Heather Beth Johnson

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

Assistant Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Lehigh University, August 2001–present

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

Johnson, Heather Beth. Forthcoming, May 2006. The American Dream and the Power of Wealth: Choosing Schools and Inheriting Inequality in the Land of Opportunity, Routledge.

Shapiro, Thomas M. and Heather Beth Johnson. 2005. “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.

Shapiro, Thomas M. and Heather Beth Johnson. 2005. “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.

Johnson, Heather Beth and Thomas M. Shapiro. 2003. “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.

Johnson, Heather Beth. 2001. “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.

Johnson, Heather Beth. 2001. The Ideology of Meritocracy and the Power of Wealth: School Selection and the Reproduction of Race and Class Inequality, Doctoral Dissertation, Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms.

Levin, Jack and Heather Beth Johnson. 1999. “Violence in City Schools,” in Jack Levin, Sociological Snapshots: Seeing Social Structure and Change in Everyday Life, 3rd edition, Pine Forge Press.

Levin, Jack and Heather Beth Johnson. 1997. "Youth Violence and the Urban Public School Response," Journal of Research in Education, volume 7, number 1.

Johnson, Heather Beth. 1997. 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.

Levin, Jack and Heather Beth Johnson. 1996. 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.


PAPERS PRESENTED AT CONFERENCES

Johnson, Heather Beth and Margaret Hagerman. August 16, 2005. “Beliefs about Social Class Inequality: Affluent Children’s Perspectives.” Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Philadelphia, PA.

Johnson, Heather Beth.  August 14, 2004. “Youth as Agents,” Invited Discussant, Sociology of Children and Youth, Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, San Francisco, CA.

Johnson, Heather Beth.  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, D.C.

Johnson, Heather Beth. August 19, 2003. “American Dreams and Disparities: Exploring Children’s Opportunities and the Wealth Gap.” Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Atlanta, GA.

Johnson, Heather Beth. June 28, 2003.  “Wealth and the American Dream in Black and White: Race, Class, and Ideology in the U.S.A.,” Invited Presentation, Race and Ethnicity Network Sessions, Annual Meeting of the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics, Aix-en-Provence, France.

Johnson, Heather Beth. 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.

Johnson, Heather Beth. 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.

Johnson, Heather Beth. 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.

Johnson, Heather Beth. 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.

Shapiro, Thomas M. and Heather Beth Johnson. June 29, 2001. “Choosing Whiteness: Structuring a Social Construction in Communities and Schools,” Invited Presentation, Annual Meeting of the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Shapiro, Thomas M. and Heather Beth Johnson. June 11, 2001. “Race, Assets, and Choosing Schools: Current School Choices and the Future of Vouchers,” Invited Presentation, The Ford Foundation Constituency Building for Public School Reform Initiative, The Ford Foundation, New York, NY.

Johnson, Heather Beth. 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.

Shapiro, Thomas M. and Heather Beth Johnson. September 21, 2000. “Assets, Race, and Educational Choices,” Invited Presentation, Inclusion in Asset Building: Research and Policy Symposium, Center for Social Development, Washington University, St. Louis, MO.

Shapiro, Thomas M. and Heather Beth Johnson. August 16, 2000. “Assets Matter: Meritocracy and Inheritance,” Invited Presentation, Thematic Session, Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Washington, DC.

Johnson, Heather Beth and Thomas M. Shapiro. August 12, 2000. “Good Neighborhoods, Good Schools: ‘Good’ Choices and Race in the Minds of Whites,” Invited Presentation, Special Session, Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Washington, DC.

Johnson, Heather Beth. March 3, 2000. “Kids’ Drawings: Using Children’s Artwork in Sociological Research,” Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Baltimore, MD.

Johnson, Heather Beth. April 17, 1999. “Studying Kids: Qualitative Methodologies for Child-Centered Research,” Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Albuquerque, NM.

Johnson, Heather Beth. 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.

Johnson, Heather Beth. March 20, 1998. "Figuring It Out: Children as Meaning Makers," Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Philadelphia, PA.

McAllister, Ron, and Heather Beth Johnson and Jack Levin. June 27, 1997. "Peer Mediation, Conflict Prevention and School Culture," Third International Conference of the Ethnic Studies Network, Derry, Northern Ireland.

Johnson, Heather Beth. 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.


HONORS, AWARDS, AND RESEARCH FUNDING

Frank R. Hook Assistant Professorship, endowed chair “awarded to Lehigh’s most outstanding junior scholar teachers who also foster personal interaction and mentoring relationships with students,” Lehigh University, 2003

Faculty Research Grant, Lehigh University, 2003 ($2,500)

Alfred Noble Robinson Award, for “outstanding performance and unusual promise of professional achievement,” Lehigh University, 2003

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)

2001 Rose Professor, for “dedication, enthusiasm, and impact in teaching subject,” Alpha Omicron Pi, Lehigh University, 2001

Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, inducted May 2001

Graduate Research and Teaching Assistantships, Northeastern University, 1995–2001

Honors Program, American Sociological Association, 1997

Albion Small Prize in Sociology, Colby College, 1994


PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

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


SERVICE

Council Member, Section on Children and Youth of the American Sociological Association, 2004-present.

Member, Faculty Athletics Council. Lehigh University, 2002-present.

Member, Africana Studies Consortium. Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges, 2002-present.

Faculty Member, Academic Interdisciplinary Programs: Africana Studies, American Studies, Women’s Studies. Lehigh University, 2001-present.

Faculty Member/Associate/Participant, University Initiatives and Programs: Multicultural Affairs, Diversity and Academic Curriculum Initiative, Alumni Students of Color Initiative, Minority Student Recruitment and Retention Initiative, Summer Excel Program for Successful Transitions of Incoming Multicultural Students, Study Abroad in South Africa Program, Feminist Theory Reading Group, Women’s Studies Faculty Research Forum, Safe Space: Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Ally Program. Lehigh University, 2001-present.

Member, Search Committee, Department of Sociology & Anthropology. Lehigh University, 2001-2002, 2002-2003.

Social Sciences Faculty Representative, College of Education Teacher Certification, Lehigh University, 2002-2003.


COURSES TAUGHT

Race and Ethnicity; Race and Class in America; Sociology of Education; Development of Social Theory; Applied Social Theory; Urban Education, Inequality, and Public Policy; Introduction to Sociology and Social Psychology.


AREAS OF RESEARCH & TEACHING SPECIALIZATION

Social Stratification/Mobility           
Race and Class Inequality
Wealth and Poverty
Sociology of Children and Childhood
Ideology and Social Reproduction          
Qualitative Methodology