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Richard Wood

  • Professor
  • Director of the Southwest Institute on Religion, Culture, and Society
  • Interim Senior Vice Provost for the Academic Mission
  • Sociology

Department Website

Photo: Richard Wood

Professor Richard Wood received an appointment in the Department of Sociology at The University of New Mexico in 1996. In addition to his work within the department, Wood is the founding director of the UNM Southwest Institute on Religion, Culture and Society and serves as co-editor of Cambridge University Press' book series Cambridge Studies in Social Theory, Religion, and Politics. His recent book, A Shared Future: Faith-Based Organizing for Racial Equity and Ethical Democracy (University of Chicago, 2015), analyzes contemporary organizing for racial equity in the United States, particularly within organizations that include white, African-American, Latino, and other diverse participants building shared commitment to racial equality. His research explores religion, social movements, and global/transnational sociology, with a geographic emphasis in areas of Central America, namely Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.


Education

  • PhD in Sociology, University of California at Berkeley (1995)
  • MA in Theology, Graduate Theological Union (1989)
  • BA in Chemistry, University of California at Davis (1982)

Research Areas

  • Religion
  • Political mobilization

Country Specialization(s)

  • Guatemala
  • El Salvador
  • Honduras

Latin American Studies Courses

  • LTAM 510 Pro-Seminar in Latin American Studies

*Latin America-related courses offered during the past three years*