Sociology Faculty

Ryan Ceresola, Assistant Professor of Sociology
Ph.D., Southern Illinois University - Carbondale
ceresolar@hartwick.edu
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Areas of expertise: criminology, criminal justice, political sociology, rural sociology, civic engagement
Ryan Ceresola earned his Ph.D. at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, with a dissertation on the effects of US political corruption on voter turnout and citizen trust. His other research interests include criminology and criminal justice, civic engagement,environmental policies, and rural communities. His work has appeared in Sociological Perspectives, Rural Sociology, and Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations. He has an MA in Sociology from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a BA in Sociology and in English from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA. He teaches courses in the field of criminology and criminal justice as wellas quantitative methods.
Dr. Ceresola's Website »
Elena Chernyak, Assistant Professor of Sociology
Ph.D., University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada
chernyake@hartwick.edu
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Areas of expertise: sociology, social work, women’s studies, gender-based violence and inequality, social theories, feminist theories, social psychology, family studies, Soviet/post-Soviet societies.
Elena Chernyak earned her Ph.D. at the University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. She holds her MA degree in Journalism from Saint-Petersburg State University (St-Petersburg, Russia), Master of Religious Education from Assumption University (Canada), and Master of Social Work from the University of Windsor (Canada). In her doctoral dissertation, Elena examined risk factors for intimate partner violence in post-Soviet societies. Elena’s research interests encompass gender (i.e. gender ideology, politics, gender discourses and social institutes), gender-based violence, international marriage and relationships, and cultural and religious influence on behavior and identity. Her individual and collaborative studies have been published in peer-reviewed journals and disseminated through a number of scholar conferences. Elena has over 10-years of teaching and research experience. She is a licensed Master Social Work and registered…
Laurel Elder, Professor of Political Science, Department Co-chair of Sociology & Coordinator of Legal Studies
Ph.D., The Ohio State University
elderl@hartwick.edu
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Areas of expertise: American politics with a particular focus on public opinion and voting, political parties and elections, and the politics of race, ethnicity, and gender.
Dr. Elder's CV »
Reid Golden, Professor of Sociology
Ph.D., State University of New York at Albany
goldenr@hartwick.edu
Areas of expertise: medical sociology, health policy, gerontology, demography, critical incident management, criminology, educational assessment, social history of the Catskills, Irish culture and society.
Reid Golden received his Ph.D. in Medical Sociology from the University at Albany.  His early research focused on social and racial inequalities and their impact on social problems such as violent crime and racial disparities in health. He has written on a number of IT related issues both pedagogical and otherwise. He has been a team evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education for many years. He currently is researching the impact of post-colonialism on the recent Ebola epidemic in west Africa. 
Amy Forster Rothbart, Associate Professor and Department Chair of Political Science & Department Co-chair of Sociology
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison
forsterrotha@hartwick.edu
Areas of expertise: Comparative politics and international relations, Russian, East European and Central Asian studies, international environmental policy.
Barbara Smith, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
Ph.D. Candidate; Texas State University – San Marcos
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Areas of expertise: criminology, criminal justice
Barbara Smith will receive her Ph.D. at Texas State University – San Marcos, with a dissertation on the influence of drugs and alcohol on the rationality of situational offender decision-making. Her other research interests include offender decision-making, mixed-method research, program evaluation, crime analysis, race/ethnicity and crime, and correctional interventions for offenders with substance abuse problems. Her work has appeared in Journal Cogent Social Sciences and Encyclopedia of white-collar and corporate crime. She has an MS in Criminal Justice from Texas State University and a BA in Criminal Justice from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX. She teaches courses in the field of criminal justice. 
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