JESSE M. SMITH Curriculum Vitae Department of Sociology Western Michigan University
1903 W Michigan Ave 3311 Sangren Hall, 5257
Kalamazoo MI 49008 Phone (269) 387-5270 Fax (269) 387-2882
Contact Email: [email protected] Academic Positions
2013 – present. Assistant Professor of Sociology, Western Michigan University Education
2013 - Ph.D. Sociology, University of Colorado at Boulder 2009 - M.A. Sociology, University of Colorado at Boulder 2005 - B.S. Behavioral Science, Utah Valley University Professional Interests
Social Psychology; Sociology of Religion and Irreligion; Self and Identity; Social Theory; Crime and Deviant Behavior; Social Movements/Collective Action; Qualitative/Ethnographic Methods and Interpretive Sociology
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles:
Zimmerman, Kevin J., Smith, Jesse M., Simonson, Kevin, and Benjamin W. Myers. 2015. (forthcoming). “Familial Relationship Outcomes of Coming out as an Atheist.” Secularism and Nonreligion.
Smith, Jesse. M. 2013. “Conceptualizing Atheist Identity:
Expanding Questions, Constructing Models, and Moving Forward” Sociology of Religion 74(4): 454-463
Smith - 2 Hammer, Joseph H., Cragun, Ryan T., Smith, Jesse M., and Karen Hwang. 2012. “Forms,
Frequency, and Correlates of Perceived Anti-Atheist Discrimination.” Secularism and Nonreligion. Vol 1: 43-58.
Irvine, Leslie., Kahl, Kristina N., and Jesse M. Smith. 2012. “Confrontations and Donations: Encounters between Homeless Pet Owners and the Public.” (equal co-authorship) The Sociological Quarterly 53(1): 25-43.
Smith, Jesse M. 2011. “Becoming an Atheist in America: Constructing Identity and Meaning from the Rejection of Theism.” Sociology of Religion 72(2): 215-237.
Chapters in Edited Books:
Smith, Jesse M. (forthcoming). “Secular Living: Many Paths, Many Meanings.” Oxford
Handbook of Secularism, edited by Phil Zuckerman and John Shook. Oxford University Press. Smith, Jesse M. 2014. “Mission in Atheism.” Pp. 15-43 in Mission in World Religions: A Comparative Introduction, edited by Aaron J. Ghiloni. Peter Lang Publishing.
Cragun, Ryan T., Hammer, Joseph H., and Jesse M. Smith. 2013. “Atheists in North America.” Pp. 601-621 in The Oxford Handbook of Atheism, edited by Stephan Bullivant and Michael Ruse. Oxford University Press.
Smith, Jesse M. 2012.“Rejecting God, Adopting Atheism.” Pp. 341-351 in Sociological
Odyssey: Contemporary Readings in Introductory Sociology, 4th ed., edited by Patricia. A. Adler and Peter Adler. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Encyclopedias:
Smith, Jesse M. 2014. “Atheism.” Pp. 41-43 in The Encyclopedia of Social Deviance, edited by Heith Copes and Craig J. Forsyth. Sage Publications.
Smith, Jesse M. 2012.“Sociology of Religion and Crime.” Pp. 1532-1536 in The Social History of Crime and Punishment in America, edited by Wilbur Miller and Geoffrey J. Golson. Sage Publications.
Manuscripts in Progress:
Smith, Jesse M. “Calling All Those of this World: Congregational Activity at the Sunday Assembly.”
Smith - 3 Smith, Jesse M. “Expressive Nontheism: Moral Communities and Promoting the Social Good.” In Annual Review Sociology of Religion, edited by Franco Garelli and Roberto Cipriani. Brill Publications.
DeCamp, Whitney and Jesse M. Smith. “Religion, Nonreligion, and Deviance: Comparing Faith's and Family's Relative Strength in Promoting Social Conformity.”
Smith, Jesse M. “Atheist Rhetoric in Historical Mormon Discourse.” Research Positions and Affiliations
Advisor – Secular Surveys Project (secularsurveys.org).
• Affiliated with Partners for Secular Activism. (Summer 2014 – present.) Research Associate – Atheist Research Collaborative
• Iowa State University, Department of Psychology. (Summer 2011 – present). Research Affiliate – Non-Religion and Secularity Research Network
• University of Cambridge, Interdisciplinary Research on Non-Religion and Secularity. (Fall 2010 – present).
