelphia, PA (with Dan Larson).
March 21, 2010. “Children’s Perceptions of Race: A Study of Ojibwa Indian and White Students in Racially Segregated Schools.” Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Boston, MA (with Kristin Musbach).
February 23, 2008. “Race and Class Inequalities: Young Children’s Perspectives.” Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, New York, NY (with Xochitl Mota).
August 13, 2006. “Kids’ Talk About Class Divides: Privileged Children’s Perspectives on Social Class Inequality.” Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Montreal, Canada (with Margaret Hagerman).
August 16, 2005. “Beliefs about Social Class Inequality: Affluent Children’s Perspectives.” Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Philadelphia, PA (with Margaret Hagerman).
August 19, 2003. “American Dreams and Disparities: Exploring Children’s Opportunities and the Wealth Gap.” Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Atlanta, GA.
March 2, 2003. “Children’s Lives and American Dreams: Race and Wealth Inequalities in ‘The Land of Opportunity,’” Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Philadelphia, PA.
August 19, 2002. “Race, Class, American Dreams: Buying Into Ideologies and Inheriting Inequalities,” Program Committee Sponsored Session: Racial Attitudes and Beliefs in America, Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Chicago, IL.
March 8, 2002. “Ideological Beliefs and Inherited Advantages: How Do White Parents Make Sense of Meritocracy and Wealth Inequality?,” Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Boston, MA.
August 19, 2001. “High Hopes, Good Schools, and Money Matters: The Role of Wealth in Structuring Unequal Opportunities for Black and White Children,” Section on Children and Youth Paper Session, Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Anaheim, CA.
March 1, 2001. “’Good’ Schools and Money Matters: The Pivotal Role of Wealth in Structuring Schooling Options for Black and White Families,” Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Philadelphia, PA.
March 3, 2000. “Kids’ Drawings: Using Children’s Artwork in Sociological Research,” Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Baltimore, MD.
April 17, 1999. “Studying Kids: Qualitative Methodologies for Child-Centered Research,” Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Albuquerque, NM.
March 7, 1999. “From The Chicago School to The New Sociology of Children: The Sociology of Children and Childhood in the United States,” Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Boston, MA.
March 20, 1998. “Figuring It Out: Children as Meaning Makers,” Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Philadelphia, PA.
June 27, 1997. “Peer Mediation, Conflict Prevention and School Culture,” Third International Conference of the Ethnic Studies Network, Derry, Northern Ireland (with Ron McAllister and Jack Levin).
TEACHING (courses taught)
- Race and Ethnicity
- Race and Class in America
- Sociology of Education
- Sociology of Children and Childhood
- Introduction to Sociology and Social Psychology
- Social Theory
- Social Theory (graduate seminar)
- Urban Education, Inequality, and Public Policy (graduate seminar)
SELECTED EXAMPLES OF SERVICE
Chair, Award Committee for Distinguished Early Career Award for the Section on Children and Youth for the American Sociological Association, Appointed, 1 year term, 2014-2015, re-appointed 1 year term, 2015-present.
Chair, Working Group on Special Interest and Affinity Housing, CORE (Commission on the Residential Experience), Lehigh University, Appointed, 1 year term, 2014-2015.
Director, Eckardt Scholars Program, Lehigh University. Appointed, 3 year term, 2011-2014. Re-appointed for a second 3 year term, 2014-present.
Member, Internal Grants and Funding Review Committee, Lehigh University. Appointed by Provost’s Office, 3 year term, 2013-present.
Council Member, American Sociological Association, Section of the Sociology of Children and Youth. Elected (national vote), 3 year term, 2013-2016.
Faculty Family in Residence, Lehigh University. first faculty member to participate in the Residential Fellows Program at Lehigh University, 2012-present.
Regular Sessions Organizer for the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Sessions on Children/Youth/Adolescents, 2009-2010.
Committee Member, Distinguished Contribution Award Committee, Section on Children and Youth, American Sociological Association, 2009-2010.
Committee Member, Candace Rogers Most Outstanding Graduate Student Paper Award Committee, Eastern Sociological Society, 2007-2008.
Chair, Scholarly Publication Award Committee, Section on Children and Youth, American Sociological Association, 2006-2007.
Council Member (nationally elected, 3-year term), Section on Children and Youth of the American Sociological Association, 2004-2007.
Committee Member, South Bethlehem Development Study Group (university president appointed), Lehigh University, 2007-2008.
College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Representative (college elected, 3-year term), Committee on Discipline, Lehigh University, 2006-2009.
College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Representative (college elected, 3-year term), Committee on Student Appraisal of Instruction and Courses, Lehigh University 2004-2007.
Faculty Athletics Council (university president appointed, 3-year term), Lehigh University, 2002-2005.
Faculty Member, University Programs, Lehigh University, 2001-present — Multicultural Affairs Initiatives; Diversity and Academic Curriculum Initiatives; Minority Student Recruitment, Admission, and Retention Initiatives; Alumni Students of Color Initiatives; Study Abroad in South Africa Program; Black Student Union; Safe Space; GLBT Ally Programs; Women’s Center and Sexual Violence Prevention Initiatives.
Regularly Reviewing Manuscripts and Proposals for (amongst others) Oxford University Press; Harvard University Press; NYU Press; Temple University Press; American Sociological Review; Sociological Forum; Social Service Review; Sociological Studies of Children and Youth; Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis; National Science Foundation. 2001-present.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
National Collegiate Honors Council, 2014-present
Sociologists for Women in Society, 2005–present
Society for Advancement in Socio-Economics, 2000–present
Society for Research in Child Development, 1998–present
American Sociological Association, 1997–present
Eastern Sociological Society, 1996–present
Heather Johnson 