Information Inequality expert Joins Sociology Dept.
King seeks to engage students on social problems, inequality, and the American Dream
By Ally O'Connor '20
Joining the Santa Clara University Sociology Department, Molly King began her new role as an Assistant Professor this quarter. Since receiving her B.A. in Biology from Reed College, King went on to earn both her M.A and Ph.D. in Sociology from Stanford University.
After meeting and speaking with Enrique Pumar, chair of the Sociology department, at the American Sociological Association’s annual conference, King shares that she “could tell from our conversation that Santa Clara was the kind of university that I wanted to be a part of.”
This year, King will teach courses on Qualitative Methods, Social Problems, Inequality, and the American Dream. In addition to teaching, her scholarship will focus on “inequalities in information and knowledge and the implications of these inequalities for people's lives.” In her research, King describes that she primarily uses statistical methods to study the sociology of knowledge, information, inequality, gender, and science, which she plans to implement and share in future courses on statistical methods, gender, and the sociology of science.
“The University's dedication to social justice and community engagement aligns with my values and scholarly commitments,” she says. “I was drawn here by the community's commitment to build a more just, humane, and sustainable world; the fact that the institution values engagement with these principles is extraordinary.”