Faculty Profile

Dorceta E. Taylor, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
dorceta.jpg
Office:
2576 Dana
Phone:
734-763-5327
Other Office:
4745 Haven Hall
Other Phone:
734-763-5517
E-mail:
dorceta@umich.edu
Links:
Curriculum Vitae [PDF]
Educational Background:

Ph.D. Environmental Sociology, 1991, Yale University

M.A. Environmental Sociology, 1988, Yale University

M. Phil. Sociology, 1988, Yale University

M.F.S. Social Ecology, 1985, Yale University

Research interests include social movements; environmental justice; leisure and natural resource use; poverty and urban issues; and race, gender and ethnic relations. Recent researh activities have included a study of racial differences in students' attitudes and perception of the environment, as well as an examination of minority environmental activism in the U.S.

Research Interests:

  • Social movements
  • Environmental justice
  • Leisure and natural-resource use
  • Poverty and urban issues
  • Environmental history and ideology
  • Social inequality
  • International development issues

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    Current/Recent Research:

  • Currently studying mainstream and environmental justice groups in the U.S.
  • Currently studying mainstream and environmental justice groups in Britain.
  • Interested in gender and leadership issues in environmental groups in the U.S. and Britain.
  • Examining environmental ideology, activism and experiences in 19th and 20th century America.
  • I examine the role of race, class and gender in influencing environmental attitudes, perceptions, ideology, and activism.
  • I am interested in social movements, particularly how minority communities in the U.S. and Britain organize around environmental issues.
  • Currently studying the media and the framing of environmental justice issues.

    • Projects and Initiatives

    I am the Program Director for the Minority Environmental Leadership Development Initiative (MELDI) a new project in SNRE. MELDI is aimed at enhancing career development skills and leadership opprtunities for students of color and minority professionals in the environmental field. For more information visit the MELDI website at http://www.sitemaker.umich.edu/meldi or http://www.umich.edu/~meldi.

     

    Teaching Interests:

    I believe that each person has the capacity to learn and get excited about environmental issues. I think a thorough understanding of the past informs present thinking and actions. I believe that teaching that is built on a foundation of solid knowledge, rigor and freedom to push the boundaries and think beyond the ordinary produce the mosti exciting results. To this end, I employ a variety of proven traditional techniques in my teaching. However, I complement this with cutting-edge approaches to help students to become well grounded in the discipline but still be able to think creatively about issues.

    Current/Recent Teaching:

  • NRE335/CAAS322: Environmental Politics: Race, Class and Gender
  • NRE336/CAAS332: Environmental Inequality
  • CAAS 495: Gender, Development and Inequality
  • NRE/CAAS 477: Women and Environment
  • NRE 482: Environmental Justice: Theoretical Approaches
  • NRE396/596: History of Environmental Thought and Activism

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    Selected Publications:

  • Taylor, D.E. (2003)