Research Assistant – University of Colorado at Boulder
• The Homeless and their Pets. Under the direction of Leslie Irvine, Fall 2010 - Fall 2011.
Case Manager/Practicum – Wasatch Mental Health
• Specialty: J.O.S. State Program, Intensive Residential and Youth Outpatient Treatment 2004-2006
Courses Taught Undergraduate
Introduction to Sociology Principles of Sociology Classical Sociological Theory Deviance in United States Society Sociology of Religion
Self in Modern Society Social Psychology Graduate
Smith - 4 Professional Association Memberships
American Sociological Association Association for the Sociology of Religion Society for the Scientific Study of Religion Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction American Academy of Religion
Nonreligion and Secularity Research Network Manuscript and Expert Reviewer
American Journal of Sociology Science, Religion, and Culture
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion The Sociological Quarterly
Sociology of Religion Secularism and Nonreligion
Psychology of Religion and Spirituality Social Forces
Grant Proposal Baker Fund, Ohio University (external reviewer) ASA Student Forum Advisory Session Papers
Teachers College, Columbia University, Survey scale development (external reviewer) Presentations at Professional Meetings
Smith, Jesse. M, and Whitney DeCamp. 2015. “Religion, Deviance, Stigma, and Risk-Taking.” European Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction annual meeting. Salford Greater Manchester, United Kingdom.
Smith, Jesse. M. 2015. “Into the Field. Teaching the Craft of Qualitative Inquiry through Experiential Practice.” Qualitative Analysis Conference annual meeting. London, Ontario Canada. (proposal accepted; presentation forthcoming).
Smith - 5 Smith, Jesse. M. 2013. “The Social Deviance of Atheism: Negotiating Cultural Membership with a Stigmatized Identity.” Society for the Study of Social Problems annual meeting. New York, NY.
Smith, Jesse M. 2013. “The Social and Interactional Constitution of ‘Private’ Non-Belief: The Case of Organized Atheists in the United States.” Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction annual meeting. New York, NY.
Smith, Jesse M. and Kevin Zimmerman 2012. “Familial Relationship Outcomes of Coming Out Atheist.” National Council on Family Relations annual meeting. Phoenix, AZ.
Smith, Jesse M. 2011. “Organizing the Godless: The Collective Identity Work of Contemporary Atheists.” Association for the Sociology of Religion annual meeting, Las Vegas, NV.
Smith, Jesse M. 2010. “Becoming an Atheist in America: Constructing Identity and Meaning from the Rejection of Theism.” Society for the Scientific Study of Religion annual meeting. Baltimore, MD.
Smith, Jesse M. 2009. “Atheist Self, American Context.” Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction annual meeting. San Francisco, CA.
Professional Meeting Participation
Critic-Participant. 2015. For book, “Atheist Awakening: Secular Activism and Community in America.” Author-meets-Critics session of the Association for the Sociology of Religion annual meeting. Chicago, IL.
Session Chair. 2015. “Symbolic Interaction and Public Sociology.” Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction annual meeting. Chicago, IL.
Presider. 2012. “Ethnography and Microsociology across the Cultural Spectrum.” ASA Student Forum Advisory Board. American Sociological Association annual meeting. Denver, CO Session Organizer. 2012. (four different sessions for graduate student papers). ASA Student Forum Advisory Board. American Sociological Association annual meeting. Denver, CO. Manuscript Reviewer and Housing Coordinator. 2012. ASA Student Forum Advisory Board Session(s). American Sociological Association annual meeting. Denver, CO.
Member/Panelist. 2011. ASA Student Forum Advisory Board. American Sociological Association annual meeting. Las Vegas, NV.
Smith - 6 Invited Talks and Classroom Lectures
Smith, Jesse M. Fall 2014. “Qualitative Research Methodology” in Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods. Sponsored by the Graduate Center for Research and Retention of The Graduate College. Western Michigan University.
Smith, Jesse M. Spring 2012. “The Social Stigma of Atheism, and its Negotiation” in Social Deviance. Johnson and Wales University.
Smith, Jesse M. Fall 2010. “Church, Sect, Cult: Weber’s Typology” in Sociology of Religion, University of Colorado at Boulder.
Smith, Jesse M. Fall 2009. “Deviant Careers” in Deviance in U.S. Society, University of Colorado at Boulder.
