I have extensive experience teaching in both research university and liberal arts settings and have received the Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor award from the University of California, Berkeley. My primary teaching interests are in culture, research design, social theory, race, gender, arts, work, and organizations.
My interest in addressing inequality in organizations is reflected in my teaching both substantively and pedagogically. In my classes I create classroom spaces where students feel safe to explore and develop skills that are relevant to their own lives, interests, and career paths. I help students develop a critical tool kit for understanding and questioning the world around them, often connecting course material to current events and accessible, nonacademic sources, especially television and other media. I focus my course assignments and student assessment around the development of critical writing, clear argumentation, and research skills, so students learn not just the substantive content of the course but also develop pertinent career skills and a sense of ownership over the practice of sociology.
A sample of student evaluations:
“I believe this class enhanced my academic experience in all other courses. The entire process of completing a proposal, a research paper, and a presentation gave me a set of skills that I believe will be easily transferred to other courses in the future. This class made me feel heard and welcomed in ways I have not felt before, and I am truly grateful for that…I learned a lot about how I write and think. This is the kind of class liberal arts colleges like to brag about, and I am thankful for having taken it. I personally thought it was amazing that students were able to draw personal connections between the theory, research, and their personal lives. If anything, I gained confidence in my own skills and experiences.”
“I never thought I would have the skills or confidence to write a research paper, but with Professor Gualtieri, it felt doable, and now I want to pursue research in other parts of the university!”
Sample Syllabi
Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
Race Nation and American Food Culture
Teaching Documents
How to Write a Research Paper (Undergrads)
Gillian D Gualtieri 