Brent Harger
I joined the graduate program at IU after graduating from Central Michigan University with a double major in English and Sociology. At IU I have taken advantage of the available teaching opportunities in classes ranging from six to 70 students in the Department of Sociology (Intro to Sociology, Society and the Individual, Research Methods), the Liberal Arts and Management Program (Analytical Problem Solving), and at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (Intro to Sociology and Childhood and Adolescence). While I have a wide variety of teaching interests, my courses share a focus on learning through applying concepts and skills to real-world problems and situations, such as discussing the experiences of Malcolm X and working with the United Way to statistically assess the needs of the local nonprofit community. Through these applications my students become sociologists in practice and are better able to use these concepts and skills to understand their own social worlds.
Like my teaching, my research examines a variety of topics, including sarcasm, gossip, and the portrayal of professors in popular films. Despite this variety, my research shares a focus on acts of definition and interpretation. I continue this theme in my dissertation where I examine how elementary students, teachers, and staff members define and interpret bullying through a combination of participant observation and in-depth interviews. I am currently on the job market and hope to find a home in a department where teaching is valued and I will be able to involve undergraduates in my research projects and aid them in their own research.
Aside from teaching and research I enjoy jogging, playing basketball, and non-academic reading.