Grants and Funding
International Education Faculty Development Fund (IEFDF). “Religion, Deviance, Stigma, and Risk-Taking.” Western Michigan University, Haenicke Institute for Global Education, Spring 2015. $1200.
College of Discovery and Dissemination Award (CDDA). “Religion, Deviance, Stigma, and Risk-Taking.” Western Michigan University, College of Arts and Sciences. Spring 2015. $1200. Support for Faculty Scholars Award (SFSA). “Social Dynamics of Nonreligion and Nonbelief.” Western Michigan University, Research and Sponsored Programs. Spring 2014. $2000.
Online Form Inquiry (OFI). John Templeton Foundation Grant Competition. 2013. “Gods in Minds: The Science of Religious Cognition. Requested $200,000 over 4 years. Full grant proposal solicitation and possible funding denied.
Faculty Research and Travel Funding – Western Michigan University, Summer 2013 - Spring 2015. $3500
Elected Member, Student Forum Advisory Board – American Sociological Association. Travel Grant. Summer 2011. $520
Co-Investigator, “Donations and Confrontations: Homeless Pet Owners’ Interactions with the Public.” Faculty Collaboration Grant, University of Colorado at Boulder, Summer 2011. $1250 Sociology Department Out-of-Pocket Dissertation Expense Award – University of Colorado at Boulder, Spring 2011. $1000
Smith - 7 Sociology Department Travel Grant – University of Colorado at Boulder, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011. $1300 total.
United Government of Graduate Students Academic Travel Grant – University of Colorado at Boulder, Fall 2010. $300.
Professional, University, and Community Service
2015 – present. Faculty Senator for the Department of Sociology (elected to three-year term). Faculty Senate, College of Arts and Sciences, Western Michigan University.
2014 – present. Paid Consultant and Committee Member. Derek Zuhlke. Clinical Psychology Dissertation Committee. Michigan School of Professional Psychology.
2014 – present. Kercher Endowment Committee, Committee Member, Department of Sociology, Western Michigan University.
2014 – present. Sabbatical Review Committee, Committee Member, Department of Sociology, Western Michigan University.
2013 – present. Central Graduate Committee, Committee Member, Department of Sociology, Western Michigan University.
2012 – 2013. Treasurer. Student Forum Advisory Board of the American Sociological Association.
2012 – 2013. Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honors Society Beta Chapter Vice President. University of Colorado at Boulder.
2011 – 2013. Student Forum Advisory Board of the American Sociological Association, Elected Member.
2010 – 2012. United Government of Graduate Students Sociology Department Representative. University of Colorado at Boulder.
2010 – 2012. Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honors Society Beta Chapter President. University of Colorado at Boulder.
2009 – 2010. University of Colorado at Boulder Secular Alliance Student Group Co-President and Organizer. University of Colorado at Boulder.
2008 – 2009. Sociology Subject Tutor for CU Athletics; Herbst Academic Center. University of Colorado at Boulder.
Smith - 8 2008. Graduate Student Panel Member for Incoming Sociology Students. University of Colorado at Boulder.
Graduate Student Committees
Reid, Matthew (PhD student). 2015. Methods Area Exam Committee Member. Fether, Alex (PhD student). 2015. Methods Area Exam Committee Chair. Brundage, David (MA student). 2015. Masters Thesis Committee Member. Staros, Karolina. (PhD student). 2015. Dissertation Committee Member
Staros, Karolina. (PhD student). 2014. Graduate Student Methods Exam Committee Member. Undergraduate Student Committees
Marrow, Cesalee. 2015. Honor’s College Project Chair.
McClain, Jordan Elizabeth. 2014. “Attitudes towards Latino Immigrants Expressed Online Media.” Undergraduate Honors Thesis Committee Member.
Honors and Awards
2011. Dissertation Expense Award. Department of Sociology, University of Colorado – Boulder. Awarded by the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies in Recognition of Outstanding
Achievement.
2010 – 2013. Honorary Member and Chapter President of Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honors Society.
2005. Cum Laude – Utah Valley University, School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. References
Dr. Leslie Irvine, Associate Professor, [email protected], Department of Sociology Ketchum Hall 223, 327 UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309.
Dr. Patricia Adler, Professor, [email protected], Department of Sociology Ketchum Hall 207, 327 UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309.
Dr. Lori Peek, Associate Professor, [email protected], Department of Sociology B-237 Clark Building, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523.
Smith - 9 Ketchum Hall 207A, 327 UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309.
